MovieChat Forums > The Seven-Per-Cent Solution Discussion > is Robert Duvall's voice dubbed in this?

is Robert Duvall's voice dubbed in this?

posted 18 years ago by metallicamommy
69 replies | jump to latest

It just doesn't sound like him at all in this movie.

I think it's just him doing a very very bad English accent.

I just saw this tonight and agree wholeheartedly with gingerwanderer - Duvall's attempt at a British accent didn't come off at all; however, I also think that a lot of the dialog, including Williamson's and Redgrave's, was post-synchronized after filming ended - it definitely has that "looped" sound and "look" to it, and I was aware of it all through watching the film.

When the internet was invented, suddenly everyone became a critic!

[–] Edward_de_Vere 15 years ago

As a general rule, British actors do a much better job at American accents than vice-versa. I'm not sure why.

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] jmillerdp 7 years ago

My thought is: If you can't do the accent a part calls for, either: 1.) Don't take the part, or 2.) Don't try the accent. 

I. Drink. Your. Milkshake! [slurp!] I DRINK IT UP! - Daniel Plainview - There Will Be Blood

[–] Columbo-3 18 years ago

From what I heard there was not enough money in the budget for sound equipment, so the entire cast is dubbed.

[–] cableaddict 18 years ago

I was also thinking that this might be another person dubbed-in, because the actual pitch is higher than Duval's normal pitch.

However, listening for an extended time, you can pick out certain "Duval-isms" in the speech that just have to be his.

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] bear022013-588-696101 11 years ago

I think you are wrong about Duval speaking one grunt,
He has known all the right people in LA,if U know what I mean...my good man

[–] Mnk! 17 years ago

I am afraid you were completely misinformed about the budget on The Seven Per Cent Solution. It was a high budget production made by top filmmakers and a first-rate international cast. No actor was re-voiced. Robert Duvall's English accent is almost the only example of his complete failure to convince as one of the cinema's finest performers. When shooting the film (I worked on it) we were well aware of Mr Duvall's deficiencies in delivering an English accent, and often discreetly confided that, surely, he would have to be re-voiced. He wasn't. That was probably the director's, Herbie Ross's (and the studio's) decision - all Americans whose ears were equally out of tune. It was a sad fault, and it has to be said that despite his superb acting, 'Bob' was sadly miscast.

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] DBloodnok 17 years ago

I love Duvall, I can't think of a film where he does a bad job....except this one. The accent to a British ear is just appalling; save the accent, though, he does a good turn as Watson.

"Someone has been tampering with Hank's memories."

[–] Wakanohana 16 years ago

Mkk! wrote: "When shooting the film (I worked on it) we were well aware of Mr Duvall's deficiencies in delivering an English accent, and often discreetly confided that, surely, he would have to be re-voiced. He wasn't. That was probably the director's, Herbie Ross's (and the studio's) decision - all Americans whose ears were equally out of tune."

My own ears must be out of tune, also, because I didn't pay that much attention to his accent.

I must admit I wasn't paying close attention to every scene -- I was working on something else at the time. But when I glanced up at the tube, I thought "that actor looks remarkably like Robert Duvall. What an uncanny likeness!" If I'd paid closer attention, I'm sure I would have realized it was, in fact, him.

[–] Katrelle 16 years ago

I noticed that Duvall's accent was really dreadful, but it didn't ruin his acting for me. He really managed to be Watson in every other way, and his lines were well-written and in character. So it didn't bother me. But he definitely wasn't dubbed, unless it was for the occasional ADR recording (where the sound on set wasn't good enough and the actors have to rerecord their own lines to the existing film).

I'd rather be happy than right, any day - Slartibartfast

[–] kcor1953 16 years ago

I think people who cringe at Duvall's accent in this film generally take this angle on it; His Dr. Watson, just like Nicholson's Holmes, are not the "real" Watson and Holmes anyway and the film is grand romp for the fun of it.

I for one love Duvall so much and his shading of the Watson persona is so delighful I didn't care--after about 15 minutes, anyway.

kcor1953
That's the beauty of it:
http://kcor1953beauty.tripod.com/blog/

[–] rogerscorpion 15 years ago

I recall, before the film was made, that Duvall wanted the part, so badly, that he recorded a cassette, of himself doing an English accent, & sent it to the producers. They, apparently, liked it. They gave him the part.
How about Arkin's accent, as Freud?
I don't really think accents are necessary, to play a character, really. I recall, when Jon Voight did The Odessa File, he worked so hard to get a German accent down. People raved about the accent, but said his performance suffered, because he was concentrating on the accent too much.
In Beau Geste(1939), 3 English brothers are played by Gary Cooper, Robert Preston & Ray Milland. Only Milland is English. The other 2---Yanks, but they don't attempt accents. the film is beloved & no one has ever complained about Cooper & Preston not sounding British.

