The Horse's Mouth

noir19463.5

“That’s a real foot. No one ever painted a foot like that before.”The Horse’s Mouth is a portrait of an artist addicted to his art in the same way others might be addicted to booze and junk food. When Gulley Jimson (Alec Guinness) sees a bare wall, he just has to paint it, and not just some soothing pastoral scene either. He creates gigantic, colorful images, especially of feet. (I wonder what Tarantino thinks of the film.) The vibrancy of Gulley’s art, painted by John Bratby, help make the film one of the best about an artist. I would love to have the nude portrait of Gulley’s ex-wife (Renee Houston).This adaptation of Joyce Cary’s novel is obviously a passion project for Guinness, who wrote the Oscar-nominated screenplay. While some, such as Pauline Kael, might feel Guinness sacrifices Gulley’s own passion for his eccentricities, it is still a riveting, energetic performance, recalling Michel Simon’s great Boudu, yet another one demonstrating the actor’s chameleon-like ability to transform himself. With just a bit of stubble, Guinness looks unlike he does anywhere else, also adopting a slumped, shambling body language. The best of the supporting performances is that of Houston, who somehow manages to be matronly and earthy at the same time. Another reason for seeing the film is the Technicolor images created by Arthur Ibbetson, the best work of his career, with reds and blues jumping off the screen. The film is the most notable early credit by the great Anne Coates, soon to edit Lawrence of Arabia, with her cutting of the chaotic creation and destruction of Gulley’s final mural standing out. As always, Ronald Neame directs smoothly, maintaining a control Gulley denies himself. The only serious complaint I have about The Horse’s Mouth is the insistent use of Prokofiev’s Lieutenant Kije suite as the main score. The too-majestic music seems particularly inappropriate for this quaint material and quickly becomes annoying. Random thought:Clive Revill, still with us at 92 and a special favorite at Chateau Noir, has a tiny role as one of Gulley’s students. Clive’s hair is a deeper red than anywhere else I’ve seen it, perhaps a result of Ibbetson’s efforts.Watched on the Criterion Channel.Favorite Films of 1958

Graham3.0

From a time when a small beer was the colour of treacle and referred to as “half of mild”, Ronald Neame’s screenplay has a few proper tasty lines to carry it along. Alec Guinness is funny as ever too, in a charmingly told tale of recently released from jail artist Gully Jimson, who remains entirely committed to realising his artistic vision that seems determined to remain just off of his reach.

Joe Lynch3.0

Seeing Alec Guinness almost 20 years earlier than my first exposure of his work in STAR WARS playing a rouge artist with a hell of a gruff voice was a lot of fun. The 2nd half was a little overloaded and bloated but still an amusing British farce.