MovieChat Forums > The White Countess (2006) Discussion > Englishman can never play an Authentic A...

Englishman can never play an Authentic American

posted 19 years ago by nimzoblanca
36 replies | jump to latest

Hmm,

When I heard Ralph Fiennes was playing a blind American hero, I thought, "here we go again." Another English actor with silly American accent.

I'm sorry, but Englishman can never play an Authentic American and it goes beyond silly accent that English actors are often required to pocess.

I have never seen an English actor ever convince me that he's even remotely American unless he practically grew up in America, in which case, he was never that English to begin with. The only authentic Englishman who's ever convinced me is Hugh Laurie on House M.D.; but, that's only because the writing is so good, it pretty much over-ride all the lack of neuanced mannorisms that a typical American absorbs while growing up in America.

Anyway, just my two cents

And please... don't feed the troll

[–] cinemafilo 19 years ago

But Ralph is an actor. Actors are required to play different roles with different accents all the time. Ralph playing an American is as authentic as Ralph playing a German officer ..which he did in "Schindlers List". He has already played an American in "Quiz Show", "Strange Days", "Maid in Manhatten"and "Red Dragon"....and I think he sounded alright. So you don't like Brits playing Americans....does that mean you don't like Americans playing other roles but Americans too??? That would certainly limit an actors possibilities. What is an authentic American anyway....America is the melting pot of the world....the only authentic Americans are the Native Americans....everyone else originated from somewhere else. I think you are too critical.

[–] Mikurtis 19 years ago

I think Bob Hoskins is very convincing as an American in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" AND "Mermaids". I didn't know for many years that he's actually English.

[–] federicaboldrini1984 19 years ago

In Gone with the Wind, one of the most famous American films EVER Vivien Leigh, Leslie Howard and Olivia de Havilland all play Authentic Americans and they were ALL British!!

[–] mrslivingston 19 years ago

I used to think the same way. However, I was very surprised to read that John Mahoney, who played Frasier's dad, was born and raised in England. And yeah, Bob Hoskins did a pretty good American accent.

Would also like to point out that Fiennes has already convincingly portrayed an American in "Quiz Show".

That being said, frankly my dear, never did find the British actors in GWTW convincing as Americans. But that was a different era & authenticity wasn't always a priority in movies then.

[–] staybeautiful 18 years ago

Note - Every one of them had a beautiful classical well-bred English accent!

Actually, Ralph Fiennes in this film really reminded me of Liam Neeson, for some reason. And I think with him, it's not his accent that is faintly unconvincing, but occasionally his manner. He is very very English, very reticent, and while he opens up in this film quite a bit, it's not quite there with phrasing and tone.

[–] a_bientot_105-467-230804 10 years ago

Totally agree. I've always thought Liam and Ralph kind of resembled each other. In this movie though, there was at least one scene where I thought it was Liam instead of Ralph!

Also, thoroughly enjoyed hearing Raplh's american accent!

[–] SeisCinemaSeis 14 years ago

In Gone with the Wind, one of the most famous American films EVER Vivien Leigh, Leslie Howard and Olivia de Havilland all play Authentic Americans and they were ALL British!!

This reply alone have reduced to ashes that chauvinistic and uber stupid statement by the OP.

BTW Ralph Fiennes has played successfully several Amuhrrikans in a number of plays and movies. Including "The White Countess", of course.

[–] ReganRebecca 18 years ago

Vivien Leigh was great as Scarlett but Leslie Howard maintained his English accent throughout the movie. Very cheesy.

Anyway I don't see the problem as long as Ralph Fiennes has a good dialect coach. Lot's of actors play roles that require different accents and succeed wonderfully. Best example is Christian Bale. He plays an American so frequently that I always forget he's really from Wales.

[–] fanaticita 18 years ago

Ralph Fiennes can do anything!!!!! He's an amazing actor. I can't wait to see this film.

[–] Ramses_Emerson 18 years ago

I can think of some convincing performences by brits as Americans. I for one thought that Michael Caine nailed a midwestern accent in "The Cider House Rule". Also after I watched the brilliant TV mini-series Band of Brothers I was shocked to find that Damien Lewis was english! Ralph did a decent American accent in "Quiz Show" I am sure he can pull it off here as well.

[–] The_Amazing_Spy_Rises 18 years ago

Don't forget Kiefer Sutherland, he's British and look at the success of 24 and the hit Phone Booth...although he may not have an accent cuz he didn't live there too long. I'm American and I know that Britain's actors are far superior to ours. I think the best Americans are Sean Penn, Robert De Niro, and Al Pacino. Marlon Brando would be on it too, but he's dead (I miss him...). Those are the few remarkable American actors. Let's look at Britain. Kate Winslet. Ralph Fiennes. Anthony Hopkins. Daniel Day-Lewis. Do I need to keep going? The Brits are no doubt better, because not only are their best better than the best Americans, but they have a deeper talent pool. Look at these Harry Potter movies. Ralph Fiennes, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, David Thewlis, and earlier on Richard Harris, just to name a few. Those are all great actors in one series of movies. I think I'm done, but oh well. lol.

Rock now. Worry later.

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[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] ames0826 18 years ago

Kate Beckinsale played an American very convincingly in "Laurel Canyon."

[–] idlewood 18 years ago

And how about Jamie Bamber in Battlestar Galactica playing Edward James Olmos' son? Or Mischa Barton?