Carpe Noctem

[–] Mnk! 15 years ago

Ray Milland was Welsh.

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] NoArrow 14 years ago

Considering the movie opens with a famously American actor doing a totally over-the-top English accent...I think it's supposed to be funny.

I've learned that every rooster has his Spain, that it's located under his feathers.

[–] Flickfan-3 14 years ago

I am reading Nicholas Meyer's autobiography right now and he says that Duval came to his audtion/interview dressed and in character of Woody Guthrie for the movie Bound for Glory he was going to audition for---so he was talking to Meyer and Herb Ross, the producer, in a Deliverance/Oakie accent...but at the end he left them with cassette of him reading some of the screenplay in "English" accent...the only cassette player available was in a BMW in the driveway...so 5 or 6 people crammed into the car to listen

there were some who thought Duvall was great and others (like Ross who were not so sure) Ross played it for his wife who has a terrific Brooklyn accent herself and (I think) likee it but somone else was pretty negative; they played it for a British secretary working in Paramount production and asked her if the speaker was South African or Australian--she gave her verdict--that it was standard Brit speak like radio UK--so they let Duvall go with what he was doing in the film...

have not seen movie in long time so don't remember my own reaction--but was dismayed not to find it on Netflix--wanted to watch it again...

"...That's the beauty of argument, Joey. If you argue correctly, you're never wrong..."

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] tanyet 14 years ago

First of all I think that Duvall's accent is fine. The only part that it is unusual is at the beginning. They re-edited the film. It was supposed to start with an older Watson telling the story but I guess they decided against it and decided to play it straight. This was after Duvall has voiced it. I agree that there are a lot of overdubs but I still think Duval was really good.

[–] Mnk! 14 years ago

Correction: Ray Milland was Welsh.

[–] puirt-a-beul 14 years ago

I am afraid you were completely misinformed about the budget on The Seven Per Cent Solution. It was a high budget production made by top filmmakers and a first-rate international cast. No actor was re-voiced. Robert Duvall's English accent is almost the only example of his complete failure to convince as one of the cinema's finest performers. When shooting the film (I worked on it) we were well aware of Mr Duvall's deficiencies in delivering an English accent, and often discreetly confided that, surely, he would have to be re-voiced. He wasn't. That was probably the director's, Herbie Ross's (and the studio's) decision - all Americans whose ears were equally out of tune. It was a sad fault, and it has to be said that despite his superb acting, 'Bob' was sadly miscast.

Interesting info, Mnk!, thanks.

I've just watched it - well, part of it; I switched off after about twenty minutes because I was just too distracted by Duvall's accent. I'll have to go back to it and try again.

I think the guy's a great actor, and he seemed to be doing a fine job as the character, but ... well, he sounded like an acting school student in dialect class. The problem for me with actors using accents is that too often they sound like they're doing an accent, as opposed to sounding like a real person who actually speaks that way. I don't actually care if the accent isn't perfect, as long as the actor can get it enough under his belt that he can then move past it and put his energy into the performance. If the actor is conscious of the fact it's fake, the audience will be too, and that will then be the thing most people are thinking about in the performance. Duvall here immediately put me in mind of Audrey Hepburn in "My Fair Lady"; throughout that entire movie you never really heard Eliza speak, you only ever heard Audrey trying to get the accent right.

As I said, I need to go back and give the movie another go. I just have to let my distraction with his attempt at a cartoon RP accent settle a little first.

You might very well think that. I couldn't possibly comment.

[–] wuzzit4 9 years ago

But he looked great!

[–] knight_sentinel 13 years ago

That most absurd thing I've ever heard, most of the cast is British except for Duvall, and Arkin and Grey who are all actors who got their start in New York in off Broadway plays.

Samantha Eggar, Jeremy Kemp, and Georgia Brown all pop up years later on "Star Trek: TNG", Eggar and Kemp play husband and wife in one episode, and are related to Capt. Picard's character, Kemp plays his brother in the episode. Patrick Stewart also worked with Nicol Williamson in "Excalibur", Georgia Brown played Worf's mother on a couple of episodes of "Star Trek: TNG" just before she passed away..

