1 00:00:00,767 --> 00:00:03,000 [swishing] 2 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:07,000 Downloaded from YTS.MX 3 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:13,000 Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX 4 00:00:11,500 --> 00:00:14,533 [projector whirring] 5 00:00:20,833 --> 00:00:22,733 [Narrator] Well now what about this Peter O'Toole story? 6 00:00:22,867 --> 00:00:24,567 Let's hear the beginning of it. 7 00:00:24,700 --> 00:00:28,667 I was born in Ireland and brought up in Yorkshire 8 00:00:30,533 --> 00:00:34,967 and I was evacuated to Gainsborough, worked on a newspaper, 9 00:00:35,100 --> 00:00:37,700 went to the Navy, went to RADA and became an actor. 10 00:00:37,833 --> 00:00:39,233 Well, that's one kind of story, 11 00:00:39,367 --> 00:00:40,733 now tell us the real story. 12 00:00:43,433 --> 00:00:47,067 [uplifting classical music] 13 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:53,633 And he came back and said, 14 00:00:53,767 --> 00:00:56,367 I want you out of this house in two hours. 15 00:00:56,500 --> 00:00:59,900 So really, I had to pack and leave because he, 16 00:01:00,100 --> 00:01:02,767 I thought I must go now because he said I can go. 17 00:01:02,900 --> 00:01:04,800 But it was, it was quick, you know, it was, 18 00:01:04,933 --> 00:01:06,600 and I had to speak to the children, 19 00:01:06,733 --> 00:01:08,133 he wrote out a script for me. 20 00:01:09,433 --> 00:01:11,067 I had to tell them, which wasn't true. 21 00:01:11,133 --> 00:01:12,833 And I just had to leave. 22 00:01:12,967 --> 00:01:14,200 * How was I to know * 23 00:01:14,333 --> 00:01:15,800 * That this was always only just * 24 00:01:15,933 --> 00:01:20,500 * A little game to you * 25 00:01:20,633 --> 00:01:23,467 * All the time I thought you gave your heart * 26 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:28,433 * I thought that I would do the same for you * 27 00:01:29,833 --> 00:01:32,367 * Tell the truth I think I should have seen it * 28 00:01:32,500 --> 00:01:35,200 * Coming from a mile away * 29 00:01:35,333 --> 00:01:37,467 * When the words you say are * 30 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:40,967 * Baby, I'm a fool who thinks it's cool * 31 00:01:41,100 --> 00:01:45,833 * To fall in love * 32 00:01:45,967 --> 00:01:49,300 * If I gave a thought to fascination * 33 00:01:49,433 --> 00:01:54,300 * I would know it wasn't right to care * 34 00:01:55,667 --> 00:01:57,533 * Logic doesn't seem to mind to die * 35 00:01:57,667 --> 00:02:02,533 * I'm fascinated by a love affair * 36 00:02:03,533 --> 00:02:05,467 * Still my heart would benefit * 37 00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:07,533 * From a little tenderness * 38 00:02:07,667 --> 00:02:09,867 * From time to time * 39 00:02:10,067 --> 00:02:11,700 * But never mind, 'cause * 40 00:02:11,833 --> 00:02:13,300 * Baby I'm a fool * 41 00:02:13,433 --> 00:02:15,233 * Who thinks it's cool * 42 00:02:15,367 --> 00:02:20,300 * To fall in love * 43 00:02:21,467 --> 00:02:25,933 * Hmmm * 44 00:02:26,067 --> 00:02:28,633 * Hmm Hmm Hmmm * 45 00:02:30,067 --> 00:02:32,467 He was the most extraordinary man I ever knew. 46 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:35,400 It was phenomenal, because of Peter. 47 00:02:35,533 --> 00:02:40,133 Whatever he did, comedy, tragedy, farce, he could do it. 48 00:02:40,267 --> 00:02:43,567 And Peter O'Toole, which was a wonderful experience. 49 00:02:43,700 --> 00:02:46,667 This handsome, kind of wolf-like creature. 50 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:48,467 I miss him terribly because he was just 51 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:50,467 such fun to be around. 