sima

I like very much Tom Courtenay.
What do you think ?
All the best,
Serafina

Marky B

You had me worried there, serafina with the sad looking icon displayed I thought the great man was dead.
Yes,a fine actor. From playing the young fantasist in Billy Liar to the young idealist in Dr Zhivago,developed his range for acting in the sixties. Now a distinguished elder statesman clap of British film and theatre and a knight of the realm,he is quite rightly regarded as being a British great. bow
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Marky B

I am special. The heavens always open for me.

Hackett

"OTLEY" 1968 and "THE DRESSER" 1983 are my fav's. He was also good as the Dr.Harold Shipman type in "KAVANAGH QC" 1994. He played Dr.Felix (creepy) Crawley defended by his life-long friend John Thaw as Kavanagh.

MrDrakesDuck

That's intense stuff isn't it.

Full of REAL acting.

Good film.

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

Bobj

In addition to the excellent films already mentioned may I add my personal favourite 'The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner' (1962).
Also worth a mention are 'Private Potter'(1962) 'King & Country'(1964) and a rarely seen TV Movie 'I Heard the Owl Call My Name'(1973).
To me Courtenay, like Gene Hackman is one of those actors who never gives a poor performance even if the movie itself is pants.
Those interested in the man should read 'Dear Tom' an autobiographical look at his relationship with his mother.

DB7

Is he still working? The last film I saw him in was Last Orders in 2001. (co-star David Hemmings has sadly since passed away)

Lord Brett

Tom Courtenay was last in the news a few weeks ago complaining that a film he appearered in for Working Title Productions, 'Ready When You Are, Mr McGill' (a remake of the fondly remembered 1970s TV production) had bypassed cinemas and debuted on Sky Movies.

Bearing in mind that at one point this summer my local 12 screen multiplex was occupied by only 4 films, all of them rather disappointing American 'blockbusters', it's a shame room couldn't be found for a home-grown film.

Bring back the quota, I say!

Remy

Tom Courtenay is my favourite actor, Otley being my fav with him in it. Also watch watching is Catch Me A Spy and although he only has a relatively small part in it he steals the show in my opinion. Have got One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich somewhere which I haven't managed to watch yet so thanks to this post will do so very soon.

Hackett

Courtenay was in company as "OTLEY" 1968 and "TO CATCH A SPY" 1971 both directed by Dick Clements and written by Clements and Ian La Frenais.

DB7

I'm not sure about that. Analisa Barreto tends to produce tv film adaptaions for WT and has previously remade Lucky Jim for ITV and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde for Sky.

I'll have to keep an eye out for Ready When You Are Mr. McGill, but most of the made-for-Sky films I've seen have been dreadful. This Filthy Earth (2001) being one of the oddest.

Bobj

Tom Courtenay also appeared in Nicholas Nickelby (2002) and took part in the television tribute to John Thaw.
He is still very active the theatre.

I haven't read Graham Swift's book but having watched Last Orders (2001) I got the impression that Courtenay's part may have been edited. Anyone know?

deckard

All the above are excellent films and Courtenay superb. I would also like to mention, although not a British film, "King Rat"(1965).....Mr Courtenay stole the film. Regards, Decks.

"and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock"

DB7

I caught this in the early hours on Sky but having not seen the Jack Rosenthal/Mike Newell original can't compare the two.

To be honest Tom only has a cameo role and the majority of the film charts Bill Nighy's directorial exasperations. Rather than a feature film it does have a 1 hour tv comedy drama feel about it.

There's a few other familiar faces in the cast with Sam Kelly (Porridge's 'Bunny' Warren), Phil Davis, comedienne Sally Phillips and tabloid darling Amanda Holden. But Nighy as ever steal the show.

smudge

I vaguely remember the original - I'll have to check the SKY listings for that...

Didi anyone see WHATEVER HAPPENED TO HAROLD SMITH ? the other night and if so, was it any good ?

SMUDGE

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

DB7

Yes and No. It suffered from a lack of focus.

Part of the film followed the discovery of Tom Courtenay's telekinetic powers whilst there was his son's parallel coming-of-age storyline (too strong for a subplot).

The two themes meet at the end in a bizarre finale that has Courtenay looking like a cloth-capped super hero. The mixture of fantasy and 70s retro comedy didn't really gel and I was left with the feeling they should have concentrated on one scenario.

Like a lot of recent homegrown films you're left thinking it's a missed opportunity.