I'm just watching "Our mutal friend" again and, really, the character I dislike most is Lizzie's brother: stupid, selfish and so self-righteous I could not stand it. His behaviour towards his sister and afterwards Headstone simply annoys me. Does anyone know whether his future fate is resolved in the book?
shareOh I agree 1000%. He was annoying. Here was a nobody that had been raised from his meager circumstances by his sister's fore sight. But he had no trace of humility or sympathy. I was wary of him from the moment we first see him when he is telling the lawyer about finding the dead body. He is sitting around reading the other man's book without having been invited to sit or read the book. I thought that was very disrespectful. His general attitude in that scene was of a very pompous young man. But I still tried to like him just for his sister's sake. But he continued to prove himself to be repulsive as the story progressed. Trying to force his sister to accept a man who was obviously disturbed just cause he thought it was to his benefit. But I thought he really showed his most disgusting side when he turns on his teacher. He showed no loyalty and immediately distances himself from his teacher. I am not saying that his teacher deserves much loyalty but the way he turns on him shows so much of his character.
Like you I would be very interested to see what happens with his character in the book as we lose sight of him in the movie.
Yes! I wanted to smack him everytime Lizzie's sanctimonious twit of a brother appeared on screen. Also does anyone find the way he says "Eugene Wrayburn" weird? He kept repeating that name like 5 times in that scene at Mortimer's house, and he had such a funny way of making it sound.
shareHe was certainly fond of making great speeches to everyone!
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Eugh, I detested Lizzie's brother, the ungrateful little snotface.
It was BECAUSE of Lizzie that he got to school in the first place. And then he crapped on her by siding with Ichobod Headstone, only to THEN crap on Headstone when it was suspected he committed an assault on Wrayburn!
I also felt that when he and Headstone confronted Wrayburn he came off as like a growly puppy, if that makes sense - angry, aggressive, but can't be taken seriously at all.
I hate to be negative, but to me the most notable thing about this character was how badly he was played. It really stood out among the rest of the cast.
I thought his delivery was wooden, with no nuance at all - no better than what you'd find in a mediocre school play.
I looked up the actor's other work and only found one other piece. Hopefully someone said to him, "Sorry, son, acting's just not for you." I'm sure he's good at other things - just not drama!
Certainly was a disagreeable character, but I thought that his response to being opposed in his desire for his sister's marriage to Headstone, of disowning her completely because she wouldn't obey him, just was there to underscore to Lizzie that her brother was just the same as the father. It would allow her to leave him without worrying much more about it.
According to a synopsis of the book that I just read, the brother went on to be a teacher too (maybe he took over for Headstone, not sure) and he was thinking about marrying one of the other teachers...the implication was that he was going to do her a favor by doing so. Repulsive to the last!
I know this is years later from when you wrote that but I thought exactly the same as you about his terrible acting. Totally unconvincing and, as you say, wooden.
shareYou probably won't see a reply to such an old post, but I am re-watching the series on BritBox right now. The mini-series was faithful to the way character behaved in the book. He ended up being a teacher with the possibility of marrying a fellow teacher and never reconciled with his sister.
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