Arena (TV Series) Alec Guinness: A Secret Man (2003) User Reviews

A fascinating account and insight into one of the most elusive of actors.

[alexanderdavies-99382 · 10/10 · 28 July 2017]

I'm not sure what the previous reviewer was talking about, clearly thinking about a different documentary. "Alec Guinness: The Secret Man," lays to rest some of the rumours and contradictions about the versatile actor. I had always fathomed that Alec Guinness was a particularly private man who disliked giving interviews. The few interviews he gave, were carefully constructed and rehearsed stories which revealed little of the man. The kind of aura which he displayed, prompted many people to wonder who he really was away from the world of acting. About the time this documentary was shown, a close friend had been given a lot of manuscripts regarding Alec's life. Coupled with the actor's numerous diaries, the fully authorised biography was published but only after Alec Guinness had passed away. The book makes for insightful reading and is the only biography on the actor you need. Alec comes across as being a person of different facets: capable of being cold and even cruel, very generous to his friends, avoiding any kind of fan fare but ultimately, masking his deep rooted sadness and insecurity behind a "blank wall" visage. He was the kind of actor who relied heavily upon all the various characters he played throughout his distinguished career, especially those who were from the so-called upper classes. The reason for all this according to the documentary, was for Alec to avoid being associated with anything resembling his real upbringing. Born into a rather modest environment, not knowing who his father was and being an only child, Alec grew to hate his mother on the grounds that she refused to reveal who his real father might have been. His stepfathers weren't in the actor's life very often and one of them used to install sheer fright into Alec, courtesy of a violent temper and possibly due to suffering from his experiences during the First World War. Alec was constantly uprooted as a boy and experienced little stability. There are a few audio excerpts taken from the actor reading volumes of his own books, including his initial struggles to succeed as an actor. John Gielgud is depicted as someone who didn't suffer fools gladly and was a strict disciplinarian, regarding his time as a drama lecturer. The people who were interviewed all offer a rather frank and not always very positive view on Alec Guinness. Friends of both the actor and his wife Merula, describe how he ill treated her in front of guests and was quick to lose patience. One account I found particularly interesting, came from Corin Redgrave. He emphasised how Alec was "the perfect host" to quote Mr. Redgrave precisely. He witnessed how Alec was toward his own son, Matthew. He treated Matthew with sheer rigidity and was exceptionally strict. He didn't display much in the way of fatherly affection or moral support, according to what Mr. Redgrave witnessed. However, with the young Corin, Alec was the complete opposite in every respect. He was friendly, generous and treated him like an equal. Alec Guinness was very good friends with classical actor, Michael Redgrave. Corin was of the opinion that the two men shared their darker secrets with each other and discussing what ailed them. This always took place behind closed doors. The documentary makes no secret of Alec Guinness's dislike for the success of "Star Wars." He was known to place all fan mail about "Star Wars" in the bin. The closest Alec comes to revealing anything about his real self, was when cast as the spy George Smiley. I can certainly see the resemblance. A fantastic documentary about a troubled but talented man.

Appallingly Intrusive and the worst type of Tabloid TV

[oliraceking · 2/10 · 17 February 2006]

I usually love Arena bio-docs, but the Alec Guinness one was there to serve no greater purpose than to advertise somebody's gossipy and scandalous book. They even interviewed the author throughout where he gave us "amazing" revelations about how evil Guinness was and how dare we have the cosy reputation of him as a great actor in our memories without the necessary added details of the insecurity, bisexuality and lack of family spirit that this guy deemed as so essential for us to know. Some of it was clearly pure speculation, the rest agenda-led (for whatever reason). There was hardly any insight into Guinness's achievements as the thing we know him for - an actor.

GO AWAY PIERS PAUL READ. It's NONE of your business - or if it is, as you clearly think so, leave the exclusive revelations to the newspapers (oh, sorry, you did already - in which I read a ranting article, by you, about how he was "cruel and bullying" to his wife, Merula - and also where your book, which promises more exclusives, is available to buy). OK Guinness may not have been perfect but it's clear from conjecture he wasn't a wife beater. Read was basically claiming that Guinness lied about himself all the way through his life and "HOW DARE HE - why didn't he write loads of books about the bad things in his life...? Oh well, I might as well do it after his death - he won't mind, he's dead and cannot sue or be offended. That's how much my friendship with him meant to me, I'll make my buck off of it, at HIS expense." So he had a few deep routed frustrated feelings for the same sex - well mate, I'm amazed and delighted that you're so happy and content with your emotions, but the rest of us are not always so comfortable with our lives, or secure with our emotions (and who are you to brand Guinness's feelings as scandalous - on screen it's clear you're one screaming closeted queen). Are his personal demons any of our business? Clearly not, and it's totally disrespectful to yell them at top volume when it was clear that he was a very private man.

I feel very strongly about this - Arena should be about art and artists, not some promotional fluff of the pink variety. More Clint Eastwood style bio-docs, more Richard Attenborough style bio-docs, less bullsh*t.