52 00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:53,633 When I did the screen test, he was phenomenal. 53 00:02:53,767 --> 00:02:56,933 Peter would come in and assert his dominance, 54 00:02:57,067 --> 00:03:00,200 insisting on pissing in their, in their basin, 55 00:03:00,333 --> 00:03:01,367 in their dressing room. 56 00:03:01,500 --> 00:03:02,900 He was full of fun. 57 00:03:03,067 --> 00:03:04,567 He was just, he had such stature, 58 00:03:04,700 --> 00:03:06,733 he had such elegance, you know? 59 00:03:06,867 --> 00:03:09,067 I've only worked with one other actor 60 00:03:09,133 --> 00:03:12,067 who's given me that much freedom to play. 61 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:14,367 And excuse all the other wonderful people 62 00:03:14,500 --> 00:03:17,067 I've worked with, I learned more working with Peter 63 00:03:17,133 --> 00:03:19,833 than in the rest of my career. 64 00:03:19,967 --> 00:03:21,867 Yeah, he was quite a remark, well, he was a genius. 65 00:03:22,067 --> 00:03:23,500 There's the way he speaks, 66 00:03:23,633 --> 00:03:26,367 which is often over-articulated. 67 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:30,767 * Hey your eyes of dawning * 68 00:03:30,900 --> 00:03:34,067 * Hey your eyes are open * 69 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:37,567 * Baby your eyes are smoking * 70 00:03:37,700 --> 00:03:40,700 * So please don't send me away * 71 00:03:40,833 --> 00:03:43,167 * You locked me up * 72 00:03:43,300 --> 00:03:47,967 * You said I'm hypnotised * 73 00:03:48,100 --> 00:03:50,200 * Whenever you look my way * 74 00:03:50,333 --> 00:03:53,533 * It's like dynamite * 75 00:03:53,667 --> 00:03:56,433 [O'Toole] I was brought up in a place called Hunslet, 76 00:03:56,567 --> 00:03:57,867 which is a remarkable place. 77 00:03:58,067 --> 00:04:02,867 It's about four square miles of rabbit warrens. 78 00:04:03,667 --> 00:04:06,733 One up, one down houses, 79 00:04:06,867 --> 00:04:09,100 which were built very rapidly 80 00:04:09,233 --> 00:04:11,567 and rather badly by the copper bosses 81 00:04:11,700 --> 00:04:13,067 in the Industrial Revolution. 82 00:04:14,333 --> 00:04:16,067 And the people who lived there initially 83 00:04:16,167 --> 00:04:19,967 were from the Green Belt of Yorkshire. the Dales, 84 00:04:20,100 --> 00:04:22,633 who moved in and overnight became engineers 85 00:04:22,767 --> 00:04:27,600 and string makers and Yorkshire Relish sauce makers, 86 00:04:28,567 --> 00:04:29,467 you know, the whole schmear. 87 00:04:30,933 --> 00:04:33,500 And they, they lived on Yorkshire pudding, 88 00:04:33,633 --> 00:04:35,533 which was then hard tack. 89 00:04:35,667 --> 00:04:37,100 When the war started, 90 00:04:37,233 --> 00:04:40,067 much to my intense delight, schools were closed. 91 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:42,900 And I was then six, and I was sent down to Gainsborough 92 00:04:44,233 --> 00:04:46,400 and I was sort of in farms and things. 93 00:04:46,533 --> 00:04:48,300 And I came out to Leeds when I was 12, 94 00:04:49,900 --> 00:04:54,300 and I went to a school for my first time, really. 95 00:04:55,900 --> 00:04:57,600 I went for two years or just under, 96 00:04:57,733 --> 00:05:00,267 and left joyfully whistling, 97 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:01,733 'cause I really couldn't bear school. 98 00:05:01,867 --> 00:05:02,600 I mean, they couldn't teach me anything 99 00:05:02,733 --> 00:05:03,767 that I wanted to know. 100 00:05:03,900 --> 00:05:05,833 I've got the kind of mind that 101 00:05:05,967 --> 00:05:08,433 rejects anything that I don't want to know. 102 00:05:08,567 --> 00:05:10,567 And it was no, what they could teach me 103 00:05:10,700 --> 00:05:11,500 I could get out of books, anyway. 