Not to mention Nicol Williamson, Vanessa Redgrave, and Laurence Olivier who are world renowned film, stage, and television actors and are clearly British, why would the British actors need to be dubbed?, they jus show Robert Duvall earlier in "Tender Mercies" on TCM and it sounds like him doing a British accent, and Arkin also sounds like himself doing an Austrian accent.

The other thing that is absurd about your comment is about not having money for a sound system, something they would have had to have seeing as how they filmed the train sequence on a real train outside along with the rest of the chase scene, if anything they saved money filming in England and Austria, and some of the film was filmed at the same studios Lucas used for "Star Wars" and the reason being is that Pinewood Studios is a lot less expensive to produce and film than in Hollywood.

Jill Townsend is an American actress and does a very good British accent seeing as how she played a British noble woman on the series "Poldark", after having played roles on American television series mainly westerns and she was a regular on a western called "Cimarron Strip".

Movies will make you famous; Television will make you rich; But theatre will make you good.

[–] j_eyon-2 12 years ago

you are kidding - arent you? you haven't heard of "looping"? Or post-dubbing?

you didn't know it could be done for many reasons other than replacing a voice with another? looping is quite common in movies and tv. it's used to cover up defective sound recordings, or, maybe even allow an actor to revise his voice performance. it would be very common for british actors playing british characters to loop some of their lines afterwards.

if you're american - it would be best to leave judging how authentic an actor sounds at being british to the brits - eg - to my ear - Jill Townsend does well with an engilsh accent - but i've been wrong too many times before - and i would ask a brit first - rather than relying on my own judgement

[–] knight_sentinel 12 years ago

One jack wagon, I am American but I live in the UK, and have for many years I'm also quite knowledgeable of the technical aspects of film and television having worked behind the scenes on a television news program and several documentaries when I was in college and i still do some sound work as part of my engineering company.

FYI, most people thought most of the American actors in this film were British, just as a lot of people thought for a long time Kate Beckinsale was American because most of the earlier films she did in the U.S. she used an American accent.

The OP's original post asked the question was Robert Duvall dubbed he was not.

Maybe "YOU" should do some research, you also shouldn't assume someone doesn't know what they're talking about, jackwagon. I've lived in the UK for over 20 years, and I can tell accents down to a region, just like I can tell Gillian Anderson has started speaking with a slight British accent in interviews, which she didn't have before she moved and started working in the UK.

I've also noticed that Leslie-Anne Down doesn't have a heavy British accent like she did when she started her career in the UK, she stated this a few years ago in an interview when she talked about returning to the UK when her father was ill, and how many people remarked that she sounded American.

You should never asssume, jackwagon!

Movies will make you famous; Television will make you rich; But theatre will make you good.

[–] j_eyon-2 11 years ago

maybe horseypart - you shouldnt be so arrogant as to ass-sume that someone can "do research" on you - and learn that you lived in the UK for 20 years - nor should you so arrogant as to ass-sume that it would make any difference - you're just an american who has fantasies of being an expert

maybe you should re-read your original post - on one of your sane days - you'll realize how meandering and pomp-ass you sound - there's a reason no one else responded to your post - they're were trying to figure out what it had to do with the thread

you can say you've lived 50 years in the UK - but you still can't claim to have the final word on Duvall being dubbed - i don't believe he was dubbed - but not cuz you say so

using the northernmost part of your body - and you'd come to recognize that you have no idea how "most" people - much less "most" brits felt about Duvall's accent - unless you took a survey - i bet you just trusted your american ears - or the brits you spoke to - who might have been diplomatic to avoid your obvious hair trigger temper - i noticed that the british posters here tended to dismiss Duvall's british accent - and my british informants agree - as expert as you think you are - you are still american - and as an expert witness - you're judgement should be treated the same as the part of the horse you occupy

[–] knight_sentinel 11 years ago

Jackwagon I travel all over the world for business now and I traveled with my father when he was stationed abroad, I have dual citizenship in both the UK and US, and it still doesn't change the the fact I know what I'm talking about. I also work in Australia and not all the people their sound a like and people in Australia don't sound like people in New Zealand.

LOL, I can't help it if you're just another idiot who doesn't know what he's talking about and two in order to do research on someone you would need to know their name dumb ass.

but when one travels one cam tell the difference in dialects between people living in the same country, not all people living in the southern US don't all sound a like people in Louisiana don't sound like people living Texas, people in Quebec don't sound like people living in Vancouver Canada, anymore than people living in Birmingham don't sound like people living in Coventry in the UK.

