Albert Finney, the man who brought the brawling and boozing Arthur Seaton definitively to life in ‘Saturday Night and Sunday Morning’ …
Albert Finney, the man who – thirty years later – was just as bad-ass, belligerent and not-to-be-fucked-with in ‘Miller’s Crossing’ …
Albert Finney, the man who turned down a CBE in 1980 and a knighthood in 2000 on the grounds that “they perpetuate snobbery” …
Albert Finney is 75 today and both cinema and stage are a hell of a lot better for the ass-kicking he gave them. The dude has talent, integrity, and a fuckload of great movies on his CV. Happy birthday, my man. There’ll be a fair few glasses raised at chez Agitation tonight.
Wo’k termorra? Bogger it!
My favorite role of his was always Daddy Warbucks in Annie. And he's also awesome in Wolfen!
ReplyDeleteGood call, Franco. He gave terrific performances in both films.
ReplyDeleteI love those movies from the 70's where they would put these serious mature dudes on them, they gave the films they were in these gravitas, Finney was one of those actors with a presence! He had that "dont fuck with me" look to him.
ReplyDeleteI just saw Lawrence of Arabia on the big screen yesterday. I came home and looked on wikipedia to find the Finney turned down the role as Lawrence!! You can't help but wonder what the film would have looked like with him in the role. Or is it just fate that O'Toole made it his own?
ReplyDeleteAlso Brando and Olivier turned down parts! Incredible that even without those three it is one of the greatest films ever.