Ian Mckellen in 'Richard III'-Lady Anne mourns, gets wooed

McKellen delights in showing Richard's humor and arrogance as he dances off at the end of this scene to the jazz music of the first.

What Is Worth Dying For... Is Worth Killing For.


Kristin Scott Thomas ... Lady Anne



from an interview with Sir Ian McKellen:

---You're not suggesting that the audience should have sympathy for him?---

I'm not suggesting that they do anything, but if they don't I'd be very disappointed. He's very engaging. I think they will catch their breath, hopefully, at his bravado. I hope at times that they will be so convinced by his acting that they will forget what he's up to, which is why he has to keep reminding the audience. "You know what I've just done..." I hope they're going to see not just one person all the way through. They're going to see the different facets of this man's ability and his potential which he channels to absolutely the wrong purposes; but he is undoubtedly an attractive figure and that's why Lady Anne is momentarily seduced by him.

---Yes. I find that rather hard to believe.---

You find it hard to believe on the stage but you won't when you see it on the screen. The reasons are many, but one is Richard's overwhelming force; the other is her own heightened emotion, she's at a very vulnerable state emotionally. She's exhausted with grief. She cannot keep it up even faced with a man who legitimately killed her husband in battle. She is totally destitute at the point when she was about to become First Lady, Queen of England. She has no family support, apparently. Where is she going to live now? Who's interested in her? Overnight that happens and along comes a very powerful man who is old enough to be her father and says: "Marry me and you can have it all back." Now in her state of confusion, who's to say that Lady Anne is a totally innocent child? She may be, probably is, considering her social class and her upbringing, extremely ambitious on her own behalf and she's fooled, not realising that Richard's wife is never going to get a look in and she regrets it for the rest of her life, of course. Basically, she believes him when she says he loves her -- at a moment when she is bereft of love.

---You mentioned his sense of humour. Would you elaborate on that?---

His sense of humour comes from the same place as his conscience. He knows what he's doing. It's irony; but he's observing himself and he's pleased with himself, admires himself and asks the audience to admire what he's done, along with him. So he's extremely arrogant; but he just hopefully wins the audience into wanting him to succeed. The audience are accomplices in this journey to power. I hope, when the film is over, they will remember how much they wanted Richard to succeed in becoming king and how like many people in the story they got seduced by the excitement of it.

In other words, I hope they're not just going to sit back and watch this story. I hope they're leaning forward and that humour is one of the ways that they're drawn in. It wouldn't be right to say it's a comedy! In fact, it's interesting that Shakespeare calls the play The Tragedy of King Richard III.

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Entertainment

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• richardIII
• shakespeare
• IanMckellen

[pood2thenoobie]

my god, McKellen nailed this character. I've seen people go through this entire play as Richard alway serious and bitter. But Ian gets him right to the most vicious part of him, his humor.

[dajohnthomas69]

It is certainly mesmerizing. Maybe his appearance is not sexy, but his voice is. I think lady Anne is hypnotized by his persuasive charme(s;-)

[rugby12rulez]

@VersusARCH Many may say the same thing of this role or play. But I do see why this performance is better than his role as Gandalf the Grey and White. But I believe 'tis so because Lord of the Rings became a world wide phenomenon. Sir Ian McKellan was either known as Gandalf, Magneto, or the gentleman from the DaVinci Code to many of the younger audiences who do not know his full body of work.

[readtoomuch]

This fate could have been avoided IF she had a sassy gay friend......

[FireEyedMaidOfWar]

I still muse how much Shakespeare did fell here pray to the Tudor lies about good King Richard III – as every last monarch of a overthrown dynasty is depicted as a monster and a tyrant; ever since the days of the Roman emperors; and so is it with the story of Anne & Richard: They were betrothed in their youth but her father Warwick married her to Prince Edward, while Richard remained faithful to her and rescued Anne and by doing so preserved her Neville inheritance.

[FireEyedMaidOfWar]

So Anne and Richard may have been a quite happy couple both romantically and rational: Anne had her inheritance protected by Richard and he his power much improved; so the real Anne could be closer to Lady Macbeth than ever Queen Margaret; and never forget: Henry VII has as much reason to kill the nephews of Richard III than he had himself and even more: Had Richard no sons his nephews could succeed him still but for Henry their lives were a constant danger.

[AmicableAlien]

Possibly, Richard is like Voltaire - as he said, give me half an hour to explain away my face and I could seduce the Queen of France

[belisariusorb]

I've seen 3 now, and of the Olivier, Cook and McKellen versions, I must say that I like the Ron Cook 1983 performance better. Not just the leading actor, the way the dialogue zings along with brio and because Zoe Wannamaker is so damn cute.

[Anon5K]

McKellen is Richard 111.....standing ovation.

[DOMINOSMOFO]

Sup with this guy and rings?

[CocaineHabbit]

@pood2thenoobie

i think everybody did incredibly in this film, with the possible exception of bening who seemed a little overwhelmed by the material. i love that kristin scott thomas brought some strength and anger to this role; ive seen many who just play her as a throwaway grieving wife character...

[jackaroe7]

@dajohnthomas69 Lady Anne is hypnotized by Richard because he is a manipulative sociopath. She also goes along with him as she is on the losing side of the War of the Roses and as such has nothing since all of her claim to nobility have been cut off. It is either marry Richard, or loose all of her status and money. There is more happening here than just his amazing voice.