104 00:05:11,633 --> 00:05:13,500 And did, and have done. 105 00:05:13,633 --> 00:05:15,767 I went to the Yorkshire Evening News 106 00:05:15,900 --> 00:05:17,200 and I asked if they'd take me on, 107 00:05:17,333 --> 00:05:19,600 gave wrong ages and all that terrible nonsense, 108 00:05:19,733 --> 00:05:21,167 which I'd read that someone else had done, 109 00:05:21,300 --> 00:05:24,133 so I did it, and they accepted me. 110 00:05:25,733 --> 00:05:29,833 Great tea maker, runner, inquests, coroner's courts. 111 00:05:29,967 --> 00:05:31,500 But the most fun I ever had was 112 00:05:31,633 --> 00:05:33,067 in the photographer's department. 113 00:05:33,133 --> 00:05:35,433 In fact, it's the only thing I enjoyed. 114 00:05:35,567 --> 00:05:38,833 And I finished up as Assistant Art Editor on the paper. 115 00:05:38,967 --> 00:05:42,067 I mean, His Majesty was desperate for my services 116 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:44,867 at one point, and I had to nip into the Navy. 117 00:05:45,067 --> 00:05:47,567 I don't think he was too grateful. 118 00:05:47,700 --> 00:05:49,533 I was very perverse, I must admit. 119 00:05:49,667 --> 00:05:50,600 The Navy! 120 00:05:50,733 --> 00:05:52,933 Lovely, thank you, very nice. 121 00:05:53,067 --> 00:05:54,967 No, I wasn't, I couldn't do it. 122 00:05:55,100 --> 00:05:58,100 And I used to play civilian all the time, you know, 123 00:05:58,233 --> 00:06:00,500 referring to the funnels as chimneys. 124 00:06:00,633 --> 00:06:04,100 The two years in the Navy are a total blank. 125 00:06:04,233 --> 00:06:05,267 It's, I've rejected it. 126 00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:06,633 I've hypnotised myself, 127 00:06:06,767 --> 00:06:09,233 I've amputated the Navy from my mind. 128 00:06:09,367 --> 00:06:10,933 But you see, this is about becoming an actor, 129 00:06:11,067 --> 00:06:12,900 as I say, I was, I was born a ham. 130 00:06:13,067 --> 00:06:16,067 One is, I mean, nothing else I could do. 131 00:06:16,167 --> 00:06:18,167 So I thought, well, the best thing to do 132 00:06:18,300 --> 00:06:20,533 is to go to a school for a while. 133 00:06:20,667 --> 00:06:21,900 'Cause I still had a, 134 00:06:22,067 --> 00:06:23,900 this ghastly Irish Yorkshire accent 135 00:06:24,067 --> 00:06:24,967 I thought should be ironed out. 136 00:06:25,100 --> 00:06:26,933 So I thought I'd go to school, 137 00:06:27,067 --> 00:06:28,167 but which one I hadn't the faintest idea. 138 00:06:28,300 --> 00:06:29,900 Went to RADA and became an actor. 139 00:06:31,567 --> 00:06:35,433 Back in the 50s, so O'Toole was in the same acting class 140 00:06:35,567 --> 00:06:39,500 as Albert Finney, who was offered "Lawrence" before him, 141 00:06:39,633 --> 00:06:43,800 Alan Bates, Brian Bedford, Richard Briers, 142 00:06:43,933 --> 00:06:45,400 and Richard Briers, who I knew well, 143 00:06:45,533 --> 00:06:48,900 said back then when O'Toole was only in his early twenties, 144 00:06:49,067 --> 00:06:52,433 the other students would call him "Sir". 145 00:06:52,567 --> 00:06:54,367 There was already this sense that there was 146 00:06:54,500 --> 00:06:57,167 something exceptional about this guy. 147 00:06:57,300 --> 00:06:58,700 And I said to Richard, well what was it? 148 00:06:58,833 --> 00:07:00,267 What did you see in Peter O'Toole 149 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:02,933 when he was 22 years old at the 150 00:07:03,067 --> 00:07:04,867 Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, down from Yorkshire, 151 00:07:05,067 --> 00:07:08,067 but 100% Irishman, what was it? 152 00:07:08,133 --> 00:07:10,300 And he said, well, he was just, he was electric, love. 153 00:07:10,433 --> 00:07:11,467 It was as simple as that. 154 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:13,233 O'Toole was bloody electric. 