Peter Ustinov

[+ friendofsheila]

Just saw the Criterion DVD of SPARTACUS (1960) and got a real hoot out of seeing the interview with Peter Ustinov where he imitates Laurence Olivier and Charles Laughton. I always wanted to be as good as he was at making people laugh.

 

I have seen LOGAN'S RUN and (years ago)THE LAST REMAKE OF BEAU GESTE.

Can anyone recommend any of his films in which he is also very good?

[PacNW]

You should check out his other Oscar-winning role in Topkapi. It's one of the great caper films of all times. Much of it may seem familiar, but that's only because it was one of the first of its kind and has been often imitated.

[Retired Fly Boy]

My High School drama class went to see Romanoff and Julliet on Broadway 1960. Peter Ustinov, was the star, writer and director. I sent him a letter about our trip. He replied with a kind note. He invited our entire class backstage at the Plymouth Theatre to visit him. Peter gave us a guided tour of the theatre and life backstage. What a nice man he was to us kids. We had a question and answer session that lasted one hour. He told us, his parents came from Russia and his mother was nobility in exile living in England, a Countess to be exact. Then he told us of his friendship with British actor, George Sanders. He said, George's father was a Russian Duke also in exile in the U.K. and his real name was Georgi Seboran. Peter had a very dry witt and could mimic anyone. He made 85 films and most of them quite good. His Nero in Quo Vadis as evil as they come. Years later, I had a good friend who was the V.P. of ICM Talent Agency in New York. He gave a party for Sir Larry, as he liked to be called. Larry did Ustinov doing him. Those were great days, gone forever. They do not make stars like that anymore, just movie actors.

[Bilbo]

Anyone who hasn't read it should definitely read "The Love of Three Colonels." I think it's colonels. It might be generals. The man was a true genius of the theater.

 

An actor today in films whom I might think could compare to him if we could only see more of him is Rhyies-Davies the father. Bad with names, but I think its Jonathon. It was not only special effects that let him totally appear into the role of Gimli. And has everyone noticed that he's the professor whose class frames the Apocalyptic mini series on Wednesday nights?

Anyone else have anyone of possible equal stature to the acting side of Ustinov to suggest?

[+ friendofsheila]

He tells a story about working on the lot on SPARTACUS and having a publicity person tell him NOT to go to the commissary because Hedda Hopper (the film gossip columnist) is there. Why? He finally gets the story out of them: Hedda once said that Ustinov was SO good in QUO VADIS? that he "HAD to be queer", about which he had a good laugh. Then he went over to the commissary and started behaving like an army sergeant around her.

[Retired Fly Boy]

Yes I can think of two actors right off. Kenneth Branagh, this guy can do anything in my book. I just saw a clip from the new HBO Films "Warm Springs." He plays Franklin D. Roosevelt. Here is an Englishman playing an American President. I think Anthony Hopkins did Richard Nixon in a film as well. The other is Kevin Kline. He was great as composer Cole Porter in "DeLovely." I also saw Kline on Broadway in "Pirates of Penzance." The man can sing dance act. He is a fantastic actor. I also enjoy Jeremy Irons and William Hurt. James Earl Jones is another. These men will do Broadway theatre and motion pictures. I know Kenneth Branagh can write, act and direct his own films. Will he measure up to Olivier and Ustinov? Only time will tell. I think the old boys would say some of these young Turks can carry the torch.:-)

[Guest rohale]

I loved Peter Ustinov as an actor. A lot of people didnt't know that Mr Ustinov was also a writer. I still have a couple of his books that unfortunately the public at large tended to overlook. He was an eloquent writer in his day.

 

A little side note that maybe worth mentioning. I know many years ago now, a journalist had asked Peter Ustinov if he had any regrets in his life. He cited one regret specifically. In 1984, he was in New Dehli to interview Prime Minister Indra Gandhi. He was moments away from having the opportunity to sit down with Mrs Ghandi for the very first time in his life and interview this lady from one of the most prominent families in India's history. Sadly just as she was approaching Mr Ustinov, her body guard who just so happened to be a Sikh murdered her on cold light of day. Definitely Mr Ustinov was pretty much shaken up by the whole ordeal. In those days there were only two female leaders worldwide, the other leader happened to be Mrs Thatcher of Great Britain.

 

For Peter Ustinov it was a chance to interview a person who was once part of a great dynasty in India and only to have that grasp of a chance taken away in the worst way possible.

 

I just thought this little side note might be of interest to someone out there.

 

Rohale

[Bilbo]

Since we've mentioned both Olivier and Ustinov, I remember the story Ustinov used to tell. They were both in a scene where they were basically just there so that the lead could tell them some information. Before the scene, Lord Larry turned to Peter and asked what he intended to do in the scene. Ustinov replied "Nothing." Olivier said, "Oh, no. You can't do that. That's what I'm going to do."