The Entertainer (1960)-Laurence Olivier-dance, kitchen scene

[johnsammyanfal]

The movie is really a trenchant satire on the post-war British establishment. 'Grandad' - blimpish and obsolete - at least belonged to a generation that believed in something. His death is only tragic because he died defending a tradition that had long since ceased to matter. Archie embodies that empty-eyed inane cynicism that characterized the figures of the period. Looking back in anger the movie offers up the promise of the 1960s young. How wrong it was! There are more Archies than ever.

[wordisbond007]

Not bad girls are a bit common that's all.........oh it is nice to see you!!

Classic scene, Olivier rocks and so does Thora!!

Is the draught bass scene on here anywhere?

[SampoLapilill]

Utterly uplifting to see perhaps the finest stage actor of his generation in his finest role. Archie Rice was written by John Osborne for Olivier. And did'nt he do it well? There were moments even in this brief clip when Olivier simply disappeared and became Archie Rice. I have no idea how the best actors manage to do that, dispappear into the role they play. The only actor I have seen do the same thing on a regular basis is Romola Garai. She is the female equivalent of the young Olivier.

[amanreadingstories]

it was so convincing

i really thought that olivier was poor at the role

it took me time to realise that he was aping a poor performer

or alternatively he poored the act down because he could not ape rapport which was the prereqisite in music hall -he may have known though that rapport cannot[generally] be relayed through time based media

Brilliant whichever way!

[MuffinDive]

What a team. Joan Plowright and Sir Laurence Olivier. Beautous!

[kanyabec]

what do the ladies say at 01:08

[2muski]

@kanyabec

'He's a ..., isn't he?' It's impossible to figure out.

[HeartyArtie]

@kanyabec

"He's a bit suggestive, isn't he?"

[zthetha]

Amazing performance from Larry as the stage-struck but untalented comedian. In my youth I worked with a few amateur thespians who were inordinately enthusiastic but utterly ungifted and this film reminds me very much of that time. When Olivier was asked how he managed to portray this sad, unfunny performer he said, "I tried my very best to do it well." A very revealing comment. He was a great actor who had it all... except comedy.

[pawt1963]

A great character performance by the gravel-voiced Roger Livesey as Billy Rice. Livesey is best known for his work in the 1940s with Powell & Pressburger.

[Tasutpen]

Beautiful in almost every respect . . . but I wish Richardson hadn't cut away from Olivier's song. It's a bad editing decision; one of the worst.

[cumbrialink1]

This was mostly shot at the Alhambra theatre Morecambe. Now sadly gone as it was burnt down in 1979, it was great to see the inside of the theatre in this clip. When i was about 10 years old i used to sit in both the bottom boxes (alternate nights of course) for about 3 summer seasons every night before getting a job on the spot lights there. It brought back wonderful memories.

[suttonguy]

the great roger livesey,one of the finest british actors.steals every scene he appears in.

[cardona89]

@suttonguy I could agree more about Livesey! He was a marvelous actor and a charming person. I loved Alan Bates too! Joan Plotwright great as usual. I wonder for how long we will have to wait to see actors and personalities (as well as movies) like these again!

[IAmTheYoghurtGoblin]

I'm doing these scenes for an assignment at college, i'd never heard of the play until Monday, i've read the whole play script and watched the movie and i love it. It's Amazing.

[SeirraOscar56]

I saw the play in the royal exchange theatre on wednesday. I thought it was great. The way they did it was brilliant and David Schofield did a brilliant job as Archie Rice. Roberta Taylor was a great choice of actress for Pheobe as well. The movie and the play are both worth going to watch.

[kasimsultonfan]

Hate to disagree with the Olivier love-in. He couldve done with some immersion in the Method. His Othello , for example , is an embarrassement ; eye rolling , hand-waving , borderline racist. Last of the old Irving-ite warhorses. Thank God the craft has moved on..

[SuperChrisPowell]

Roger Livesey a greatly underrated actor again showing albeit briefly what a great actor he was.

[92af]

Laurence Olivier was totaly better than Alec Guinness was

[cuttock]

I agree, but I love them both.

[margotdarby]

Osborne's screenplay for this film is superior to the actual play because it opens up the offstage subplots that are insufficiently developed on stage. For example, Billy Rice has almost nothing to do in the play.

[egglot12]

damn, this guy was great in every role he played.

[lovelyirene2001]

I'm amazed that Sir Lawrence Olivier can tap dance! o_O

[DrinkWater22]

Well, Sir Laurence Olivier is the greatest actor in the world! ;)

[lovelyirene2001]

And a good tap dancer. :)

[DrinkWater22]

You know what's funny? He's actually a good singer.

[lovelyirene2001]

Oh yeah! He does sing later in the movie. :)

[DrinkWater22]

I saw that part. He's truely the greatest actor of all time.

[lovelyirene2001]

I just don't know how he manages those great performances. Also, did Olivier ever incorporate any Method acting into his techniques?

[DrinkWater22]

No he didn't. Everything he used is what he learned from the theatre, and his natural talent. He believes half of great acting is looking like the charater. He likes to work from the outside in, where method actors tend to work from the inside out. He does whatever he can to look like the character, practice his voice to match the appearence, learn skills like tapdancingas you can see, and fencing and other skills his character requires and finally...act. His "method" was acting.

[JerryX68]

Shot in the Winter Gardens in Morcambe and on the pier there. They knocked the pier down but there's a campaign afoot to renovate and reopen the Winter Gardens. Great film.

[StupidFoolLady]

Oh!! Wonderful movie!!

[oldaba]

Could you provide the full film???? I would be gratevful!!!

[kirkvonbismarck]

I read the John Osborne text today, by chance, as I was browsing through my local library. I was blown away by how witty and cynical the script was, and everything seems to have been loyally preserved in this film adaptation. As usual Laurence Olivier is extraordinary, as is the actor who plays Billy Rice.

[DoTheBadThing92]

i thought the original was cockney?

[Saffron1947]

We are undoubtedly ushered into the presence of a more than great stage and film actor! We won't see his like again!

[Zeydez]

A great clip from a fine film. Who knew that Olivier would soon marry JOan Plowright !

[italianchick1692]

u know that he left vivien leigh 4 her.......

[DrinkWater22]

She was already living with someone else when he left her. He made sure someone was there to take care of her. Olivier had to move on.