155 00:07:13,367 --> 00:07:16,300 So his reputation as a stage actor was pretty strong, 156 00:07:16,433 --> 00:07:19,067 particularly from Bristol, when he went to Bristol, 157 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:21,667 and he played up, he played the "Hamlet" in Bristol. 158 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:23,733 And a lot of people who saw him there, 159 00:07:23,867 --> 00:07:25,067 people like, there was an actor 160 00:07:25,133 --> 00:07:26,200 I knew called John Phillips, 161 00:07:26,333 --> 00:07:27,533 I think was in that with him, 162 00:07:27,667 --> 00:07:29,700 and he said there was nothing like him. 163 00:07:29,833 --> 00:07:31,967 That when he walked on the stage in that time, 164 00:07:32,100 --> 00:07:33,733 there was nothing like him. 165 00:07:33,867 --> 00:07:37,200 I saw O'Toole at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre 166 00:07:37,333 --> 00:07:40,133 and he was playing Jimmy Porter in John Osborne's. 167 00:07:40,267 --> 00:07:43,300 tremendous play, revolutionary play of its time, 168 00:07:43,433 --> 00:07:45,367 and I'd never seen anything like it, 169 00:07:45,500 --> 00:07:47,067 and he inspired me to be an actor. 170 00:07:47,133 --> 00:07:49,867 He was one of the most dangerous actors I've ever seen. 171 00:07:50,067 --> 00:07:52,267 He was quite brilliant on stage, like an electric light. 172 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:55,100 He developed in the most wonderful way. 173 00:07:55,233 --> 00:07:57,667 This is the bedrock of his career, really. 174 00:07:57,800 --> 00:08:02,367 He went there as a boy and out of RADA, 175 00:08:02,500 --> 00:08:04,867 not with a good reputation at all, 176 00:08:05,067 --> 00:08:07,267 not not having done well at RADA. 177 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:12,067 And he played tiny parts, walk-ons for a year, 18 months, 178 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:15,067 and he really worked hard. 179 00:08:15,167 --> 00:08:17,933 And he finally was playing the leading parts 180 00:08:18,067 --> 00:08:19,400 by the time he'd finished. 181 00:08:19,533 --> 00:08:22,100 So his training was immaculate, 182 00:08:22,233 --> 00:08:24,333 he did everything by the book. 183 00:08:24,467 --> 00:08:25,867 And he learned how to work, 184 00:08:26,067 --> 00:08:27,267 and he learned how to do well, 185 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:29,400 and he became a star at Bristol, 186 00:08:30,700 --> 00:08:32,133 his fame was all over the theatre. 187 00:08:32,267 --> 00:08:34,367 We all talked about Peter O'Toole at Bristol. 188 00:08:34,500 --> 00:08:38,300 That conveys somewhat of the Bristol days. 189 00:08:38,433 --> 00:08:40,400 On stage, he was mesmerising. 190 00:08:40,533 --> 00:08:42,333 He could do any accent. 191 00:08:42,467 --> 00:08:46,400 He was doing, "Waiting for Godot" at one rehearsal 192 00:08:46,533 --> 00:08:49,067 and I was allowed in to watch. 193 00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:53,867 This man was overpoweringly tense, spellbindingly powerful. 194 00:08:54,067 --> 00:08:57,533 Everyone dwarfed, disappeared, 195 00:08:57,667 --> 00:08:59,700 when he appeared on stage. 196 00:08:59,833 --> 00:09:04,067 He was like a, he was like a wolf, foxy or a wolf, 197 00:09:04,133 --> 00:09:07,067 like there was something, he was a canine. 