The UK is a rich landscape of regional accents and dialects just like every other country on the planet.

People in Rhode Island, New Jersey and New York all sound different even though they're close to each other and people in Nevada and Utah don't sound a like either even though they border each other.

I'm pretty sure James Marsters who played Spike on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" didn't sound like Anthony Stewart Head who played Giles. I also happen to know that Mr. Head used a different British dialect when he was on the series "Vr.5"the series he did just before he did "Buffy the Vampire", even James Marsters stated that Mr. Head didn't talk like Rupert Giles in real life.

The young woman on the new series "Orphan Black" does several different accents and voice dialects from different countries as well as dialects within the same region and she doesn't sound the same.

The simple facts for you jackwagon is that Mr. Duvall "Wasn't" dubbed in this film he used an accent and dialect he'd heard in the past, and the production company for Mr. Duvall's film may not have had the budget to hire a dialogue coach.

Case in point Robert Downey Jr. in the "Sherlock Holmes" film had two dialogue coaches in Andrew and Paula Jack to help him put together an accent and dialect.

Just because you may not be able to tell the difference in accents and dialects don't assume other people can't tell the difference jackwagon. LOL!

Get your facts straight stop assumming and get a life jackwagon asre hole.

You make a lot of assumptions, and the sad thing is you continue to constantly make them.

Maybe you should get someone to dub your life maybe breed a little love into it.

Movies will make you famous; Television will make you rich; But theatre will make you good.

[–] j_eyon-2 11 years ago

still trying to crown yourself - horseypart - doesn't change the fact that your assertions to greatest are just assertions - each claim you make to knowledge ass-sumes that no other american can do that - it makes your posts sound pathetic and silly - like a child throwing a tantrum - your constant need to toot your own horn proves only that you constantly need your ego inflated - why does it deflate so often - only detailed research that no one would bother to do can tell us

that you are the horseypart is the fact that you insisted people research your background - without telling anyone your name - get it horseypart - you made a foolish mistake by leaving out vital information - but you probably can't seem to figure that out - no surprising since the brain is at the other end of the animal

by making obvious points that most people know about accents - merely enhances your arrogance - remember - for the part of the horse you occupy to see things clearly - the horse needs to turn around

[–] knight_sentinel 11 years ago

I've told people where I live and lived, and they can look that up on IMDb, but let's see, you don't know my real name, you don't know what city or country I'm in now do you?

You're obviously delusional and feeling inadequate about yourself, and most likely in your delusional mind think you may know all about me, you're delusions aren't real.

Normal people who aren't mentally imbalanced like you are don't care and don't waste their lives being a stalker who looks rather foolish trying to find out where someone lives.

It also doesn't change the fact that I know what I'm talking about and you're upset because I'm right and you're mentally unstable. LOL

I don't need to {red]ass[/red]sume you're a mentally imbalanced jackwagon who didn't know what they were talking about, this is what happens when you live in your parent's basement, you end up with too much time on your hands to come up with mentally imbalanced delusions. All the makings of a mentally deranged stalker, I don't get people who stalk other people online, I guess it's safer for than than going to someone's home.

Stop stalking people and get some help, mental health is a hot topic these days, because of all the mentally imbalanced people who have decided to harm other people. Please get some help soon, when you start stalking people online it can only lead to you having a need to act on these delusional manifestations and stalk someone in the real world. GET SOME HELP, IMMEDIATELY!

Movies will make you famous; Television will make you rich; But theatre will make you good.

[–] j_eyon-2 11 years ago

judging by your rant - i would guess you are in therapy - or in need of it - which doesn't help your case when you're trying to insist you're right - just becuz you say you're right

a sane person wouldn't insist they are right - such as the way you insist that you know that Duvall wasn't dubbed - the only ones who can say that are the people who worked on the soundtrack - but that isn't you - is it

a sane person would instead condition his statements with "I believe" - or at worse "I'm sure" - thus admitting the possibility of error

while "i believe" Duvall was not dubbed - i will not demand that it be accepted as "truth" - while i think that the voice sounds like Duvall - i will add "to me" to the assertion

let the difference between our posts stand as evidence as to which one of us is the more mentally inbalanced

[–] knight_sentinel 11 years ago

You're the jackwagon whose following and researching me. I haven't bothered to find anything out about you on IMDb. You're mentally unstable.

I could tell that from the first time you were replied to my comment, you're mentally unstable.

