MovieChat Forums > Long Day's Journey Into Night (1963) Discussion > RALPH RICHARDSON? Yes or No?

RALPH RICHARDSON? Yes or No?

posted 11 years ago by poetcomic1
6 replies | jump to latest

I used to think he was the one thing wrong with this movie until I saw several other great actors play James Tyrone and realized that Richardson had nailed it forever. The key to the part is that he is always theatrical, a bit phony, pompous and speaks that beautiful diction. You must remember he once 'had an Irish brogue you could cut with a knife' and got rid of it. That beautiful theatrical phony voice is the only voice left to James Tyrone and it imprisons him.

[–] gtaylor0 10 years ago

Totally agree. I find his performance spot-on if you get what he's trying to convey. And as riveting as Hepburn or the others on screen.

[–] franzkabuki 10 years ago

He`s almost singing some of his dialogue. However, he`s so constantly so theatrically overemotional that it`s kind of annoying at times - even though the reasons for that make sense. Same with Hepburn whose histrionics occasionally border on ridiculous.

"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

[–] poetcomic1 10 years ago

Richardson 'sings' (as you put it) a steady note against the cacophony around him and the play needs his flawed unchanging predictability. Any time Kate goes 'over the top' it is calculated and prepared for. She is not a figure of 'Greek tragedy' but rather a damaged human being ridiculous even to herself (desperately loving and lonely for her family and yet glad they are out so she can shoot up again). I'd be curious to know what specific scenes you feel were 'histrionics that border on the ridiculous'.

[–] franzkabuki 10 years ago

"Any time Kate goes `over the top` it is calculated and prepared for".

Not so sure about that as she seems to spend pretty much most of the movie resolutely over the top; of all the cast, her performance seems least controlled, most erratic (besides - how could morphine addiction reasonably account for such wildly bizarre behaviour she exhibits, even when coupled with serious emotional strain? Opiates do NOT make you act like a buffoon). But I never liked K.Hepburn too much anyway, competent actress as she may be.

Btw the bit about Richardson "almost singing" wasn`t really criticism - love the voices of these classically trained British stage actors like Richardson, Gielgud or Burton.

"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

[–] poetcomic1 9 years ago

I can listen to Alec Guinness all day with his 'George Smiley' voice from Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Smiley's People.

[–] davannacarter 8 years ago

As you may know, this play is based off Eugene O'Neill's family. I've read several bios of Eugene O'Neill. When I read the bios I was shocked to learn Eugene's mother, Ella, was actually like that in real life, even without the drugs. Yes, even without the drugs Eugene O'Neill's mother was like Katherine Hepburn's character without the drugs. She could be hysterical and dramatic even over the smallest things, even before she got hooked on morphine. If you were to read a Eugene O'Neill bio (Sheaffer's 2-volume bio is the most thorough, which features detailed accounts of Ella in the first volume) then you'd see that Hepburn's character was indeed spot on. Reading O'Neill's bio will give this story a more well rounded view. If you don't wanna read a 2-volume bio then there should be good shorter bios at your local library. If you're ever there then do a quick read about O'Neill's family and you'll see all their performances are indeed spot on.