198 00:09:07,133 --> 00:09:08,533 He's been described as a wolf. 199 00:09:08,667 --> 00:09:10,133 Well, he had that look about him, 200 00:09:10,267 --> 00:09:12,800 that sort of hungry kind of thing he did. 201 00:09:12,933 --> 00:09:15,567 [jaunty music] 202 00:09:19,500 --> 00:09:22,900 Well, we met on a pavement, the very first time. 203 00:09:23,067 --> 00:09:25,200 I went to Goodge Street for lunch one day, 204 00:09:25,333 --> 00:09:26,800 which was an unusual thing, 205 00:09:26,933 --> 00:09:28,100 'cause we, we didn't have any money, any of us. 206 00:09:28,233 --> 00:09:29,867 It was outside the Spaghetti House, 207 00:09:30,067 --> 00:09:32,067 where I was a student at RADA, 208 00:09:32,167 --> 00:09:34,900 And O'Toole was a, was a leading young, 209 00:09:35,067 --> 00:09:38,500 tearaway leading man at Bristol Old Vic. 210 00:09:38,633 --> 00:09:41,367 And his fame had arrived back at RADA 211 00:09:41,500 --> 00:09:43,400 and I was very impressed, 'cause there he was, 212 00:09:43,533 --> 00:09:46,533 I came out of lunch and there he was with a few friends, 213 00:09:46,667 --> 00:09:47,800 and I was with friends, 214 00:09:47,933 --> 00:09:49,533 they knew each other and they introduced us. 215 00:09:49,667 --> 00:09:52,567 And he looked to me like that character in Pinocchio, 216 00:09:52,700 --> 00:09:55,467 you know, the, was it a wolf or a, 217 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:58,200 there was a man who led the children astray, 218 00:09:58,333 --> 00:10:00,633 I haven't seen the film for a very long time, 219 00:10:00,767 --> 00:10:04,200 and he looked like that to me. 220 00:10:04,333 --> 00:10:06,033 Kind of wolf-like creature 221 00:10:06,167 --> 00:10:10,667 in a green jacket and curly hair. 222 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:15,600 And we were introduced and we passed a few pleasantries 223 00:10:16,867 --> 00:10:18,767 and off I went back to be a student, 224 00:10:18,900 --> 00:10:20,200 and he went off to Bristol Old Vic. 225 00:10:20,333 --> 00:10:22,200 And, and I thought, 226 00:10:22,333 --> 00:10:23,933 as I was walking back, I thought, 227 00:10:24,067 --> 00:10:26,533 "Well, I'll marry him one day, I suppose". 228 00:10:26,667 --> 00:10:28,133 And I thought no more about it, 229 00:10:28,267 --> 00:10:30,667 I didn't meet him again for three years. 230 00:10:30,800 --> 00:10:33,233 And we did in fact marry in five years time. 231 00:10:33,367 --> 00:10:37,167 I just remember my grandmother, Mamgee, 232 00:10:37,300 --> 00:10:40,000 she lived in South Wales most of her life. 233 00:10:40,133 --> 00:10:43,600 She said, she said, when my parents were getting married, 234 00:10:43,733 --> 00:10:46,533 she said she did have reservations because she'd seen, 235 00:10:46,667 --> 00:10:50,033 you know, she said, "Oh, the marriages 236 00:10:50,167 --> 00:10:53,733 between the Irish and the Welsh, 237 00:10:53,867 --> 00:10:56,100 it's like oil and water, 238 00:10:56,233 --> 00:10:58,067 they never mix". 239 00:10:58,200 --> 00:11:00,967 When we got married, he still had brown, 240 00:11:01,100 --> 00:11:05,833 black, curly hair, and he looked completely different. 241 00:11:05,967 --> 00:11:08,067 He looked very Irish, you know. 242 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:10,900 People gave him a really bad time in the press, 243 00:11:11,067 --> 00:11:14,833 and his friends, about the nose, which was so ridiculous. 