Lithgow as Churchill? You must be joking!
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cookiela2001 — 9 years ago(November 24, 2016 12:02 PM)
Well, I do mean within reason.
The OP's complaint is about Lithgow's height. Yet does the majority of today's audience know what the real life Churchill's height was? It could have been a factor in his life, perhaps(whatever it was)yet it's not what motivates the scenes, moving the story forward.
Looks are important, but I don't think any of us would like to think that how we look is the most important thing about us.
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nelly0042 — 9 years ago(November 18, 2016 05:25 PM)
So was your vaunted teacher's teacher also a film scholar?
I don't seem to see that listed on Ouspensky's resume.
Seriously, not only is the quote unoriginal, but as the other commenter noted, your use of it is downright hypocritical. Were you arguing mathematics or some other area where your teacher's teacher was an acknowledged authority, it might be different, but here it's just ridiculous.
Keira Knightley was nominated for an Oscar for her role as Joan Clarke in The Imitation Game, yet even in the most dimly lit room, no one would ever claim that the two bore any physical resemblance to one another apart from having the requisite number of limbs. Similarly, there is very little resemblance between Andrew Garfield in the film Hacksaw Ridge and the real-life Desmond Doss.
There's a story that goes that during the filming of Marathon Man, Dustin Hoffman went for a few days without sleep and by the end was looking pretty rough. Lawrence Olivier asked him why he was putting himself through such an ordeal, to which Hoffman replied that he was trying to be convincing in the role. Olivier replied, "Try acting dear boy". The story may be apocryphal, but at least it is more on point than your reference to a Russian mathematician. -
audreysluv — 9 years ago(December 18, 2016 06:29 PM)
My reading about Churchill induces me to agree that while he was without equal in the motivational and inspiration aspects of leadership, his military strategies were usually costly mistakes which prolonged the war. On the other hand, I haven't and don't have a problem with Lithgow portraying him. The difference in height between Lithgow and Churchill is far easier for me to overlook as long as the real Churchill comes through.
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axl7 — 9 years ago(November 18, 2016 02:45 PM)
All, except the amazing and incomprehensible choice of Lithgow to play Churchill.
Anyone who has seen any of the films, TV series or documentaries of and about Churchill would recognize right away the difference in height (Lithgow 6'3" vs. Churchill 5'6" at that age), as well as the posture. Lithgow comports himself as a caricature
I agree. I din't like him.
I can't say he was "miscast" because I suppose the producers wanted him to act a certain way, to show Churchill at the end of his careeer, in his old daysgrumpy, frailbut it was too much, "caricature" is the word that comes to mind when I'm watching this Churchill.
"Please, if you are trying to convert me, this isn't a good time" -
spinmonkey44 — 9 years ago(November 18, 2016 06:36 PM)
I sort of agree but then I disagree because Lithgow is such a wonderful actor. At first, I was wary of the scenes he was in but he became more believable to me later on. Lithgow is a wonderful actor and just as Brits play Americans on film, some Americans can play Brits on film. I think he did an admirable job.
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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.