Young Leon's speech was my favourite bit of this film and will be quoted relentlessly to my housemates from now on.
Did no one else think that kid looked like a perfect young Oliver Reed, the eyes, the nose etc.
I wonder if he turned out as handsome...
Oh my gosh! I loved it after young Leon told the Don about his dreams of being a wolf. The Don told him he would always protect the boy, and then slowly turned over his hands, to show the hair growing on the boy's palms. That was really dramatic! I felt so frightened for the boy and what his future held for him. When the boy spoke of how sweet the squirrel's blood tasted, it was horrifying. The actor who played young Leon did an outstanding job.
IrishLass
"He was a bad man. a very bad man, so I put his head on the Jack-in-the-box so everyone could see".(Billy Mumy/Anthony)"Please son, send him to the cornfield, please." (Twilight Zone, "It's a Good Life")
Justin Walter was excellent as Leon as a little boy. That speech about tasting the blood of a squirrel was quite potent and haunting.
Nobody does W.C. Fields singing "Mama Told Me Not to Come" better than Paul Frees.
Nobody does W.C. Fields singing "Mama Told Me Not to Come" better than Paul Frees.Or at all, I shouldn't wonder. share
They couldn't have made a more perfect selection when hiring a young boy who resembled Oliver Reed!
The original poster wonders if the boy grew up to be as handsome as Oliver Reed. I never thought of Oliver Reed as handsome. I always thought there was something mad, creepy, and unattractive about him.
Onnanob2-if you think Ollie is creepy,watch his performance in Paranoiac.Jeez-full on psycho!!!Great movie though.Also watch Ollie in Hannibal Brooks-WW2 comedy-drama.Truly superb.
sharegordy334,
I've seen "Paranoiac" several times, and he plays quite a nutter in it! I'm looking forward to seeing him in the upcoming region 1 DVD release of Hammer's "The Damned" ("These Are The Damned"), which will come with 5 other Hammer titles!
I agree with onnanob2; I never thought of Oliver Reed as handsome either. Although in this movie he is-- sort of. He just seems like he has a crook in his neck throughout the whole movie. And why does the young Leon call the man "Uncle" ,then when he grows up he calls him "Father"? Did I miss something there?
The actor who played young Leon was fantastic. He looked so much like Oliver Reed!!
He looks a little like William Shatner
shareHe looked exactly like how I would expect Oliver Reed to look as a child. A lot of the time, they cast people who don't look like the older actor at all to play them at a younger age; but this kid looked identical to Oliver Reed. He did a great job as well. I thought it was wonderful casting.
Burn, witch! Burn, witch! Burn! Burn! Burn!
That was one of my favourite parts, too. What a cute kid!
shareYes, the casting director did a very good job...as soon as young Leon appeared on screen, I immediately said " A-Ha ! That's who will grow up to be Oliver Reed " !
share