Peter Finch and Peter Lorre

I set the Discovering (great film actors on SKY ARTS) on series mode for recording.

Most recorded I have already seen but last week I caught up with four on Julie Christie, Peter Lorre, Peter Finch and Anthony Hopkins.

Of this notable quartet my two favourites are the Peters. Film goers have special favourites, actors they will see in whatever film.

Whilst I admire Julie Christie, not least for her stunning beauty, and Anthony Hopkins for his technique, their names alone would not persuade  me to watch their movies but the two Peters would.

The only weakness in the Discovering is – apart from their childhood – there is little biographical detail.

Marriage, notable relationships, sexual bias are important and of interest.

Peter Finch, we are told, was by reputation a rabble rouser but there it ended.

As with quite a few actors, he was discovered by a great – Laurence Olivier – and learned his craft on the stage.

Because of his looks, and voice he had a considerable career but undertook brave left-field roles (as James Mason did as Rommel and Robert Shaw in almost everything) and Finch became famous for that kiss he gave to his lover Murray Head in John Schlesinger’s Sunday, Bloody Sunday. 

“I did it for England “ he said afterwards.

He is probably most famous for Howard Beale, the presenter who went bonkers on air, but after that he also gave a measured and convincing performance as Israeli Premier Rabin in Raid on Entebbe.

Peter Lorre learned his trade under Fritz Lang and gave a wonderful performance in M as the child killer.

He was another actor whose career was defined by an absence of constraint in casting but he was best at slimy, shady characters as in Ugarte in Casablanca.

I bought a book of the film, a sort of comic with the dialogue and phohots, and Peter Lorre’s expression was different in every shot.

Although short on biographical detail I was fascinated to learn that Goebbels, a movie buff, warned him to get out in 1933: Germany’s loss was Hollywood’s gain.

There was also a Discovering… on another of my film favourites – Leslie Caron.

I recently watched her in Is Paris Burning so I will refer to that appreciation when I review the film.