THE LIFE AND DEATH OF PETER SELLERS
US, 2004, 128 minutes, Colour.
Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson, Charlize Theron, Miriam Margoyles, Peter Vaughan, John Lithgow, Stanley Tucci, Stephen Fry.
Directed by Stephen Hopkins.
One could do a tribute, one could do an overview of a career, one could do a family portrait, one could do a warts and all (or at least bits) study of a celebrity, one could probe and illustrate the work of a comic genius who succumbed to fame while never really growing up. This intriguing film attempts all of the above and, for a two hour film, does quite a good job of all of them. By the end of the film, we have a chronology of Sellers' life and career, seen him with his family – and done some psychological speculation, glimpsed many of the high spots with accurate re-enactments, been dismayed at the moodiness and immaturity of the man, regretting the behind the scenes hurts he inflicted even on those he loved while still managing to create a host of memorable comic characters.
Screenwriters, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeeley?, have condensed a great deal of material into the two hours. Director Stephen Hopkins creates a variety of moods and several worlds: homes, studios, cinema glamour. In this he has assisted immeasurably by his cast, especially Geoffrey Rush who once again illustrates the wide extent of his talent, submerging himself in the role, impersonating Sellers’ radio and movie moments skilfully while creating a real character, an object of love and hate. He also impersonates several other members of the cast, including his mother, father, wife, Kubrick and Edwards, in their roles.
Emily Watson is fine as his wife, Anne, while Charlize Theron is a glamorous and bewildered Britt Eklund. Miriam Margoyles creates the obsessive and possessive mother, Peg, while Peter Vaughan is quietly ineffectual (later being a model for Chance, the gardener) as his father. Many celebrities appear, including Blake Edwards (John Lithgow) and Stanley Kubrick (Stanley Tucci).
For those who remember Peter Sellers and cherish his characters, this is a must. It may open up the work of the actor for younger audiences.
1. A portrait of Peter Sellers – some warts and all? A tribute to his comic skills? His career?
2. Geoffrey Rush and his skill at creating a character of Peter Sellers, behind the impersonations? Geoffrey Rush and his impersonation of so many of Sellers’ film characters, within the context of re-enacting the scenes, outside the scenes, especially his Dr Strangelove discussion with his mother, the Inspector Clouseau performance on the plane to Paris? Peter Sellers’ performances – radio and The Goons, I’m All Right Jack, The Millionairess, Dr Strangelove, The Pink Panther, Being There, Casino Royale? Geoffrey Rush’s performance as Peter Sellers impersonating different characters in his life including Anne, his mother, Blake Edwards, Stanley Kubrick?
3. The re-creation of the 1950s to the 1980s? The 50s in the UK, ordinary homes, the BBC studios? The home movies and Peter Sellers as an avid home movie maker? The cinema in the 1950s and 1960s? The move to more affluent London, Hollywood, Switzerland, the world of Los Angeles? The end in Switzerland?
4. The musical score, the range of film songs from the different periods and their comment on the action? The films and music from the Peter Sellers movies, Goodness Gracious Me, the Pink Panther and Inspector Clouseau themes?
5. The clips from the various films, the exact re-enactments, the posters for other films – for example, What’s New, Pussycat and Tom Jones singing the song during the opening of the film with its animated collage of Peter Sellers in the Pink Panther-Inspector? Clouseau style?
6. His relationship with Blake Edwards, their work together on six films, a love-hate relationship? Peter Sellers needing the money, his speech at the launch of The Pink Panther Strikes Again and his comments on Blake Edwards’ mediocrity? Blake Edwards and his admiration for Sellers’ skills, coping with the difficult character? The contrast with Stanley Kubrick, his control, the invitation to be the four characters in Dr Strangelove? Sellers intimidated by Kubrick, trying all kinds of means, including faking an accident, to get out of performing the pilot in Dr Strangelove?
7. The glimpse of his father, the quiet man, his wife getting him to turn off lights, bringing the dinner? His death and his mother not telling him in time, his being present at the bedside? The inspiration of his father for the character in Being There?
8. Peg, her appearance, size, domination, her fierce speech urging him to bite the hand that fed him, to achieve? Her attitude towards his marriage, his children? Urging him to let Anne go, commenting that she left him, never blaming her son? Her attitude towards Bill – and the intimations of their career in the music halls of the past? Bill’s dying and her being there? Her love of her celebrity son, her visit to the studio and his Dr Strangelove conversation about the future – and there being no need for mothers? His illness, her phone call, his using an excuse of filming not to be there? His outburst of grief at her burial? Her seeing her in psychedelic colours during his drug-taking period? Maurice and his faking the séance and her presence urging Peter to do another Pink Panther film?
