The Entertainer

About The Entertainer

The Entertainer is a 1960 British drama film directed by Tony Richardson. It is an adaptation of the stage play of the same name written by John Osborne. The setting of the film is in a decaying seaside town in England, where a struggling performer deals with disillusionment and thwarted dreams. The principle character, Archie Rice, is a failing music-hall performer who is desperate for success. The plot intertwines Rice's professional frustrations with the personal tensions within his family leading to a dramatic climax.

Making / Production

The Entertainer was one of the first films produced by Woodfall Film Productions, a company founded by Tony Richardson, John Osborne, and Harry Saltzman to translate works for the so-called "kitchen sink" school of British drama to film. The production was filmed in the seaside town of Morecambe, bringing authenticity and realism to the movie's setting.

Actors

• Laurence Olivier as Archie Rice - An emotionally complex performance showcasing the fading star's desperation and struggle.
• Brenda de Banzie as Phoebe Rice - She wonderfully portrayed the character's resilience and despair, being Archie's long-suffering wife.
• Roger Livesey as Billy Rice - As Archie's father and a retired music-hall performer, Livesey presented a poignant portrait of a man stuck between the past and present.
• Joan Plowright as Jean Rice - Playing the character of Archie's idealistic daughter, she added contrast to the otherwise bleak environment surrounding the Rice family.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The Entertainer was selected for screening as part of the Cannes Classics section at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.
• The movie is one of the key works in the British New Wave of films that depicted working-class life in gritty and contentious detail.
• Before the movie, the play helped Laurence Olivier to rejuvenate his career and earn several acting awards.

Quotes

• "I'm dead behind these eyes. I'm dead just like the whole inert, shoddy lot out there."
• "If only you knew what it was like to look out on a sea of faces... and they're all laughing."

Music, Soundtrack

• The film's music was composed by John Addison, which includes a hauntingly memorable theme tune.
• The title song "The Entertainer" is a distinctly downbeat yet incredibly meaningful piece of music.