MovieChat Forums > Tom & Viv (1994) Discussion > Tom's accent

Tom's accent

posted 18 years ago by Private_Beach
8 replies | jump to latest

Am I the only one who found Willem Dafoe's accent as Tom rather strange? It seemed that every word was pushed out through grittted teeth in a manner neither American nor British.

[–] merfwriter 18 years ago

No matter what movie you put Willem Dafoe in, some how his accent or what ever you call it (i'm just guessing but I think its a Wisconcin accent because that is where he is origionaly from) comes out in all of his movies. But, I think Willem was tring to create a more proper and well refined character. Remember Tomas Eliot grew up in a wealthy family and he attended all the best schools money could buy. He was a well educated man. People who are well educated, speak very well and proper. Also Tomas grew up in the early 20th century. Dialog in those days where not like how people speak today, so Willem was tring to sound a little bit more old fashioned.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] cenering 18 years ago

He used such an accent because it reflected T. S. Eliot's real accent. Listen to any recordings of his poetry online that are read by the poet himself and you will see what I mean.

[–] tistytwist 17 years ago

Yes, but a lot of those redordings where from later in life, when doubtlessly his accent had morphed a bit. i think it would have been better if WD had managed to bring that change into his preformance.

Still bloody marvelous movie though!!!!

[–] Karma16_83 15 years ago

Actually T.S. Eliot grew up in the midwest of the United States. He was very concious of his accent and thought it wasn't sophisticated enough when he attended Harvard. Thus, he worked to cover his midwest accent with a Boston accent. Before he went to England, he spent quite a bit of time in Paris. So, you take a midwest accent add a dash of a very dominant Boston accent and mix it with French and an English accent and you get T.S. Eliot!

[–] cwoliver-1 15 years ago

Karma16; I think you've got the right idea. I'd add to your comments that TSE's efforts were further confused by trying to use what he "thought" was sophisticated. Whether it actually did sound sophisticated is subject to the listener not speaker - there in lies the problem.

[–] smcbee27 11 years ago

The narrative in the begging of the movie says Tom loved everything English and tried to dress and sound like them but got the accent wrong and his clothes were overly English. Hope that helps. I have no clue how correct that is, btw.

[–] Jes' Sayin' (5953) 2 years ago

Actually, WD did that. If you listen carefully, he sounds American at the start of the film, but much more British by the end. You know, like Madonna.