The fact that you come onto a site and tell someone that you researched them just shows you're mentally unbalanced and most likely unstable.

I just like to see how unstable people like you will get, when you start following people on IMDb that pretty much sums up what type of person you are, with all the crazy things mentally unbalanced people like yourself have done in the US the past few months the people around you in the real world should be worried.

The difference between you and I is that I express my opinion, because it's a message board. Some of us can grasp reality and know there is something called free speech jackwagon mental case, no one is telling you to agree with me.

Then again you're a mentally deranged jackwagon. Get some therapy before you hurt someone and yourself, it's good you still live in your parent's basement, but you should really get some help.

Only a person with a deranged mind would stalk someone on a message board because they didn't like their comments, well there are those pathetic sad sack losers who stalk people but they're mentally deranged as well. I almost feel sorry for you.

Please get some .

Movies will make you famous; Television will make you rich; But theatre will make you good.

[–] j_eyon-2 11 years ago

LOL - where'd you get the idea that i researched you - are you sure you're familiar with the english language - nowhere did i say i did - cuz there's no name or such that would allow anyone to research you to learn whether you actually know what you're talking about or not - how much paranoia do you have bottled up in you - to cause you to come to that interpretation

secondly - when someone responds to your rude and overbearing posts - correcting you misconceptions - it's not "following" - it's "responding" - but something in your mentality sees it as the former - which is kinda worrisome - glad you're in the UK - if you were in gun-happy America - you'd be staking out a theater or school or somthing

this is a good time to mention an earlier observation you made - but which i passed over - in your second post you said "The OP's original post asked the question was Robert Duvall dubbed he was not"

well - your response spent most of it's time on irrelevancies - in fact - you based your proof that Duvall wasn't dubbed on YOUR judgement that he sounded the same as in "Tender Mercies" - as i say - i don't think Duvall was dubbed - but i would never depend on your american ear - as i said in the previous post - you're not the one in the know - it's the people who actually worked on the film

you may think you can judge convincing accents - but i know better than to trust you - mainly cuz of your puerile attempts to prove that you're an expert - there's no expert with a final say - least of all - the guy who needs to bluster about his expertise

you'll notice that i'm the only one in this thread - everyone else probably read your first post - and dismissed you

[–] knight_sentinel 11 years ago

you'll notice that i'm the only one in this thread - everyone else probably read your first post - and dismissed you

That's because you're deranged and they like myself read everyone's comments and either chose not to comment or because they knew I was right and some may have thought I was wrong but they moved on.

The fact that you come onto a board and tell someone they can't tell accents and dialects speaks volumes about your delusions, you don't know me and you don't know what my life experiences.

It's message board, if you reply to someone they're going to reply back, but to a deranged mind like yours you obviously don't thik this way.

Thanks for proving me right, you're a deranged mental case, and now you've admitted it.

Again get

Movies will make you famous; Television will make you rich; But theatre will make you good.

[–] j_eyon-2 11 years ago

you've definitely gone over the top - maybe your focus on derangement and institutions means that you're already in one - or getting therapy to stay out - whatever - glad you're in the UK

what speaks volumes about you begins with your first post which rudely responded to the original poster with "That most absurd thing I've ever heard" -

then asserting that "they jus[t] show[ed] Robert Duvall earlier in "Tender Mercies" on TCM and it sounds like him doing a British accent" AS IF that was all that was needed for proof

when your bland assertions were challenged by me - you lost control - whereas a rational person could remain calm - and acknowledge that it was his opinion - you totally lost control - with more than a touch of insanity

reading your posts in sequence speaks volumes to sane people - and intelligent people who know that merely claiming expertise doesn't qualify

if you don't understand why people don't need to trust your opinion on accents - then you'll never understand why people will not trust your opinion on my mental health - and especially - your own

come on - admit you might be wrong about Duvall's dubbing - or the quality of people's accents - while i too don't think he was dubbed - i say "i don't think so" - without demanding that other people believe me - say it - it's a small step to take towards regaining your sanity

[–] knight_sentinel 11 years ago

LOL!

Are the voices you here in your head dubbed?

The difference between you and I is, one I don't care where you live you keep replying and you keep showing how deranged you are in the head.

You're the internet stalker, and it's the people around you who should be worried, if you stalk someone on the internet you most likely do it in the real world.

Two I don't follow people around on this site or anywhere else.

Get !

Movies will make you famous; Television will make you rich; But theatre will make you good.

