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PETER O’TOOLE: A SELECTED FILMOGRAPHY
Over the course of seven decades, Peter O’Toole played a range of desiccated kings, glorious emperors, power-mad generals, besotted aristocrats, and delightfully daft artists, philosophers and scientists… with the genius to show us the humanity in them all. He was so much larger than life that the screen could barely contain him. Yet he came from modest circumstances that he never forgot, infusing even his maddest of kings with the lowest of human foibles, evoking sympathy even when none should have been possible.
Peter Seamus O’Toole was born Irish and raised English, with a bookie for a dad and a brutal catholic school education. He followed his years in the navy with training at RADA (with classmates Albert Finney, Alan Bates and Richard Harris), then spent his early professional years (the 1950s) on the stage of the Old Vic, and doing inconsequential TV and low-budget films in the UK. Then, when Albert Finney turned down a part over contractual demands, the dashing young O’Toole was cast instead... as T.H. Lawrence. And the rest, as they say, was history. LAWRENCE OF ARABIA became one of the biggest hits (and best movies) of all time and launched O’Toole into international superstardom. With his striking features, piercing blue eyes, Nordic blonde hair, and a smooth articulate cadence, he filled out the next decade with memorable films which forged his heroic screen persona.
* Lawrence of Arabia (1962) – At 4 hours, it still isn’t long enough; an absolutely breathtaking masterpiece by David Lean and O’Toole stands astride it like a colossus
* Becket (1964) – O’Toole’s high-spirited but regal King Henry II outshines friend Richard Burton as Becket in a still brilliant adaptation of the Anouilh play
Lord Jim (1965) – Adaptation of the Conrad novel about the redemption of a coward is not quite there, but it still worth seeing for O’Toole and co-star James Mason
What's New, Pussycat (1965) – Swinging 60s sex comedy co-starring Peter Sellers (with a script by Woody Allen) allowed O’Toole a change of pace, but it’s unwatchably dated
How to Steal a Million (1966) – A charming romantic comedy caper with Audrey Hepburn; have not seen it in ages and so have no idea how dated it may feel, but I remember it fondly
The Night of the Generals (1967) – WWII-era murder mystery; O’Toole as a mad Nazi general offers his first (of very few) performances as an unabashed screen villain
* The Lion in Winter (1968) - Nominated again for playing Henry II (as he was in Becket), this time opposite Kate Hepburn; it’s a wordy, stagey film adaptation of a great play, but still enjoyably black fun, well worth seeing for O’Toole and Hepburn and their sizzling repartee (“oh god, but I do love being king!”)
* Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969) - O’Toole in an unexpected role as a repressed school teacher, and Petula Clark as the music hall performer he falls for, in this unnecessarily musicalized and dated remake.
Murphy's War (1971) – not too bad WWII action/drama, with O’Toole obsessed with revenge against the U-Boat that sunk his ship
* The Ruling Class (1972) – A mad aristocrat becomes Jesus who becomes Jack the Ripper in this surreal black comedy satirizing the British class system and conformity; over the top and not to everyone’s taste, but I love this one
Man of La Mancha (1972) – A critical and commercial disaster, with O’Toole’s songs all dubbed, this adaptation of the Broadway musical is still a sentimental favorite of mine, and I say this without arguing for its quality
O’Toole’s career was derailed in the 1970s due to his alcoholism and stomach cancer, leaving not much of note from that period.
Zulu Dawn (1979) – solid action epic about a South African war, with O’Toole in a supporting role as an arrogant British lord and commander.
Caligula (1979) – Penthouse's soft-core porn version of Roman history; O’Toole plays his “mad king”-type signature role, here intended to class up a classless enterprise
Beginning in the 1980s, after giving up alcohol and undergoing extensive medical treatment, O’Toole reemerged with two of his best films, then appeared regularly thereafter in supporting roles in Hollywood films through the 80s and 90s. He also did a number of European features and some TV work during this period, as well.
* The Stunt Man (1980) - O’Toole as an omnipotent film director; this comedic contemplation on the nature of reality is one of my all-time faves
Masada (1981, TV miniseries) – O’Toole was Emmy-nominated as a Roman general in this celebrated mini-series
* My Favorite Year (1982) – Comedy about early days of TV, with O’Toole as a drunken aging ex-movie star; his physical comedy and droll wit are drenched in poignancy. Another all-time fave
Creator (1985) – Genial comedy with O’Toole as an old professor trying to clone his dead wife; sweet, if not memorable
Club Paradise (1986) – O'Toole is here as governor of a Caribbean island, adding a bit of style to a crappy Ramis comedy with Robin Williams
The Last Emperor (1987) - A small role in a big film, O’Toole resonates as the British advisor to the emperor
High Spirits (1988) – This comic fantasy features O’Toole as the lord of a haunted castle; the film is ruined by the presence of Steve Guttenberg (which is true of every film he was ever in)
King Ralph (1991) – O’Toole is an aristocrat advising John Goodman, a bumbling American, on how to be a king, in this otherwise pedestrian goofball comedy
Gulliver's Travels (1996, TV Movie) – O’Toole is the emperor of Lilliput in this mediocre Hallmark mini-series (still, it was better than the Jack Black version)
FairyTale: A True Story (1997) – As Arthur Conan Doyle, O’Toole plays a supporting role in this whimsical, lovely film about 2 girls who photograph fairies in WWI England
Joan of Arc (1999, TV miniseries) – Won an Emmy for his supporting role as Bishop Cauchon;
* O’Toole had been nominated 7 times for an Academy Award as Best Actor, but never won. In 2003, he was given a special and overdue Oscar for his lifetime of work, but he was not done yet. He ended his career strongly, with some solid supporting roles in good films over the next few years. He would even get one more nomination for Best Actor in VENUS, for a total of 8 nominations without winning, which may still be the record.
Hitler: The Rise of Evil (2003, TV movie) – Another Emmy nomination, this time for his role as the German president.
Troy (2004) – Wolfgang Peterson’s terrific adaptation of Homer’s epic offers O’Toole his penultimate “old king” role, this time Priam of Troy, and he does it justice, with his usual steel
* Venus (2006) – His last Oscar nom came for this acclaimed little indie; O’Toole is an old actor playing an old actor, this time in love with a very young woman. Bittersweet, funny, but kind of creepy, and slow as molasses in January.
Stardust (2997) – O’Toole in a small part, and his last “King” role, in a criminally underrated fantasy adventure based on a Neil Gaiman graphic novel
The Tudors (2008, TV Series) – O’Toole’s last significant role, as Pope Paul III, in this justifiably acclaimed Showtime series
He would do some more TV and film work over his last years (some projects still waiting for release) before announcing his retirement in July of 2012.
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Peter Seamus O'Toole (8/2/31 Galway, Ireland - 12/14/13 London, England)
“Good-night, sweet prince; and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest. “ - WS
“The only exercise I take is walking behind the coffins of friends who took exercise.” – PO
So long, my liege, and thanks for all the fish.
TOP 12:
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Becket (1964)
The Lion in Winter(1968)
The Stunt Man (1980)
My Favorite Year (1982)
The Ruling Class (1972)
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Lord Jim (1965)
Venus (2006)
Masada (1981, TV miniseries)
Creator (1985)
The Night of the Generals (1967)
Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969)
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