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Post by Aj_June on Apr 30, 2018 14:01:22 GMT
I cannot explain how much I like Alastair Sim. He is one of the greatest comic actors who has ever lived (at least in my opinion for what it's worth). Any time I feel depressed I watch A Christmas Carol or Laughter in Paradise or any other fun movie starring him. While he was supreme in comedy he was still a very diverse actor and well capable of giving serious performances. There was a unique charm in his eccentricity - a kind of charm that is not possessed by actors of our age. Though to be fair to him it was only in films that he was frequently typecast in roles ofeccentric characters. On Stage he often played great Shakespearian characters. Much like other great actors Sim possessed a sparkling rich voice that made him stand out from the rest in most of his movies. Unfortunately, he didn't get that much success in Hollywood but as a fan I am already content with his body of work from the cinema of UK.
Please share your views on Sim!
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Post by neurosturgeon on Apr 30, 2018 14:46:26 GMT
Sim's Scrooge is the only one I want to watch.
I would love to see THE GREEN MAN again, but I guess it has fallen out of fashion.
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Post by timshelboy on Apr 30, 2018 14:54:13 GMT
Yes - a one of a kind eccentric Brit
Difficult to pick a fave but I like LAUGHTER IN PARADISE a lot, He was fun as the detective in GREEN FOR DANGER, charming in the underrated STAGE FRIGHT as Jane Wyman's dad, and at his most sinister in THE LADYKILLERS - and then back to school, of course in THE HAPPIEST DAYS OF YOUR LIVES and the ST TRINIANS films.
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Post by snsurone on Apr 30, 2018 14:54:20 GMT
Even in supporting roles, such as the otherwise mediocre STAGE FRIGHT, he was superb. Of course, it goes without saying that he was the best Scrooge in film history.
There was a British movie he did with Margaret Rutherford (another superb character actor) set in a boarding school. Damn if I can't remember the title, but they were both hilarious.
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Post by Aj_June on Apr 30, 2018 16:24:54 GMT
Even in supporting roles, such as the otherwise mediocre STAGE FRIGHT, he was superb. Of course, it goes without saying that he was the best Scrooge in film history. There was a British movie he did with Margaret Rutherford (another superb character actor) set in a boarding school. Damn if I can't remember the title, but they were both hilarious. That Movie is The Happiest Days of Your Life (1950), snsurone. Two comic geniuses paired together in that movie to give us a total comic riot. I see that movie once every three or four years. Sim's era was for me the golden age of Brit comedy. Him and other actors such as Geroge Cole, Thomas Terry and Dame Margaret Rutherford were just too good.
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Post by snsurone on Apr 30, 2018 16:43:44 GMT
Thank you, coolmax. I saw this movie many years ago in a film class.
BTW, don't you mean Terry-Thomas?
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Post by Aj_June on Apr 30, 2018 16:43:57 GMT
Yes - a one of a kind eccentric Brit
Difficult to pick a fave but I like LAUGHTER IN PARADISE a lot, He was fun as the detective in GREEN FOR DANGER, charming in the underrated STAGE FRIGHT as Jane Wyman's dad, and at his most sinister in THE LADYKILLERS - and then back to school, of course in THE HAPPIEST DAYS OF YOUR LIVES and the ST TRINIANS films. All the ones you listed are awesome. I have yet not seen The Ruling Class (1972) in which Sim has a small role. Wee Geordie (1955) is a very sweet movie too. Sim's Scrooge is the only one I want to watch. I would love to see THE GREEN MAN again, but I guess it has fallen out of fashion. I do agree that it will difficult for people who are not too interested in old movies to like the humour employed in The Green Man. Sim played his part perfectly. I would like to see it too as it's been more than 7 or 8 years when I last saw that movie.
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Post by Nalkarj on Apr 30, 2018 17:39:19 GMT
Another excellent thread, Aj_June—add me to the list of Sim fans. There is, as you say, something very appealing about him as an actor—I think it may be the voice, that burr with just a hint of authority that is undermined by its pomposity and the amazing contortions Sim can do with his face. He is both in charge and slightly ridiculous—which competing qualities make him immensely likeable. I am, unfortunately, the one Sim fan who’s not particularly fond of Scrooge; excellent though he is, he doesn’t seem (to me) quite comfortable in the part, and the whole thing seems a bit ponderous. I happen to like the George C. Scott version the best, though in all other cases I’d rather watch Sim than Scott. I’m aware that my opinion on the movie is awfully unusual and idiosyncratic, but for whatever reason I’ve just never been able to get into it. Sim is wonderful, however, in Green for Danger, bringing Christianna Brand’s purposely-underwritten ‘Cockie’ to life and imbuing him with genuine personality. Those traits I mentioned before, authority and ridiculousness, were never more in evidence than here; and the whole thing is an utter delight. One of the few film classics the mystery genre has produced.
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Post by teleadm on Apr 30, 2018 17:43:45 GMT
One of those actors that it's always a joy to see. The Belles of St. Trinian's 1954 School for Scoundrels 1960 Alf's Button Afloat 1938 Missleading Cases 1967 - 1971 TV-series
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Post by Primemovermithrax Pejorative on Apr 30, 2018 21:14:50 GMT
I watched AN INSPECTOR CALLS recently. His performance was amusing.