[–] j_eyon-2 11 years ago

i knew you couldn't do it - rational people know their limitations - they know they don't have the final say in matters - irrational people claim to have powers that sane people wouldn't - that they know something FOR SURE

you seemed unaware that you listed things in your first post about accents that many other American's know - as if you were the only one that knew them - trying to prove an infallible expertise

these are psychologically meaningful - however - not in a good way

so know i hae to remind you that you don't have the last word in the matter of dubbing or accents

as far as Duvall being dubbed - you are no closer an expert than any other moviegoer - since you have no relation to the films production

as far as accents - you are at best in the 3rd tier of expertise - the 2nd tier occupied by people born and raised in Britain - the 1st tier occupied by people in the accent's neighborhood

i know it drives you crazy to be denied the position in the universe you strongly desire - but it can't drive you much more crazy than where you were when you posted your first rude & egotistical message

see - i'm trying to "get help" - for you - take a hold of the outreaching hand - trying conditioning your assertions with "to me" - "imo" - "i think" - "i believe" - etc - and drop the supercilious tone - you'll be happier

[–] knight_sentinel 11 years ago

http://bit.ly/S6zIeZ

LOL!, you're the admitted internet stalker! get

Movies will make you famous; Television will make you rich; But theatre will make you good.

[–] j_eyon-2 11 years ago

i'm am getting help - for you

i'm here til you calm down from your blood vessel pulsing anger - you're in real danger as long as you fear people who respond your posts - that paranoia - and could be a serious mental condition

i'm here til you quit answering nice people like the original poster who was simply asking for an answer - and not deserving a scorn filled - ego inflated response

i'm here til you confess that you have discarded the illusion of an all knowing god - when you confess you don't know things beyond your ken for sure

this is a virtuous and altruistic thing i'm doing - if you respond properly to this - you may be released from the institution you've been confined to - altho - sending you to an institution is the UK seems like a desperate act - but i here for you

you're welcome

[–] knight_sentinel 11 years ago

Stalker, I am flattered by your fascination with me, I can't help it if you're jealous of my intellect but you should get

We all have our own IMDb stalker. Its like having your own pet snake except you don't want it near you. ~ Peta-Gaye Clark.

[–] j_eyon-2 11 years ago

did you have a productive visit with your therapist - to discuss the valuable advice i gave you - on curing the rudeness you showed to the original poster - on toning down your arrogance about knowing everything - napolean complexes are pretty bad - god complexes must be much worse - and more difficult to slough off - but if you ponder my earlier messages - you may reach nirvana - and be released - and maybe even allowed back in this country - with supervision - of course

i'm here to help you - just as you keep requesting

[–] knight_sentinel 11 years ago

LOL, you're the one who is stalking me, and you're obsessed with following me around on IMDb,.

You're also quite delusional as I've stated before, please show me where I've asked you for help?

If you read me telling you to get help as me asking you for help, doesn't that make you delusional?

So again you're making assumptions, being a delusional, jealous and obsessed stalker.

Cure for an obsession: get another one.

Obsession is the single most wasteful human activity, because with an obsession you keep coming back and back and back to the same question and never get an answer.

[–] j_eyon-2 11 years ago

where you asked for help - don't you remember - have the drugs affected your memory - don't you recall the quaint little animated icon with the "help" sign - it looked like a haunted face - gazing out of an institution - with a help sign - hoping any passerby will take notice

i took notice - i plainly see the issue that's keeping you under psychiatric supervision - it's a deep-seated insecurity - that compelled you to be rude to the original poster - and to claim god-like powers - and to erupt with anger when i tried to show you your misbegotten ways - and to help you back down to earth - and blissful sanity

as long as you need to be cured - i'll be here

[–] knight_sentinel 11 years ago

You're not as witty as the stalkers I've had in the past, but they weren't as obsessed and delusional as you appear to be and you're also very one-sighted and appear to be obsessed with one idea and nothing else.

You're going to end up like Ahab, eventually people who are obsessed destroy themselves with their obsessions.

I do not think that obsession is funny or that not being able to stop one's intensity is funny. .

[–] j_eyon-2 11 years ago

your unhappy posts are clearly cries for help - it would be remiss of me not to heed that cry - i need to get you to see that your accusations of delusion and obsession are instead traits of yours - they're why you can't give up your bad behavior - you can't even acknowledge them

obviously - since you can't help chirping over every post of mine - you're happy and relieved with each one i send your way - otherwise you'd be awfully lonely in your padded cell

don't worry - i won't forget a fellow american - like a good US marine who won't leave a buddy behind

we're focusing now on your delusion and obsession - we're nearing the cure you need

as they say in that faraway country - "cheers!"

