The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004)
Most of us know Peter Sellers as
the bumbling Inspector Clouseau, the beloved character
from the "Pink Panther" series of films directed by
Blake Edwards that were popular in the 70's and 80's.
Sellers comic genius shines through in this series
of films as he elicits guffaws not only with his delightful
physical, comedic slapstick but also cerebral comedy,
most of which comes from his ridiculous butchery of
the English language by the supposedly French police
detective. Sellers became a household name due to
the films.
Sellers comic wit is also in evidence
in Stanley Kubrick's masterful "Dr. Strangelove,"
a cerebral comedy about the cold war that could have
been far too sophisticated and intellectual for mainstream
audiences if Sellers (with a little help from Slim
Pickens - or was it Chill Wills?) hadn't had such
delightful fun playing three characters in the film.
"Dr. Strangelove" is the kind of movie that film buffs
can adore while its appeal easily spills over into
mainstream audiences due to its overtly comedic slapstick
at times. Sellers charm and ability to be funny and
intelligent is what makes this dichotomy work so wonderfully.
But Sellers, The Man, was far darker
than anything Kubrick could imagine, and more farcical
than anything Edwards could conceive. His story here
is told magically, as biopic, but with a powerhouse
performance by Geoffrey Rush and with adept artistic
flourishes by director Stephen Hopkins. In "The Life
and Death of Peter Sellers," the film, the familiar
actor is shown to be troubled, egotistical, childish,
dark and unable to express himself as a real person.
Just as one cannot tell where Sellers the man and
the characters he portrays begin and end, in this
film one cannot tell where reality ends and filmmaking
and fantasy begins.
There are great moments here where
the standard biopic stops and Rush takes over one
of the other characters (he becomes Sellers' father,
mother, wife and directors with the aid of prosthetics,
make-up and costume) and begins to address the camera
as if it were Sellers playing a person from his life-
story. In the most wonderful use of this, Rush, as
Sellers portraying his first wife Anne, goes into
a recording studio and overdubs the dialogue of the
scene that has just occurred. In this version, we
hear Anne say what Sellers must have surely hoped
she would have actually said as Rush overdubs the
scene, making Anne loving and apologetic. It's a wonderful
device and one that serves to help us understand Sellers
so well.
This is a powerhouse performance
by Rush as he not only plays Sellers, and Sellers
playing other members of his family, bus also Sellers
as his familiar characters. Rush becomes Clouseau;
Rush becomes Dr. Strangelove; Rush becomes Chance
Gardner, the characters from Sellers most personal
film, "Being There." Rush is amazing throughout this
film.
Hopkins, meanwhile, does a wonderful
job of capturing the eras that the film spans, segueing
easily, nearly seamlessly, from early 60's mod inspired
look, to the psychedelic 60's to the groovy 70's and
demure early 80's. Hopkins creates a universe where
Rush can exist as Sellers in different time periods
and on different planes. Rush, as Sellers may take
over a character as they finish a scene and Rush moves
seamlessly into the character as it exits the set
and goes backstage. If movies are an illusion, than
the world Hopkins creates is illusionary and nothing
could better serve the story of Sellers.
"The Life and Death of Peter Sellers"
is a remarkable film that uncovers the mask of one
of the most beloved comic geniuses of all time. The
film, as is Sellers' life, is a reminder that those
who makes us laugh are quite possibly hiding behind
a clown's facade to cover hurt, fear, anger and an
illusion of worthlessness and hopelessness.
Notes:
Also with Charlize Theron (as Britt
Eklund), Emily Mortimer, John Lithgow (as Blake Edwards),
Stanley Tucci (as Stanley Kubrick), Peter Vaughan,
and Stephen Fry.
There are also references to "I'm
Alright Jack," "The Bomb," and "Casino Royale" among
other films.
The film debuted at Cannes and Hopkins
was nominated for the Golden Palm.
The film has played theatrically
in many countries but will debut in America on HBO.
Viewed on a 35mm print in October
2004 as a part of the Austin Film Festival at the
Paramount Theater.
