Drama

The Entertainer

Woodfall Film Productions

Continental

United Kingdom

English

Laurence Olivier

Brenda De Banzie

Roger Livesey

Joan Plowright

Alan Bates

Daniel Massey

Albert Finney

Shirley Anne Field

Thora Hird

Miriam Karlin

Geoffrey Toone

MacDonald Hobley

Anthony Oliver

Max Bacon

George Doonan

James Culliford

Gilbert Davis

Charles Gray

Gwen Nelson

Hope Jackman

Tony Selby

Nigel Davenport

Tony Richardson

John Osborne

Nigel Kneale

John Croydon

Harry Saltzman

John Addison

Oswald Morris

Alan Osbiston

Maude Spector

Ralph W. Brinton

Tony Sforzini

R.L.M. Davidson

Peter Yates

Barbara Gillett

Pat Moon

Maggie Unsworth

William Blezard

Ronald Cass

Michael Walter

Mike Rutter

Ronnie Maasz

Ginger Gemmel

Bert Cann

Denys N. Coop

Ken Ritchie

Bob Jones

Peter Handford

Chris Greenham

Tony Woollard

Fred Mannin

Basil Mannin

Edward Marshall

Roy Millichip

Bill Griffiths

Jocelyn Rickards

Michael Stevenson

Honor Blair

CinemaSerf

Certainly, Laurence Olivier is superb in this drama, but he is surrounded by a superior supporting cast that lend huge poignancy to this story. He is "Archie Rice", a seaside entertainer who has long since passed his use-by date. His quick witted, slightly risqué and smutty humour no longer amuses the theatre audiences who now require much greater sophistication. He can't adapt though - it's in his blood. As he desperately tries to stay one step ahead of the bailiffs and the taxman, he puts his nearest and dearest through a maelstrom of emotions and trauma. It doesn't help his wife "Phoebe" (Brenda de Banzie) that he is also a bit of a womaniser - usually with younger girls, too. His long suffering kids "Jean" (Joan Plowright) and "Frank" (Alan Bates) try to keep things running as they struggle to make ends meet and stay cohesive as a family. Add to these four, a sparing but super contribution from Roger Livesey as his father - another man who made his living treading the boards back in the day, and what we have here is a telling look at a man who just no longer belongs. Olivier, the actor, turns his hand to stand-up, tap dancing, singing - all standard skills that anyone making a living this way would have needed; and he does it really well. None of the theatrical, method style he is so often famed (and criticised) for. Indeed, I think this is the most natural I have ever seen him on film. He seems to be rejoicing in the role - and that's contagious to watch. It's not a bundle of laughs, we are given plenty of opportunity to dislike this rather selfish, narcissist - especially when he is with the excellent Plowright and de Banzie. Although there is an inevitability to the conclusion, I still felt for this family reaching a crossroads, ill-equipped to fit into a society they didn't recognise nor really want to embrace.

Unofficial Trailer- THE ENTERTAINER (1960)

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The Entertainer

Cast & Crew

Videos

Cast

Laurence Olivier

Brenda De Banzie

Roger Livesey

Joan Plowright

Alan Bates

Daniel Massey

Albert Finney

Shirley Anne Field

Thora Hird

Miriam Karlin

Box office

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