I found him the most annoying character ever, was hard to watch sometimes, and the dance scene :o
shareEspecially since that dance number went on for eternities. It brought on traumatic early-80s Tom Cruise flashbacks. Fiennes' character was supremely annoying for the first three quarters of the film, but kind of redeemed himself at the end. (Not just by dying.)
shareIt's not just that he's annoying, it's that he's not believable.
This movie actually started to lose me in the opening moments. See my thread "Least Credible Opening Scene in Movie History."
Prepare your minds for a new scale of physical, scientific values, gentlemen.share
Emvan, you're pushing your point too hard and too ubiquitously. The Fiennes character was supposed to be annoying, and the dance scene was terrific, very hilarious. BTW, check out the "Stomp" dance by Jeremy Irons in the movie in which he plays Lytton Strachey.
shareI actually liked the dance scene a lot (until it went on too long) and I didn't actually find him that annoying. I just never believed him for a moment.
I've come to understand that the reason I don't believe him is that I have much more experience with extreme personalities in general, and people more or less like him specifically. Plus a thorough background in psychology that allows me to figure out why his character also makes no sense from that more technical POV.
If you imagine that the movie featured a memorable chimp character who was central to the plot, then I'm the primatologist who's saying Chimps. Actually. Don't. Do That.
I always think it's a good idea to make your movie believable to the experts in the appropriate fields. Creating a very oddball character who is unlike anyone you've ever met, and instead basing the character on stuff you've read, runs the risk of creating someone who rings very false to people who actually have known that sort of oddball.
Prepare your minds for a new scale of physical, scientific values, gentlemen.share
Emvan: I'm pleased by the serious approach you take in your posts. It's refreshing to encounter that when so much on IMDB boards is puerile. I will yield to your greater professional experience in psychology and the arts/entertainment worlds, although I am not totally unfamiliar with each. I would simply say that I have encountered a number of people in the a&e universe similar to Harry. And don't you think that Luca Guadagnino has also? BTW, the length of Harry's dance was just right. That length turned it from charming to weird, which was the point.
shareThis post really wasn't met with the appropriate amount of derision which I can only assume meant people either didn't read it or couldn't be bothered, so let me be the first to say, "really? come on man..."
shareHe was supposed to be annoying. And to me he was completely believable because I know someone EXACTLY like him - in fact when I first saw the trailer I actually wondered if the character had been based on this friend of mine. To me Ralph Fiennes is one of the most watchable actors in screen history no matter what he's doing. I relished every minute he was on screen.
shareThe problem is when a main character is so annoying, realistic or not, it makes the movie itself annoying. In real life, if I ever met anyone that annoying I'd simply walk away. And to a certain extent, that's what I did in this movie -- my mind just shut down. And that's not a good thing when watching a movie.
"Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier 'n puttin' it back in." -- Will Rogers
I think Harry is supposed to be a manic personality, exhausting. I get that he was thinking he can dance and showing it off, but he was so off the music, it was ridiculous. I think, again, this is his mania, thinking he does everything exceptionally well. I knew he was gonna be the baddie when he pixxed on a grave and Paul was gonna be the good guy because he thought it was disgraceful that Harry did that. I kept wanting Paul to say he killed Harry in self defense. I felt he did.
Harry came to do nothing but get his own needs met, no matter who got hurt. That sex scene with marianne and then he just quits her cuz he doesn't get his way, what a stinker. Narcissist? Manic for sure. I was glad he died. Shut that man up.
Good, thoughtful movie. Now I need to watch la piscine again.
I loved him, he was so exuberant and I loved his dancing with abandon!
shareI think you hit the nail on the head, so to speak. Harry is definitely manic, even to the point of always being elated, happy, gay. (Gay? That too....) And, narcissistic. A manic narcissist. I've known many, and I worked in the psychiatric field for many years. I thought Ralph Fiennes played this character exceptionally well, right down to every manically energetic moment.
Self-defense? In a way, yes. Paul may have been experiencing a homosexual panic of sorts. He may have been remembering when Marianne said Harry would f#*k him too, when he and naked Harry were wrestling in the pool. Their struggle certainly looked sexual to me...
I agree Andrew....Ralph Fiennes character was very annoying and unlikeable.
shareHe was annoying, but not unintentionally. For me the bonus was seeing Ralph Fiennes totally nude. He's long been a favorite of mine, I think he's a terrific actor and absolutely gorgeous. And beautiful in the altogether.
shareHe absolutely was and Ralph Fiennes deserves an academy award for his performance because it was great!
Really annoying character.
shareI'm a huge fan of Ralph, but I felt embarrassed for him in this insufferable role. Yeah, the character has to be unlikable, but that never came across in a compelling way. To me, he was just cringe-worthy to watch with his over the top antics. I'm sure some people will love it and I'm blaming Guadagnino more than Fiennes for the result, but the Harry character is one of the main reasons I couldn't take the film as anything more than a gross farce (the other being Guzzanti's Marshal). Despite all its shortcomings, at least the original movie was classy and stylish (largely due to the performances).
shareFiennes was good in some ways - I think he's an excellent actor - but the performance only had one note. I think the character was meant to be funny, but he wasn't. Fiennes can do comedy, he was very amusing in Grand Budapest Hotel, so I think he was let down by the script and the direction. My question is, if he was always so annoying, WTF was Marianne doing with him for six years? Six days of Harry would be plenty, even if he did have lots of booze and drugs. In fact you'd need the booze and drugs to put up with him
shareMy question is, if he was always so annoying, WTF was Marianne doing with him for six years? Six days of Harry would be plenty, even if he did have lots of booze and drugs. In fact you'd need the booze and drugs to put up with him
I want to see La Piscine now so I can shake my head over how much better it is. May do that this evening ... I think the remake wasted a lot of talent
shareThe only way to transmit the annoyance of the character, is to make him be annoying to the audience too.
That way they'll be sure he's being annoying, and not likeable or funny.
It's the same way when they want to establish an evil character, they show him to you do evil stuff, like killing a baby.
I believe Fiennes has shown he has enough range over the years, for me to be convinced he was being annoying on purpose.
Now, going back to the movie: his character is desperate to have her back. He's throwing everything he's got. That's why he's extra-happy, funny, dancing all around, telling jokes, etc. To show he's the better man, and to put the other guy like a bore-fest in comparison.
I certainly wasn't annoyed by Ralph's full frontal nudity! Excellent performance, one of his best. Great actor, great ass.
shareNo, he's the second most annoying character ever. The most annoying was Vittorio Gassman's character in "Il Sorpasso" (1962) - an Italian classic that director Guadagnino will be well familar with. Fiennes' character was surely modelled on Gassman's.
shareSorry to hear that the Fiennes is so unpopular with viewers. I wanted to see this film, but I think I'll skip it. I like Fiennes too much to see him in such a role.
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