244 00:11:14,967 --> 00:11:18,700 And his nose had been broken in a match with the rugby, 245 00:11:18,833 --> 00:11:21,633 Swedish police, that his submarine 246 00:11:21,767 --> 00:11:23,067 had docked somewhere in Sweden, 247 00:11:23,167 --> 00:11:24,933 and they'd played a rugby match 248 00:11:25,067 --> 00:11:26,533 and he'd been kicked in the nose. 249 00:11:26,667 --> 00:11:29,400 So it, nothing was added to the nose, 250 00:11:29,533 --> 00:11:31,333 but it went sideways at the bottom, 251 00:11:31,467 --> 00:11:33,700 and lighting men had a terrible problem 252 00:11:33,833 --> 00:11:36,133 with this curvature of the nose. 253 00:11:36,267 --> 00:11:37,400 So all they ever did, 254 00:11:37,533 --> 00:11:38,767 'cause I was there at the time, 255 00:11:38,900 --> 00:11:42,067 was straighten it and put it back straight. 256 00:11:42,167 --> 00:11:44,500 And you would've thought that he'd had major surgery, 257 00:11:44,633 --> 00:11:46,467 you know, the way people went on about it, 258 00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:48,767 it was really bad, the way to they treated him, 259 00:11:48,900 --> 00:11:51,467 and he was very, very mortified about that, 260 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:52,800 but he didn't complain. 261 00:11:52,933 --> 00:11:54,833 He said, "Well, when I was doing 262 00:11:54,967 --> 00:11:57,833 "The Day they Robbed the Bank of England", 263 00:11:57,967 --> 00:11:59,467 I said, you know, 'I want a car'". 264 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:01,900 They said, oh no, no, Mr. O'Toole, 265 00:12:02,067 --> 00:12:04,433 this is your first film, your first big film, no car. 266 00:12:04,567 --> 00:12:06,733 Oh, how am I supposed to get there? 267 00:12:06,867 --> 00:12:09,433 Well, there's public transport, you know, you'll be fine. 268 00:12:09,567 --> 00:12:11,667 First day of filming, he didn't turn up. 269 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:14,400 Where's Peter? Where's Mr. O'Toole? 270 00:12:14,533 --> 00:12:15,767 Not there. 271 00:12:15,900 --> 00:12:17,300 They rang, "Where are you?" 272 00:12:17,433 --> 00:12:19,067 He said, "Well, where's the car?" 273 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:21,233 He said, "No car, no me". 274 00:12:21,367 --> 00:12:22,733 And that was it. 275 00:12:22,867 --> 00:12:24,700 So from then on, he always got his car. 276 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:29,100 [dramatic music] 277 00:12:40,300 --> 00:12:42,200 Well, "Lawrence of Arabia" came along 278 00:12:42,333 --> 00:12:45,133 after he'd had a misstep in his career, actually. 279 00:12:45,267 --> 00:12:47,433 Things did not go well for him after 280 00:12:47,567 --> 00:12:49,733 "The Long and the Short and the Tall". 281 00:12:49,867 --> 00:12:52,300 The movies that he made were not successful, 282 00:12:52,433 --> 00:12:55,567 though it was wonderful to be paid a little bit of money. 283 00:12:55,700 --> 00:12:57,800 We had a talk about it and, and I said, 284 00:12:57,933 --> 00:13:00,167 "Look, I think you should go back to basics 285 00:13:00,300 --> 00:13:03,700 and start again in the theatre if you can". 286 00:13:03,833 --> 00:13:06,367 So he said yes, and Stratford came up, 287 00:13:06,500 --> 00:13:08,767 "Merchant of Venice" and "Taming of the Shrew" 288 00:13:08,900 --> 00:13:11,200 and "Troilus and Cressida". 289 00:13:11,333 --> 00:13:12,933 So I thought, we both thought, 290 00:13:13,067 --> 00:13:15,533 this would be a wonderful thing for him. 291 00:13:15,667 --> 00:13:18,233 And we went back and it was a wonderful thing for him, 292 00:13:18,367 --> 00:13:20,200 he was a magnificent Shylock 293 00:13:20,333 --> 00:13:22,633 and he was a wonderful Petruchio. 294 00:13:22,767 --> 00:13:27,333 And Peggy Ashcroft adored him in that particular season. 295 00:13:27,467 --> 00:13:29,733 They were doing "Taming of the Shrew", 296 00:13:29,867 --> 00:13:31,933 and she didn't know how to do the business. 