To this day, people will insist that Beshravi was played by Peter Sellers, when it was really Alan Bedel. Maybe Alan was aping Sellers to some degree. The resemblence was remarkable.
shareI wondered myself when I saw it today.
jaustin035, on Sun Dec 16 2007 18:50:29, wrote something that made me laugh.
I doubt that Alan Badel had Sellers in mind. For anyone who has seen Badel's previous work his portrayal of Beshravi was very much how they would expect him to play the role - no extraneous Selleresque mannerisms at all.
share"I doubt that Alan Badel had Sellers in mind. For anyone who has seen Badel's previous work his portrayal of Beshravi was very much how they would expect him to play the role - no extraneous Selleresque mannerisms at all."
Yes, I agree with that. Alan Badel was a great actor, and didn't need any lessons from Peter Sellers. Sellers would have tried to imitate an Arab, and turn him into something of a caracature. Badel opted for an Arab who had been to a British public school or university, and spoke with that accent, which gives more depth to the character.
The only thing he borrows are the dark glasses. Beshravi is supposed to be a ship owner. His prescription dark glasses are the same style as Aristotle Onassis's sunglasses.
I watched Arabesque again, after 30 years, and I must say I was suprised by Alan Bedel's great acting. I was a child when I first saw it,and I remember how much I had hated his character in the film. From the perspective of a grown up cinefil he looks totally different though, apparently he was a great actor. (who absolutely did not need to mimic Peter Sellers)
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