Lithgow as Churchill? You must be joking!
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warren-87235 — 9 years ago(November 19, 2016 05:41 AM)
I like John Lithgow, but I was very dubious when I saw he was playing Churchill. He would never have occurred to me in the role. However, having seem him in the part, I think he's done an excellent job!!
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tinagchristensen — 9 years ago(November 19, 2016 05:40 PM)
I agree 100% - Lithgow's acting in that particular scene is absolutely superb and my guess is that will get him the Emmy. If you read this John L. - in case you don't win we know you did an excellent job and I felt like getting really close to Churchill. Thank you!
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Mayesgwtw39 — 9 years ago(November 19, 2016 08:37 PM)
I'm enjoying his performance immensely. In fact the only thing I think is jarringly inauthentic are the British actors attempting American accents . Like, for example, the reporter who talks to the Duke of Windsor .
"Our Art Is a Reflection of Our Reality" -
krspas2 — 9 years ago(November 20, 2016 10:49 AM)
The actor playing the character doesn't always even come close to
resembling that character. Look at A.D. the miniseries that aired in
2015/16. Mary Magdalene was played by a Black actress and two of the
12 disciples were played by Black actors (clearly the characters weren't
Black, but were Jews from the middle east. The Musical "Hamilton" has a
Hispanic playing Alexander Hamilton and a Black is playing Aaron Burr. -
saima_pyke — 9 years ago(November 21, 2016 02:35 AM)
I agree. Actors don't have to physically resemble the people they portray but when all the other cast are so masterfully chosen to do so it sticks out terribly that he doesn't. Aside from that, he just doesn't seem to play Churchill the man well. I'm not saying he did a poor acting job, I am saying that there are others who could have done an outstanding acting job.
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chrissieboy72 — 9 years ago(November 22, 2016 02:24 PM)
You're wrong. The whole cast is superb and Lithgow is surprisingly excellent. As for his height, yet of course this is poetic licence, but his mimicking of Churchill's voice, posture and mannerisms is very good. But more so is the quality of his acting and gravitas he brings to the role which cannot be faulted.
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JacintoCupboard — 9 years ago(November 23, 2016 12:03 AM)
I didn't read the whole thread, not the least because of the irrational rancour that so quickly developed but I'll still put in my 2 cents.
Lithgow IS miscast in this. A 6 and a half foot gangly American playing Churchill? The idea is madness. But, and this is a big but, he quite amazingly manages to pull it off.
The problem with depictions of Churchill is that he was such a peculiar looking, and sounding, man. It is the norm for actors portraying him to lurch into caricature. I have seldom, well never, seen a convincing depiction of Churchill before.
There's a lesson here for actors and audiences alike: and that is that getting to the heart of your subject CAN overcome the actor's limitations. Well done Lithgow. -
Sophoclaw — 9 years ago(November 24, 2016 04:21 AM)
The choice of Lithgow is not incomprehensible, it is very careful planned to satisfy one of the main purposes of the series. The more physically imposing Churchill is viewed in contrast to the relatively small and fragile Queen Elizabeth, the better, in able to emphasis her command power and character against a Prime Minister whom everyone considered through his strong personality a rock and the foundation of victory over Hitler and Nazi Germany under WWII. This is the whole point of the series, to give the impression that actually it is the monarchy that is the main soul of the UK by making The Queen a stronghold in the leadership of the country by imposing her will on men like Churchill. And that is why they choose Lithgow who is 6'4"(1.93 m) in height against Claire Foy who is 5'3"(1.62 m) tall, that's almost 1'1" difference!. Actually Winston Churchill was 5'6"(1.68m), curiously enough same height as Napoleon, Queen Elizabeth II is 5'4"(1.63m) so that makes Churchill only 2" taller than The Queen.
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damedelilas — 9 years ago(November 26, 2016 06:45 AM)
When I first saw him, I remember thinking it was insane that he was chosen for the part. Just because his height made him seem so different from Churchill and it was jarring.
He won me over very quickly though and did an amazing job really showing Churchill as a whole person rather than just one facet of his personality. The scenes about the painting of him were so incredibly moving and I don't think anyone could have done better than him.
"Life is for service." -
VValkyrie — 9 years ago(November 27, 2016 09:49 AM)
Started watching "The Crown" three days ago, on episode 4 & enthralled with this series. I'm enjoying John Lithgow as Sir Winston Churchill - great performance by an "actor". That is their job description "to act - to portray and express a character" - no need for spot on look-a-likes. Anyone remember a very handsome Simon Ward in "Young Winston"?
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Hidingintheshadows — 9 years ago(November 27, 2016 08:57 PM)
To EVERYBODY:
Are you joking? Seriously, I posted an opinion. That's all.
How can any of you justify the time you have spent, quarreling, bickeringAS IF ANYBODY CARES?
Really: have you nothing better in your lives to do, than to throw virtual eggs at someone you don't know, from wherever, just to spit your foam atSOMETHING.?
Seriously, talk to a yoga teacher, or whatever,
but get a life
Oh, and don't dare think that I care enough to read any responseI will be going straightway to wherever it asks me to tell it to not send me any more notices of your ridiculous foam-spitting ejaculations of "I wish there was more to my life than arguing about who should have played Churchill".
Sp pathetic.
Seriously.
That's all you have, in you life.
Nodon't type.
Just
Shut up.
Do something nice
instead.
Bye
like, forever