[–] joli1921 14 years ago

That was to be my 1st example of a Brit playing an American without anyone knowing that he wasn't actually American. Damian Lewis was really convincing. So are many, many others. I actually think it is much more difficult for Americans to portray Brits. Mel Gibsons accent as William Wallace was not very Scottish at all, e.g.
Linguistially speaking that is logical, as the American accents are basically a "lazy" Brtitsh accent. Meaning the endings are not enunciated or lost altogether, the words are much more rolled and rounded. So for a Brit to get "lazy" is easier than for an American to learn to enunciate correctly without sounding stuck-up. (This is no criticism of the American accent, so please don't feel the need to defend it! I did not pass judgement!)

She broke up with me through Backstreet Boys lyrics! If you knew that it was them, you deserved it!

[–] fuzzoom 18 years ago

Some English actors can portray an American pretty convincingly...but Ralph Fiennes is not one of them. He is great as an English or European character, but in Quiz Show and Strange Days, he couldn't pull off an American accent or personality at all.

[–] aamirabbas 18 years ago

I dont agree with you at all. Americans are a diverse people and "mannerisms" that you mention are more likely among the geographic ethnic group that you belong to. Even whites in different parts of the country have different mannerisms and they are still all Americans.

I think Ralph Fiennes is certainly convincing as an American.

[–] silentthriller 18 years ago

I tell you what,Gary Oldman is as about as talented actor as any. This Limey (and I mean that with the utmost respect) can do any accent. I really think actors from the U.K. and other countries with British influence (i.e. Australia) are more prepared in Theatre and such because the schools are slightly better. Maybe it's the Shakespearean roots as well as others.

[–] mrslivingston 18 years ago

The first time I saw Adrian Lester was in Primary Colors. Was very suprised to find out later that he's not American. So there you go.

[–] joker_begins 18 years ago

you talk about how bad the English actors are with American accents but what about American actors with English accents?

freeze your surrounded by armed B@STARDs

[–] joker_begins 18 years ago

on second thought I'll take that back I just remenbered Renee zellweger's Bridget Jones

freeze your surrounded by armed B@STARDs

[–] celr 18 years ago

And there's Hugh Laurie, who plays Dr. House. He sounds pitch-perfect American to me. You should see him in Jeeves & Wooster, upper class British. Tracy Ullman was great at American accents. But I saw a lot of BBC TV shows and they almost always got American accents wrong. Yes, there's many different American accents but most of those BBC actors sounded like they were born in Norway. Feinnes worked in Quiz Show because he was playing one of those New England upper class snobs. But his rhythm is wrong for Midwestern.

[–] phoenix34 18 years ago

Tim Roth is another Brit who plays Americans extremely well.

The problem with Fiennes is that even when his accent is perfect, he's got that wussy, diffident quality about him that feels British, not American.

[–] fanaticita 18 years ago

Again, as another poster recommended -see Strange Days.

[–] adriankoh-1 18 years ago

I count myself as a fan, but marvellous and watchable as he is, I agree with those of you who felt that Ralph didn't come across completely as an American - in this film anyway. He may have got the vocals and accent right, but there was just something about his Manner, perhaps the way he looked, that wasn't quite spot on.

Generally though, i've seen Brits play Americans convincingly and vice versa. (My favourite Americans playing Brits are Gwyneth Palthrow and Glenn Close. Renee Zellweger can be pretty good too.)

[–] phoenix34 17 years ago

I agree that Brits can play Americans well and vice versa but I don't think Ralph Fiennes will ever nail it. I thought he had the same problem with diffidence (x 10!) in Maid in Manhattan where he was supposed to be playing an aspiring senator. Just an appallingly unconvincing performance. It goes to show you that even great actors like Fiennes can be horribly miscast.

[–] KTswaz 17 years ago

Let's not forget the new Bond himself, Daniel Craig were pitch perfect in both in Tomb Raider and Road to Perdition. I remember being shocked when I heard that 'Alex West' was in fact British.

[–] LOVE17THEE 17 years ago

Objection!

Jude Law, Christian Bale, not to mention all of the American soldiers in Band of Brothers played by Brits!

When we fall, we fall hard. - James Leer Wonder boys

[–] truthsayer2526 17 years ago

My question, for those who have such an issue with foreign actors being cast as Americans, would have to be... Do you 'really' not understand, that casting choices of this nature can often result in a much closer representation of what an 'American' might have actually been like; during the time period being portrayed???

It really only requires the most basic knowledge of American history, to realize this concept.

[–] Milton_Hall 17 years ago

Hell, Gary Oldman could play anyone and anything from Mae West to King Kong, without make-up, and convince me.

That said, much as I like Ralph Fiennes in other movies, he doesn't do a very convincing American. Paul Scofield did well playing an American in Quiz Show, but again, Ralph Fiennes seemed miscast.

"Do you think I'm slipping?" Norman Maine as Fredric March

[–] Danusha_Goska 17 years ago

From a previous post:

"he's got that wussy, diffident quality about him that feels British, not American"

L O L

Anyway, loved Ralph Fiennes in this. Loved him.

Not in that way, of course.

If I had, I'd be selling the pictures on E-Bay.

But, really, his performance is perfection, and yes, time does play a role, and class and provenance, as well.

Ralph, here, is an upper class (I think) American from the midwest, so the "wussy" quality is a-okay.

he's not playing Guido from da Bronx.

He's playing a character from a Sinclair Lewis novel, or a Tennessee Williams type.