What`s the problem film critics have with Laurence Olivier ? One of the greatest actors who has ever lived has the reputation as one of the worst film actors of all time ! Okay I don`t think playing Jews ( As in THE JAZZ SINGER and BOYS FROM BRAZIL ) was his forte but look at his performances in WUTHERING HEIGHTS and SPARTACUS . These are towering performances without a whiff of ham and if we`re talking understated under-rated performances take a look at TERM OF TRIAL
***** SPOILER *****
Olivier plays Graham Weir an alcoholic school teacher who spent the war as a " conchie " and who is taken to court for indecently assaulting one of his female pupils . Olivier plays the role very well but unfortunately this is hardly a great film . Most the problems are down to Peter Glenville`s script. For example two male pupils Mitchell and Thompson are written as though they`re going to be major characters throughout the movie but disappear totally from the plot in the last third , and there`s a problem with Weir`s appearance in court at the end , he strangely never takes the witness stand which means it`s after he is found guilty that he makes an impassioned speech which causes the victim to tell the truth . Logically Weir should have made the speech as he was being cross examined in the witness box
A fairly good performance by Olivier in a rather melodramatic British film from 1962 . It should also be pointed out DR NO was also released that year which led to the death of the British Kitchen sink drama , but by this time the sub genre was probably past its sell by date anyway
***** SPOILER *****
Olivier plays Graham Weir an alcoholic school teacher who spent the war as a " conchie " and who is taken to court for indecently assaulting one of his female pupils . Olivier plays the role very well but unfortunately this is hardly a great film . Most the problems are down to Peter Glenville`s script. For example two male pupils Mitchell and Thompson are written as though they`re going to be major characters throughout the movie but disappear totally from the plot in the last third , and there`s a problem with Weir`s appearance in court at the end , he strangely never takes the witness stand which means it`s after he is found guilty that he makes an impassioned speech which causes the victim to tell the truth . Logically Weir should have made the speech as he was being cross examined in the witness box
A fairly good performance by Olivier in a rather melodramatic British film from 1962 . It should also be pointed out DR NO was also released that year which led to the death of the British Kitchen sink drama , but by this time the sub genre was probably past its sell by date anyway