CHARACTER ACTORS: Sir Noel Coward in Havana

Sir Noel Coward (1899-1973) was first and foremost a playwright. But sometimes he also made appearances in movies, playing the quintessential English gentleman, like in the screen adaptation of Graham Greene's novel Our Man in Havana (1959), dir. Carol Reed. It's the real Havana, the movie was already planned when the rebels under Fidel Castro took over and they allowed them to proceed.
Sir Noel plays a secret service official who wants to recruit a vacuum cleaner salesman, played by Sir Alec Guinness, as an agent.
What I particularly like about this performance are the Cuban musicians who attach themselves to the Englishman dressed for the London fog, always playing the same signature tune. You can already hear it before the man appears on screen.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Sir
• Noel
• Coward
• Graham
• Greene
• Our
• Man
• in
• Havana
• Carol
• Reed
• Alec
• Guinness
• Cuba

[hebneh]

I agree that Havana still looks like this, only it's falling apart. There still are people hustling you in the street, AND there are still 1950s cars in abundance! Just as you see here.

[mkl62]

"It's discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deceit."

[cinemapsycho91]

Favorite Character Actors of All Time: 1. Samuel L. Jackson 2. Christopher Walken 3. Michael Shannon 4. Steve Buscemi 5. Tom Cruise 6. Harvey Keitel 7. J.T. Walsh 8. John Malkovich 9. William H. Macy 10. R. Lee Ermey

[15671643]

Domitila donde vas..........hilarious! An English gentleman-spy constantly surrounded by musicians, go unnoticed as a flash in the night! .....donde vas, Domitila.....

[blizzy63]

It still looks like this today...only no national lottery, no casinos, no Shanghai Theatre, no bar/brothels, no Havana Country Club and no American-style retail stores. The jinteneros (street hustlers) are still there in strength...as well as the street corner cops (in Old Habana). Most of the pre-revolution physical infrastructure is still there only aging and crumbling. A great city...especially if you appreciate 20th Century history.

[theonlyantony]

I love the scene in the bar...it speaks shovelfulls about the pair

[JSC1401]

And today?

[bbdupon]

That was "The Italian Job"--his last film.

[racingrubberbiker]

Sorry, you are wrong. Noel Coward played "Mr. Bridger" - the gang boss in prison - in the "Italian Job", who bank-rolled the heist.

[matt2house]

oh that was the italian job with michael caine, he was actually the prison warden that was highly devoted to the queen.