McKELLEN: PLAYING THE PART

UK, 2017, 92 minutes, Colour and black and white.
Directed by Joe Stephenson.

Ian Mc Kellen had a life before Gandalf. He had a life before Magneto and the X-Men?. In fact, he was praised in the late 1960s as being a great British Shakespearean actor.

This documentary is most interesting and entertaining. It is basically in Mc Kellen sitting in a chair, genially talking with his director, Joe Stephenson, taking him and the audience back to his childhood in Wigan, growing up, discovering his delight in theatre, auditioning for Cambridge with a Henry V speech, his studies and early performances. What makes it more interesting is that these episodes are re-enacted, dramatised, in black-and-white, incorporating documentary footage of the times, the 1940s and the 1950s. McKellen? was born in 1939.

His delight was in theatre. He performed with the stars at the old Vic under Laurence Olivier. He moved to smaller companies, was acclaimed for his performances in Henry II and Marlowe’s Edward II, getting praising reviews and consolidating his choice for life. Mc Kellen also liked going on tour, the response of the audiences around the British countryside.

One of the points that Ian Mc Kellen makes is that he is always playing the part – even in interviews, deciding which aspect of his persona he wants to communicate, to reveal or conceal, adapting to the interviewer and the situation. Yet, there is always his underlying self making itself known.

His career might have continued in the theatre had he not decided in the early 1990s to film his version of Richard III, set during the Third Reich. The film was successful, received good reviews and led Mc Kellen to making films, the example in this documentary is his portrayal of James Whale in Gods and Monsters.

Then came the franchises, his serious discussion about graphic novels and their adaptation, the serious themes in X-Men?. He obviously delighted in playing Gandalf and there are scenes where he luxuriated in the beauty of the New Zealand countryside.

But, many of Mc Kellen’s fans will be wondering how he handles the issue of his sexual orientation in this documentary. He is quite frank. He lived a privately gay life until he was in his late 40s. At this time, the late 1980s, there was a move against homosexuality, this film quoting a clip of denunciation from Margaret Thatcher, the introduction of section 28 and its discrimination, the demonstrations against it. Mc Kellen outed himself in a television interview, discovering that his family and friends were well aware of this and it did not matter. He threw himself into campaigns, interviews, television debates. He remarks that it was if a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders.

In more recent times, he visits schools, discussing these issues with the students, discovering that he belongs to a very older generation and that students today are not always burdened with sorting out their orientation. However, one of the things that Mc Kellen is rueful about is that he has no family and therefore feels a responsibility to hand on something worthwhile to the coming generation. He also says that is preoccupied with death – though he has organised his funeral and memorial service, featuring a song from A Chorus Line, One Singular Sensation.

1. The title, Ian Mc Kellen and the interviews, talking, choosing which persona to communicate, his acting on stage, television, films? Playing a variety of parts?

2. Audience interest in Mc Kellen, knowledge of him and his career? His elaboration of his story, Wigan, the town, his parents, the sequences in black-and-white, the boy playing his part, at home, school, not in sport, love of the theatre, putting on plays? The fair, the market, the performances with the sales pitches? His growing up, the actor portraying him as older, the audition for Cambridge, Henry V, his studies, friendships?

3. The black-and-white re-enactments of his past? Bringing the actor and his family to life?

4. The range of clips from his stage performances, from the 60s with Olivier’s company, joining a smaller company, Richard II and Marlowe? His performances with Judi Dench and other well-known actors? His love of touring? The favourable review and his making his decisions? The acclaim for him in the 1960s and 70s?

5. His comments on life in the theatre, the preparation, connecting with the audience, the contribution to improving society?

6. The importance of his contribution to critique of legislation against gay people, his decision to come out at the age of 49, his campaigning, the television clash supervised by David Frost, Margaret Thatcher and her condemnation of homosexuality? His personal relationships and keeping quiet, his declaration about Kurt, his testimony for Sean Mathias? The protests, the campaigns, his being articulate? His saying the weight was lifted from his shoulders?

7. Films, not so interested? The decision to film Richard III, the focus on the production, his role, the favourable reviews? Moving to other films, portraying James Whale in Gods and Monsters? Glimpses of other films? His comment about awards for Mr Holmes – and not getting them?

8. The serious discussion about the franchises? His praising of the X Men, the role of Magneto, the character, his interpretations? Going to New Zealand, the delight in the New Zealand scenery, creating the character of Gandalf? The scenes and special effects and green screen for the making of the Hobbit?

9. The decision to visit schools, the variety of classes, his talking frankly, his realising he was the older generation, the new generation and the different perspectives? The scenes with the children, the teachers – and his imitating goal Gandalf and “thou shalt not pass� !

10. His later performances, with Patrick Stewart in Waiting for Godot? The aftermath of the final performance and his weeping?

11. His comments about having no family, no family ties, the loneliness, yet the compulsion to do something to contribute to society? His family of teachers and preachers?

12. His reflections on death, specifying the nature of his funeral and memorial?

13. Ian Mc Kellen as a person, character, tailoring the interviews to the situation, playing the part – but an authentic person underneath?