Sir Richard's greatest?

I have watched this film multiple times over the years, maybe 20 times and . I saw it again on a rainy day when I was sick with a cold. it's a dreary movie, perhaps the greatest dreary movie ever. the music helps make it that way, the black and white, the rain on the cobblestones, the german locales, the fact that this man is a hopeless alcoholic, which burton was, all adds to it. when one character says "I'll buy you lunch" for burton, that means whiskey. morning coffee isn't coffee without whiskey in it. afternoon tea means a glass of whiskey. dinner is a few drinks followed by another few drinks. not much need for food. it did take me multiple viewings to understand it but once you get the characters names down its actually quite easy.

But what impressed me the most in this last viewing was burtons incredible job portraying this man. it wasn't a stretch to do the drinking part, as he ended up dying because of it, but he is so good when there are no words spoken, just his reactions. you can read what he is thinking just through his facial reactions. you have to watch closely, watch his eyes! his demeanor. it's just perfection. he was born to play this part and I think it's his greatest ever. of course I'm partial since I think this whole film is perfect, in every way imaginable.

Virgina wolf was close but that was more like a play on film. not that that matters really. the subtleties of his acting, the eye movements, the facial expressions, combined with his powerful voice and keen intellect, I wish he could have done a dozen more movies like this. but all great actors seemingly end up in the same boat, a few great parts, a few average ones and a few really bad ones, then they die young. or get too old and nobody gives them any good parts anyway.