John Cleese as a sheriff???
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Bilwick1 — 17 years ago(April 02, 2009 10:29 AM)
Don't know why an Englishman as a western sheriff is any less believable than a Danish ex-Foreign Legionnaire as a federal marshal or an Irish soldier-of-fotune as a U.S. cavalry officer (real life Dalton nemesis Chris Madsen and 7th Cavalry major Myles Keogh, respectively).
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Broadsman — 16 years ago(January 24, 2010 05:48 PM)
Two of my ancestors went from England to fight in the American civil war and if the stories told by the family are correct One became a sheriff in Texas and as stated before there was a great influx of emigrants from Great Britain to the US of A at this period of American history.
So why do American's get so huffy about British actors playing in westerns.
I should also add there was horror of horrors a few british out laws in the west. -
Bilwick1 — 16 years ago(January 25, 2010 10:38 AM)
"I should also add there was horror of horrors a few british out laws in the west."
Most notable, Percy the Kid, aka "Paddlin' Percival" He was infamous for holding up stages, but seemed less interested in the strong box then in making the male passengers drop their trousers and bend over while he spanked them with a large paddle. He wore a Lone Ranger style half-mask, but everyone could reognize him by his notoriously bad teeth. -
MurphAndTheMagicTones — 13 years ago(December 02, 2012 09:06 AM)
It's so funny to see Kevin Kline and John Cleese in scenes together in this movie when you know what they were doing just three years later in A Fish Called Wanda.
Beer, Norm?
Isnt it early?
For a beer?
No, for stupid questions.
Cheers -
Moss-37 — 15 years ago(July 12, 2010 03:12 AM)
Best comedic scene is when cleese is playing chess opposite a guy who looks deeply engrossed in the game..when cleese moves his chess piece you expect the other guy to respond and move his chess piece but no!cleese just turns the board around..and continues pondering his next move.he was playing chess all by himselfclassic.
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benmasta — 15 years ago(September 09, 2010 10:24 AM)
i just saw this movie, and the part where danny glover is shooting at cleese and his crew while hiding in the high ground. i swore it sounded/looked exactly like him.
funny how it ended up being him in such a random movie. Hes so jokes. -
pusterummet — 15 years ago(December 08, 2010 03:52 AM)
The "problem" with Cleese here is ofcourse that he is know for all his Python and Fawlty Towers work.. I don't think when this movie was made that he had ever had a serious role.. That's the "danger" of casting these known celebs in such minor roles.. You don't see a Sheriff.. you see John Cleese
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uvl — 12 years ago(September 21, 2013 04:29 PM)
@pusterummet, sorry, but there is no "problem" with casting Cleese. Yes, we see the man who engaged in a lot of zany skits prior to this role, but quite frankly, he handles the role with aplomb and carves out a nice little bit of the film for himself. And if you'll notice, this film contains lots of little pieces; this one happened to belong to Cleese, Glover, and Costner.
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PhillipNoir — 12 years ago(January 03, 2014 02:09 AM)
If we want to enjoy the movie experience, we must suspend all prior knowledge of a famous performer playing a part. Then the actor must work to convince us that he is in character. That's the give and take of the theater.
For instance, John Wayne convinced me that he was John T Chance, Tom Donophan, Rockwell Torrey, Rooster Cogburn, Cole Thornton, and JB Books over a time span of about 15 years. I knew Wayne was in there, but he made these characters live for me. His director contributed to my suspension of belief by making these characters big men of action, and quick moral certainty, who felt a noble generosity toward the town folks he was charged to protect, just like the Duke.
Have you noticed that when we refuse to suspend belief about an actor/actress, or when a major player is poorly cast, we tend not to like the film?
On first seeing John Cleese, I was immediately reminded of Richard Harris playing English Bob in the Eastwood film, albeit Cleese is a comic figure and Bob a tragic one. I felt Cleese was a great western character in this film, as well as English Bob in the Eastwood film Unforgiven. Adding an eccentric English character to the old West has helped to enrich both films.