Jeremy Irons in an absolutely mesmerizing performance
One of the greatest performances of all time. It's almost surreal how good Irons is and how much he becomes CVB in all his subtle, creepy, did-he-or-didn't-he glory.
Just. Brilliant.
O.K. But why the strange, strangulated voice. He has a fine, mellow speaking voice that I missed in this movie. If you want to listen to what I mean, go the "Brideshead Revisited."
shareBut why the strange, strangulated voice
My theory about Irons's accent is that, yes, Irons has a truly fabulous voice and it would have been very credible if he had acted the part with his regular British accent. But, Von Bulow, though a British subject, was born in Denmark. His parents were Danish and German, respectively. So his accent would be a little different from a British subject born in England to British parents. It's more of a nuance really and it takes another Brit (me) to spot the difference.
No clue what the real Von Bulow sounds like, but I am guessing that Irons wanted to take a chance with this role. Make it more interesting for himself (and for us). share
finnegansword, if you're still out there/here, can *you explain von Bulow 's use of the word "supper" ("suppah") ? I didn't think it fit with his background/class, but was a term reserved primarily for those of us raised as New England Yankees.
*Or anyone else, of course.
I agree with the OP; an incredible, nuanced performance. I actually, if perhaps oddly, flashed on David Bowie being interviewed by Dick Cavett. At one point Cavett asks "What are you drawing?" to which Bowie replies, "Your attention." I love droll British humor!
"Supper" is lighter and later than "dinner" (which is the main meal of the day). Used to be that dinner was eaten mid-day (when we now have lunch) and supper in the evening; as work life changed and the big meal was eaten at the end of the workday, it was given the label "dinner" and "supper" was the term applied to a late bite after the theater etc.
DEAR MISS MANNERS: Are the terms “supper” and “dinner” synonyms? Is there a time when supper becomes a dinner or vice versa?From Oxford Dict., BritEnglish (vs AmerEnglish):
GENTLE READER: It has more to do with what else you are eating that day, although you will be relieved to hear that no one is checking how often you snack.
Until the latter part of the 19th century, not so long ago in Miss Manners’s mind, the main meal was eaten during the day. Then it became fashionable to have the heavy meal at night, so luncheon took the place of dinner, and dinner took the place of supper. Supper was sent away from the table.
But did it slink off to its room? No, it sneaked out to go drinking and dancing. Supper clubs became the rage, for late-night dining and worse. And to this day, meals served late at night and connected with formal occasions, such as balls, are called suppers.
Yet the humbler meaning survives. “We’d love to have you come by for supper” means, “Don’t expect a dinner party.”
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/english/supper
"All you need to start an asylum is an empty room and the right kind of people." share