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Wonderful movie Looks like TCM plays it about once a year, they played it last night, 2/17/13.

You see, I think the vibrancy was still there, even in old age. He did so much with a single glance, and that endured.

Ladies, ladies!
Alan was a good actor, but, please, admit your encomiums have a strong sexual element that Alan himself knew, and exploited.
Off the top of my head, he ripped his clothes offf in "Georgy Girl", was naked in "King of Hearts" and "The Go- Between", and entirely absolutely naked in "Women in Love".
I don't hold it against him. He had a great physicality, as well as a great spirituality. I just saw him in "Far From the Madding Crowd" on TCM tonight, and came here to read the comments on that film, and Julie Christie.
I was sad to see him old and grizzled in Mel Gibson's "Hamlet". He had been such a vibrant presence in films in the 1960's.
"This bar of likker is now a bar of justice!"

He was extraordinary in the movies. I saw him onstage in Richard III (playing Richard, of course) and will never forget that opening speech. He was dangerously charming and malignant.

I'm gonna board the Alan Bates Love Train. How I adored this man. From Georgy Girl, King of Hearts, Far from the Madding Crowd, Women in Love, An Unmarried Woman, Gosford Park and others, I've loved many of his films, but being an American from New York City, his role as "Sol Kaplan" (the ultimate teddy bear, sweetheart, romantic, artist of a man that I can't imagine any woman not falling in love with)was my ultimate favorite and love in an "Unmarried Woman" with Jill Clayburgh.
As the Goldie Hawn character "Judy Benjamin" said in Private Benjamin when she was in mourning after losing her husband and calling in to a radio talk show from a motel room, "I don't get it. In a Unmarried Woman, I would have been Mrs. Alan Bates so fast his head would have spun" LOL. ME TOO!
I also adored him in Gosford Park which came out in 2002, but I have a feeling he was starting to get ill at that time, because about a year later I saw him in a New York restaurant in the theatre district when he was starring with Frank Langella in "Fortunes Fool" on Broadway and he didn't look well. It was the last time I saw him and he died in 2003, but as a testament to him, he continued to work throughout his entire illness.
What a wonderful talent he was. Such range and depth and a full body of work. Film, theatre, and TV. Serious drama and comedy. He could do it all. He was just a few months short of 70 which was way too young to lose him. Being English, unlike here in the US when they throw you out if you haven't had a face lift by 50, he still could have had years of terrific productive roles ahead of himlike Christopher Plummer (he's Canadian, not English, I know). He always seemed so warm and lovely and gracious in person.
This is my ultimate Alan Bates:
http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTM4NTEyMjg4MV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYw NzAxMTM2._V1.SX344_SY450.jpg
Remember us, for we too have lived, loved and laughed

I'll enroll in the Alan Bates is hot (plus talented) club. As intofilm said, has a great range. And he and Oliver Reed wrestling nekid in "Women In Love?" Mmmmm, fabulous.

Insanely sexy. To me his hottest role ever was in The Shout. But I've seen nearly every film he's ever done. Wish I could have seen him in person, how stupid that I didn't try harder to. Sadly, I felt this film dampened his sexiness and I found the whole thing rather dull. Besides, I couldn't stand Bathsheba and did not care who she ended up with.

While I get people swooning over Terence Stamp in this film (and he's a fine actor too), I absolutely love Alan Bates. So underrated in film, damn sexy too with a great presence - lucky Julie Christie, she got to work with both of those hotties!

He was brilliant.
Made Richard Burton look like an amature.
If it harms none, do what thou wilt.

So true!

Plus, he was incredibly sexy!