Entertainer The (1960)

In what is SORT OF a changing of the guard for British film Laurence Olivier plays an aging bad actor Archie Rice at a seaside (locale) theater. This slightly above average character sketch drama was directed by Tony Richardson (one of his first films) and features Alan Bates and Albert Finney in their screen debuts. Opposite Olivier Bates plays the actor’s loyal son Frank (also Archie’s “partner” in the business). Hardly recognizable and appearing only briefly (in one scene) Finney plays Archie’s son Mick who goes off to war. Joan Plowright plays Olivier’s daughter Jean (right before the actress married the actor in real life). Her character is fairly neutral seemingly representing “us” (the audience) throughout the story. Brenda De Banzie recognizable from director Alfred Hitchcock’s The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) plays the philandering actor’s long suffering wife Phoebe an alcoholic. Roger Livesey from Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s The Life and Times of Colonel Blimp (1943) (among other films) plays Archie’s father Billy who’d made a name for himself singing patriotic songs on stage in his day. Shirley Ann Field (who would find success opposite Michael Caine’s Alfie (1966)) plays Archie’s latest “victim” Tina Lapford a lovely debutante and beauty contest winner that’s swept off her feet by the older actor who promises her a part in his pending yet unfunded production. Playing up to Tina’s mother Ada (Thora Hird) Archie plans to use the wannabe actress’s parents to provide the financial capital necessary to pay for her debut and his new play (a ploy he’d evidently used for past productions). Daniel Massey plays a producer named Graham who Archie is eventually able to convince to fund a revival starring his father Billy who’s health is questionable for such a strenuous undertaking. Olivier whose character appropriately sings “Why Should I Care?” is said to have “identified” most with this character which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. The film’s screenplay was written by Nigel Kneale and John Osborne (based on his play).

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