[–] knight_sentinel 11 years ago

You should get a Twitter or Foursquare account people on those sites ask and want followers or people to stalk them.

You're doing it on IMDb and it makes you look like you suffer from compulsive obsessive behavior.

The neurosis in which the search for safety takes its clearest form is in the compulsive-obsessive neurosis. Compulsive-obsessive to frantically order and stabilize the world so that no unmanageable, unexpected or unfamiliar dangers will ever appear.

[–] j_eyon-2 11 years ago

i happened to glance at your disturbing first post to the original poster - and it looks more ridiculous than ever - yet - after reading your many posts since them - it fits your psycho-logical profile

the original poster asked a simple question - "is Robert Duvall's voice dubbed in this?" - and he stated his premise succinctly - "It just doesn't sound like him at all in this movie."

you see - he asked if Duvall was dubbed - no one else - cuz he knows that individuals can be dubbed - and that cuz Duvall might have been dubbed - no one else had to be

yet you read more into the post than was there - more than one reasonable people who have seen - you treated the question as saying the entire cast was dubbed - how could someone who claims to be a supergenius not see what ordinary people did - which would explain why your post was ignored

on top of that - you puffed out your chest - and proclaimed information that is widely known - which the poster no doubt already knew - and you acted as if that was news to other people

most americans know who are british actors - and many are familiar with their work - which means that you don't have extra knowledge - and are not more knowledgeable than other americans - but you acted as if that knowledge made all the difference - when it clearly indicated that you misinterpreted the original post

it was a very sad post - not the post of an expert - worse - it was the post of a naive and insecure american - pretending he was an expert of import

i'll send you a bill for my psychoanalysis - i'm very expensive so be prepared

[–] knight_sentinel 11 years ago

People who are extremely inside their head, like you, are caught in a neurosis that goes round and round. Then something will hook them and take them to their end and they can't control it.

Movies will make you famous; Television will make you rich; But theatre will make you good.

[–] j_eyon-2 11 years ago

denial being your middle name - i knew you couldnt face your first major mistake - a misinterpretation of the original poster

and pomposity being your title - you can't admit to your exaggeration of your rather commonplace knowledge

now to your second post - which was the name-calling one in response to my first post regarding your rude one

in that one - you continue to boast about your powers - with examples that anyone would know about - you even inflate your boasts with so-called powers that come from being in the UK - once against supported by examples that other americans can readily ascertain

fact is - for all the years you've spent in the UK - you cant prove you have the last word in accents or not - which is - get this! - beside the point

as you said - the OP's question was on dubbing - yet it was you who spent verbiage on proving your expertise at accents - not dubbing

by point about Jill Townsend remains valid - you haven't disproved it - you aren't the most reliable expert on accents - a native born brit is

i love reviewing these things - it shows how far removed from sense and logic you were initially - and may explain your delirious responses ever since

curiouser & curiouser

[–] knight_sentinel 11 years ago

Your delusions, you're hung up on stalking me and your neurosis is the natural, logical development of an individual who is comparatively inactive, filled with a personal inner conflict of self worth with an egocentric striving for superiority, and is therefore retarded in the development of your social interest well being.

“A fool sees not the same tree that a wise man sees. ”

[–] j_eyon-2 11 years ago

quit looking in the mirror

[–] knight_sentinel 11 years ago

Fou!, get help! and stop stalking me on IMDb.

I do know people that have stalkers and it's not nice. ~ Daniel Craig.

[–] Skutter-2 14 years ago

Talking of dodgy accents was I the only person who felt Alan Arkin as Sigmund Freud sounded a lot like Doctor Strangelove?

[–] ronricho 13 years ago

Much as I like this film and Duval his accent was a distraction in the beginning anyway. I agree that it was worse in the narration then in scene dialogue.

I can't understand why he would have been cast in such an important role. Were there no British actors available at the time? Seems difficult to believe. He certainly couldn't have been added for drawing power at the box office (the Brando was often added to a cast to draw people in). He was that big a name at the time was he?

His bad English accents pales in comparison, though, with the worst rendition of an English accent (and Cockney at that!) in the history of big budget films: Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins. I really like the movie and even Van Dyke's performance but that accent is really bad!

[–] larry-406 13 years ago

Having read all the posts (even the guy who claims to have worked on the film) I quite agree that he is dubbed. The accent is actually quite accurate and not at all like Duvall's voice.

