MovieChat Forums > The Battle of the River Plate Discussion > Christopher Lee in a minor role

Christopher Lee in a minor role

posted 9 years ago by emuir-1
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Did anyone notice Christopher Lee, pre Dracula, in the minor role of Manolo, the Uruguayan bar owner? Although he had an almost nonspeaking part, other than arguing in Spanish with his woman in the background, shoving her around, and hustling the American reporter to buy drinks if he was going to be sitting in the bar all day, he really did a lot with role and stood out. Particularly the way he kept shoving the little boy aside as if he was knocking a cat off the dinner table. Just watching the body language and gestures, I could build up his character's story: sleazy small time bar owner with all the 'charm' of a French nightclub Apache dancer and little respect for women, whom he probably expected to hustle for drinks and more. Manolo knew the score, had the contacts, and was the go to person for information or a job which needed to be done on the quiet. When the British and German sailors arrived and a big news event arrived on his doorstep, he saw a chance to make a killing.

What Lee did with this background cameo role showed why he became the great actor he did.

[–] hobnob53 9 years ago

Oh yes, I've long known that was Christopher Lee. He did many such parts during his long apprenticeship, before hitting it big starring as Dracula et al.

It's always fun to see an actor like Lee in bit parts in major films early in his career. I like spotting him in films such as Scott of the Antarctic, Captain Horatio Hornblower, The Crimson Pirate and others. He did a nice job as Monolo in The Battle of the River Plate but we also have to be careful not to invest too much depth or meaning into what was a very small, incidental role.

The trouble is that today we watch this film and know that it's Christopher Lee, a major star and great talent. We can't see his early movies today without being aware of what was to come. But in 1956, or had Lee somehow never had a breakthrough and remained an unknown, there was nothing particularly special about his performance, or his role in general, to catch many people's eyes. It's enjoyable and he does his utmost in it, but a lot of what we see in it today is affected by the benefit of hindsight. That's not a knock on this excellent actor, just the reality of the situation.

RIP May 27, 1922 - June 7, 2015.