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Post by BATouttaheck on Apr 30, 2018 21:23:12 GMT
Biographicals I never knew : The son of Alexander Sim JP and Isabella McIntyre, Alastair Sim was educated in Edinburgh. Always interested in language (especially the spoken word) he became the Fulton Lecturer in Elocution at New College, Edinburgh University from 1925 until 1930. He was invited back and became the Rector of Edinburgh University (1948 - 1951). His first stage appearance was as Messenger in Othello at the Savoy Theatre, London. He went on to create some of the most memorable (usually comedic) roles in British films from 1936 until his death in 1976.
He came to acting late being 30 when he started acting on the London stage and 35 when he made his film debut. In the late 30's he was inclined towards the sinister with such films as 'The Terror'(38) although he also appeared in the Crazy Gang's 'Alf's Button Afloat' (38) and with Jesse Matthews in 'Climbing High'(39). During the war he played Sergeant Bingham in the 'Inspector Hornleigh' films directed by Walter Forde. It was after the war that he found his true forte - comedy - in the films of Launder and Gilliat in particular playing a series of Dickensian eccentrics, rogues and pathological assassins although the sinister element often remained.
Despite his many films his attachment to the theatre continued throughout his career, acting, directing and producing and with a strong association with James Bridie who wrote seven plays for him.
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Post by BATouttaheck on Apr 30, 2018 21:26:25 GMT
Youngest I've found yet
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Post by BATouttaheck on Apr 30, 2018 21:26:44 GMT
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Post by louise on May 1, 2018 19:08:15 GMT
VEry funny. I love him in The Green Man. And as the harassed headmaster in The Happiest Days of Your Life.
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Post by Aj_June on May 1, 2018 19:50:28 GMT
Another excellent thread, Aj_June —add me to the list of Sim fans. There is, as you say, something very appealing about him as an actor—I think it may be the voice, that burr with just a hint of authority that is undermined by its pomposity and the amazing contortions Sim can do with his face. He is both in charge and slightly ridiculous—which competing qualities make him immensely likeable. I am, unfortunately, the one Sim fan who’s not particularly fond of Scrooge; excellent though he is, he doesn’t seem (to me) quite comfortable in the part, and the whole thing seems a bit ponderous. I happen to like the George C. Scott version the best, though in all other cases I’d rather watch Sim than Scott. I’m aware that my opinion on the movie is awfully unusual and idiosyncratic, but for whatever reason I’ve just never been able to get into it. Sim is wonderful, however, in Green for Danger, bringing Christianna Brand’s purposely-underwritten ‘Cockie’ to life and imbuing him with genuine personality. Those traits I mentioned before, authority and ridiculousness, were never more in evidence than here; and the whole thing is an utter delight. One of the few film classics the mystery genre has produced. I have always wanted to see Geroge C. Scott's Scrooge, Salzmank. Hopefully I will be able to see it soon. I couldn't have described Sim's qualities better than you did when you said "I think it may be the voice, that burr with just a hint of authority that is undermined by its pomposity and the amazing contortions Sim can do with his face. He is both in charge and slightly ridiculous". That is exactly how I feel about Sim but you put it in better words. He certainly had an air of authority about him but it was often undermined by his pomposity.
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Post by kijii on May 1, 2018 23:49:22 GMT
If I had to pick just one it would be School for Scoundrels (1960) I loved it from the moment I first saw it.
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Post by ellynmacg on May 4, 2018 3:17:41 GMT
I am surprised to see only one mention (up until now) of The Belles of St. Trinian's, one of my favourite (once again, I consider British spelling obligatory in this context) comedies, and definitely high on my list of Alastair Sim films. Why is that, I hear you cry? Well, for one thing, he plays a double role--how utterly divine to have two AS's for the price of one! Besides, he's so...so spiffy as Miss Fritton. Why is it that most male performers--straight or otherwise--from the UK or Ireland seem to carry off comic cross-dressing with so much more panache than their American counterparts? At least that's been my experience.
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Post by louise on May 4, 2018 6:45:47 GMT
Yes - a one of a kind eccentric Brit
Difficult to pick a fave but I like LAUGHTER IN PARADISE a lot, He was fun as the detective in GREEN FOR DANGER, charming in the underrated STAGE FRIGHT as Jane Wyman's dad, and at his most sinister in THE LADYKILLERS - and then back to school, of course in THE HAPPIEST DAYS OF YOUR LIVES and the ST TRINIANS films. he wasn't in The Ladykillers - that was Alec Guiness
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Post by Aj_June on May 4, 2018 8:20:08 GMT
I am surprised to see only one mention (up until now) of The Belles of St. Trinian's, one of my favourite (once again, I consider British spelling obligatory in this context) comedies, and definitely high on my list of Alastair Sim films. Why is that, I hear you cry? Well, for one thing, he plays a double role--how utterly divine to have two AS's for the price of one! Besides, he's so...so spiffy as Miss Fritton. Why is it that most male performers--straight or otherwise--from the UK or Ireland seem to carry off comic cross-dressing with so much more panache than their American counterparts? At least that's been my experience. I guess the reason why people don't associate The Belles of St. Trinian's frequently with Sim is that as the series progressed Sim disappeared from it and the series became more and more associated with George Cole. The "Flash Harry" character got the biggest glory in this series. That said, Sim was excellent in the double role in the series opener.
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Post by Aj_June on May 4, 2018 8:24:26 GMT
If I had to pick just one it would be School for Scoundrels (1960) I loved it from the moment I first saw it. ha! Loved it. Remember right after watching the movie I frequently brought forth the idea of one-upmanship in conversation with my friends. Thomas Terry was great in this movie.
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