[–] vitolucia 13 years ago

Just watched this last night on TCM for the first time since near its original release over 30 years ago, also around the time when first introduced to the novel as a reading assignment in high school. Didn't have a major problem with Duvall's accent because as some others have said, he seemed to nail the Watson character in some other ways. Maybe I'm just such a fan of Duvall that I simply was willing to overlook the butchered accent and instead concentrate on his actual portrayal which I thought was fine. Perhaps the thing that was most problematic for me regarding his voice was the drastic difference between his character's narration and the voice used in the film, but again, it didn't really detract from my enjoyment of the film. Was glad to see this film held up so nicely after all these years and was still as good as I remembered it.

[–] kingarthurup 13 years ago

no, it sounded like a true englishman... his accent was spot on!!! Whereas, the guy that played Sherlock Holmes was obviously from the States.

[–] ronricho 13 years ago

his accent was spot on!!! Whereas, the guy that played Sherlock Holmes was obviously from the States.<<<<

The "guy" who played Sherlock Holmes?

[–] matthewwave-1 13 years ago

His voice, like that of some of the other actors, definitely had that post-synced sound (and "look") to me. I'm not saying it WAS post-synced, I'm just saying that it sounded that way.

I'm no expert on non-British actors' British accents, but Duval's accent -- his sounding British or not sounding British -- was no problem at all for me. But what DID throw me off for a while was simply how DIFFERENT he sounded. He didn't sound like "Robert Duval" at all to me, and that took some getting used to. Throw in the the fact that I thought the voice was post-synced, and I really did think that it maybe wasn't Duval's voice at all. I thought some other actor had maybe post-synced the part. I thought maybe this was because Duval couldn't DO a good enough British accent, so the filmmaker(s) decided to post-sync him with another actor (again, remember, I didn't have a problem with the voice not sounding British, so the voice actor I assumed maybe "replaced" Duval did his job, as far as I was concerned).

So, while I was initially distracted by the different-ness of the sound of Duval's voice, and even disappointed that it might not be his at all, I enjoyed Duval's take on the character overall. Even if it took me a while to "settle into" it. He had fierce competition in this film, however, and I did enjoy the work of Williamson and Arkin even more.

Really fun movie.

Matthew

[–] denham 13 years ago

I don't know if it was dubbed or not, but if it wasn't then it should have been, and if it was then it shouldn't have been, or not like that. It didn't sound American, or anything British, or any point in between. Sometimes it sounded vaguely German. Often it sounded painfully constipated. It was worse than Dick Van Dyke! It was so grotesque that when I heard it I truly imagined the whole film was going to be played just for laughs, Clouseau-style. But it wasn't. So for me it rather sandbagged the whole movie. It's very strange to hear this goddawful stuff coming out of the mouth of an actor we all normally revere for Godfather, Apocalypse Now, etc... very strange. Someone screwed up.

[–] LindaY 12 years ago

LOL. Love the sarcasm. "American" indeed.

[–] echapman7 11 years ago

I don't know, but he's a drag in the role. Horribly miscast and utterly humorless. He's like a slab of granite. A shame because Williamson and Arkin are excellent.

[–] bear022013-588-696101 11 years ago

Duvall's form,face,limited lines..dubbed or not, destroyed this film.Speaking of gross miscasting...enter Joel Grey? I ask all of you , Joel Grey and Robert Duvall in a Sherlock Holmes film? I was so depressed despite subjecting myself to this flick 3 times ...for football player Jim Brown to come dancing into it all.I gave it a 2.
Imagine those fine European actors risking their careers..oh well.

[–] bear022013-588-696101 11 years ago

It had to be dubbed.He is a limited actor incapable of inflection or language skills.

[–] mam13143 9 years ago

Watching it now with special attention to this discussion. It is very apparent that the voices of Watson and Holmes are dubbed afterward in the outdoor scenes. Stage sets are not. A good deal of the movie is narrated by both which it is also very common at the time when outdoor sound was not well done technically. On the other hand, it is definitely their voices without a doubt. Sometimes Duvall misses his accent and then it is very obviously him. Sadly it is also very apparently Alan Arkin's voice as Freud which ruins the illusion, at least for me.

Notwithstanding this discussion, it is a very good film with Williamson doing an excellent job. Always a Charles Gray fan too. And as we all know, without this film, we would not have been treated to a marvelous Kahn in Wrath of Kahn.