9. Anne Sellers, ordinary marriage, the children, her support of her husband, enjoying his comedy, being taken in by his routines? Coming to the end of her patience? The homes, the wealthier homes, out in the country, moving back into the city, the decorator? Coping with his irrational outbursts, especially after Michael put the paint on his new car and his breaking all his toys? Smashing the room after Anne’s night with Ted Levy (and ignoring the fact that he had been with another woman)? Ted Levy and his reactions, leaving? Yet his continually going back to Anne, at the death of his mother, asking her advice about being there?
10. His relationship with his children, the early scenes of his changing nappies, the babies crying? The home movies and his getting every detail? Michael and the car, giving the racing commentary as if he was Stirling Moss? The paint on the side, the treading on the toys, the kids having to understand the pressures their father was under, Anne’s explanations? His bringing the pony as compensation? The separation, the divorce, his caring for them on their visits, their being bored, his irritation with them? His forgetting Sarah’s birthday – and sending the motorbike? The way they grew up, Michael’s call as an adult on the answering machine? The information about his not leaving any money to them except a bequest of $2000 each?
11. BBC, the radio, Spike Milligan and Harry Secombe, The Goon Show, the performances, the audiences and the popularity? The continued friendship of Secombe and Milligan after The Goon Show, at his mother’s funeral? Their exasperation at his behaviour? His going for the audition, the woman rejecting him, his impersonating the old man and tricking her? Peg and her urging him on?
12. The collage of the early films, the glimpse of The Ladykillers, Carlton Browne of the FO – the BAFTA nominations, his winning, speech and jokes?
13. The request from Blake Edwards, The Pink Panther, the interview about David Niven, David Niven and his friendship – and Peter Sellers sitting in his seat? The success of the film, his horror at his own performance, his rudeness to Blake Edwards, the party? Later, Blake Edwards approaching, his needing the money, his speech to the guests about mediocrity? Blake Edwards at the end, Peter Sellers not going into the restaurant, the prospect of another Pink Panther film?
14. Sellers working with Stanley Kubrick, no reference to Lolita, the invitation to the different parts of Dr Strangelove? The glimpses of his performance? Kubrick and his control, the ride in the taxi, Sellers trying to get out of portraying the pilot? His Dr Strangelove speech to his mother?
15. Maurice, his growing superstitions, the colour green and taking off the pullover, the Tarot cards? Maurice as a character, his being in liaison with the producers, suggesting the initials B.E. for Blake Edwards? Later his being a medium for Sellers’ mother to urge him to do another Pink Panther film? The irony of B.E. being Britt Eklund?
16. Britt Eklund, her arrival, the courtship, the photography of her as a model, her being in love with him, the proposal with the orchestra playing?
17. Announcing her pregnancy, Sellers on the toilet, their discussions about the birth, the abortion? Her going to the hospital and his going off to do interviews? Bringing the baby on the set of After the Fox and his anger at the baby crying, ordering her off, ridiculing her talent? Her support over his mother’s death? Her anger at him, smashing the picture of his mother over his head? Taking the child?
18. His heart attack in Los Angeles, the 2001: A Space Odyssey fantasy, the surgeons and the high pressure in trying to bring him back to life? The aftermath, his wanting to be normal, trying to be a serious James Bond without jokes in Casino Royale, five directors, their laughing at the jokes, pursuit of him in the car and his walking off the film?
19. Age, the period of drug-taking, the women, the repetition of his performances and the collage of mediocre films? The Blockhouse, Soft Beds Hard Battles? Blake Edwards coming to his rescue? His wanting to portray Chance the gardener? His asking advice of Anne?
20. The performance in Being There, walking on water, walking up into the advertisement? The symbolic ad and his achievement? Not winning the Oscar?
21. Blake Edwards, coming again to offer him another part – his refusal to come into the restaurant, standing in the snow?
22. The information about his final years, his age, fifty-four, his heart attack? The final sequence and his not allowing anybody into his trailer?
23. The film presenting the facts of Peter Sellers’ life, career? His life as a celebrity, his womanising? The liaison imagined with Sophia Loren, the dinner with her, with her husband, destroying his fantasy? Maurice and his encouraging him in his womanising? Family, the four marriages, his children? The psychological aspects of Sellers’ career and life, his violence, insecurity, masks? The eternal boy?
