smudge

Interesting replies chaps -

I can see your point, Freddy, and feel that More's type is a little bit contradictory here. On one side he is the pugnacious, stiff-upper-lipped, True Brit that got us through the war. But then (I feel) he also represents something of the 'officer class' and the old order in the way he plays it so straight.

Majority of the cinema-goers of the time would be the foot soldiers of the last war ; the Harold Goodwins and Percy Herbert types, with most of their lifestyles a world away from that of More's light-Middle Class fellows.

As Jim said, however - perhaps that was what was wanted ; to take themselves out of themselves, and to live in that Woosterish world for a while.

This still sounds, I am sure, as though I can't stand the man. This is not the case, but he does - as I have said before - pull me in many directions when I watch him.

As you say though, it is far better to 'suffer' this than to sit through LOCK STOCK, or the Huge Grant dippy-drippy Americanised version of what they think is Britishness these days.

Now if only we could conjure up another Michael Balcon..... scarf

SMUDGE

Welcome to my house. Enter freely, and of your own will...

Freddy

Hello Smudge and Jim, many thanks for your replies.
You have a point there about the foot soldiers and thinking about it I can recall some American war films where the foot soldier was the main character(John Wayne, Gary Cooper,) but am having difficulty in thinking of a British film.
Was this a symptom of our class system at work?
Any help anyone
regards
Freddy

The world wags on.

MrDrakesDuck

The Long and the Short and the Tall (1960)

The Way Ahead

Nine Men (little known wartime film)

Hill in Korea

John Mills & his little group in Dunkirk.....


A very noticable void in British war films. frown

"I thought I had to shoot Germans, not chew 'em"

Freddy

As you say a noticable void which brings me simply to mention William Hartnell, a man who always seemed destined to be the Sergeant and not the officer.
regards
Freddy

The world wags on.

MrDrakesDuck

He's in one of the films I mentioned (The Way Ahead), playing ..... a sergeant. wink

"I thought I had to shoot Germans, not chew 'em"

stevie boy

Just got to read this old post. Kenny More symbolised the Englishmen in a Blazer, a man who would play fair and if he he was not wearing a tie would be wearing a cravat. I suppose his most famous role would be that of Bader but he was equally good in many other films. He was not a heavyweight actor with classical experience but what he did he did well. I know that he married Angela Douglas when she was quite young did he leave his wife??

orpheum

I think that it may have been mentioned in other threads that More turned up the worse for wear at a dinner at the Dorchester and then slagged off John Davis ,who was rather vindictive.He prevented More from taking the David Niven role in Guns from Navarrone,Alas till the Forsyte Saga work virtually dried up for him.

Welcome To Highbury The Home Of Football

Steve Crook

Kenneth was married to Beryl Johnstone (who was later in Crossroads) from 1939-46. Then to Mabel "Bill" Barkby from 1958-68. Then to Angela Douglas from 1968 to his death in 1982. Angela was 27 when they married, Kenny was 54.

Steve

Cypher

About 15 years ago, when she was in Scotland helping her new man with a major production in Glasgow, I had the good fortune to meet Angela Douglas ... a very pleasant lady!

What about Kenneth More's performance in Sheriff of Fractured Jaw? It was many, many years ago that I saw this, but I do seem to remember enjoying it. I also recall that when he was asked by a journalist about working with Jayne Mansfield, he commented that it was like playing opposite a barrage balloon. When this was repeated to her she simply replied "Kenneth More? Who is Kenneth More?"

Chris W

"Fetch me another anger therapist!"

Steve Crook

She wasn't the sharpest pencil in the box

Steve

Cypher

Now Steve, are you speaking of Angela Douglas or Jayne Mansfield?
(Actually I thought that Jayne Mansfield's remark was quite a sweet put-down of her co-star!)

Chris W

"Fetch me another anger therapist!"

julian_craster

Kenneth More was very popular indeed c1958 - one of out top box office attractions of the time , so he must have connected with a large section of the public beyond the middle classes....

Steve Crook

Jayne, unless she was really very clever and was just feigning it.
(Looks up some details)
Oh, she claimed an IQ of 163 but said that nobody was interested in her brains

Steve

Windthrop

I think he was like Mills and Todd - short and stocky and a bit like overage schoolboy. That generation were almost a reaction to the languid upperclass actors like Harrison, Wilding and Price. Like Mills and Todd he had a fairly classless accent and also made a rather good Crichton. After his leading man days were over in the early '60s he had a very good stage career in plays like The Secretary Bird by William Douglas Home and even turned down the chance to play Claudius opposite Albert Finney's Hamlet.

NappieB

Kenneth More was one of my favorite British actors!

His performances in :

NORTHWEST FRONTIER

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

SCROOGE (1970 version with Albert Finney)

and so many others

have endeared him to my heart...and I think I'm in good company among the rank and file of moviegoers worldwide!

"It gets late early out here!" - Yogi Berra on a trip to the country