297 00:13:32,067 --> 00:13:32,933 "Sit here, Peggy", 298 00:13:33,067 --> 00:13:34,067 "Stand there, Peggy", 299 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:35,300 "Put your leg there, Peggy", 300 00:13:35,433 --> 00:13:37,067 "Kick there, I won't fall down". 301 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:38,467 So, that's what the comedy, 302 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:40,333 it's circus, it's slapstick. 303 00:13:40,467 --> 00:13:42,067 "Come here, Peggy, come here". 304 00:13:42,133 --> 00:13:44,233 And he taught her all the movements of the whole play. 305 00:13:44,367 --> 00:13:46,333 They still have those movements at Stratford. 306 00:13:46,467 --> 00:13:49,067 They still have them in the curriculum. 307 00:13:49,167 --> 00:13:51,833 They refer to O'Toole's movements 308 00:13:51,967 --> 00:13:53,733 for "The Taming of the Shrew". 309 00:13:53,867 --> 00:13:58,267 And then Peggy adored him for his greatness and talent. 310 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:01,467 When he had made one film that was kind of okay 311 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:03,800 for his new business manager, who happened to be 312 00:14:03,933 --> 00:14:06,333 an American film producer, 313 00:14:06,467 --> 00:14:09,467 and he, it was "The Day They Robbed the Bank of England". 314 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:12,767 And he played an Englishman, a very clipped officer. 315 00:14:12,900 --> 00:14:15,767 And that was the film that David Lean saw. 316 00:14:15,900 --> 00:14:20,600 An assistant of David Lean spotted O'Toole in 317 00:14:20,733 --> 00:14:22,400 "The Day they Robbed the Bank of England" 318 00:14:22,533 --> 00:14:24,067 and got David Lean to see it, 319 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:27,633 and then took David Lean up to Stratford to see him play 320 00:14:27,767 --> 00:14:29,867 either Petruchio or Shylock, 321 00:14:30,067 --> 00:14:32,733 and he said "He's the man". 322 00:14:32,867 --> 00:14:35,067 And David wanted him for "Lawrence", 323 00:14:35,200 --> 00:14:38,633 and Sam Spiegel did not want him at all, 324 00:14:38,767 --> 00:14:40,633 'cause he'd just finished doing a film, 325 00:14:40,767 --> 00:14:42,433 I think with Monty Clift, 326 00:14:42,567 --> 00:14:44,133 and he'd had enough of the drinkers, 327 00:14:44,267 --> 00:14:46,900 he didn't want another one. [laughs] 328 00:14:47,067 --> 00:14:49,167 This has three keys, so I'm told, 329 00:14:49,300 --> 00:14:50,533 each kept by a different official 330 00:14:50,667 --> 00:14:52,200 on the person, as it were. 331 00:14:52,333 --> 00:14:54,167 There had apparently been a meeting with Sam Spiegel 332 00:14:54,300 --> 00:14:56,067 and Peter O'Toole previously about something else, 333 00:14:56,167 --> 00:14:59,433 and O'Toole had referred to him as Mrs. Spiegel, 334 00:14:59,567 --> 00:15:01,833 which rankled with Sam Spiegel, 335 00:15:01,967 --> 00:15:03,900 who didn't think that was funny at all, 336 00:15:04,067 --> 00:15:06,133 and was very much against it. 337 00:15:06,267 --> 00:15:08,167 And I think David Lean, rumour has it, 338 00:15:08,300 --> 00:15:10,333 had to fight a bit to get O'Toole 339 00:15:10,467 --> 00:15:12,467 into playing Lawrence because 340 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:14,533 Spiegel was not very pleased. 341 00:15:14,667 --> 00:15:18,067 Also, he knew of a reputation of being a wild boy. 342 00:15:18,167 --> 00:15:20,100 'Cause Albert was gonna play it, you know, 343 00:15:20,233 --> 00:15:22,733 Well, it's very interesting about Albert, and, 344 00:15:22,867 --> 00:15:24,800 you know Albert and Peter were at drama school together. 345 00:15:24,933 --> 00:15:28,200 So in the end, David prevailed. 346 00:15:28,333 --> 00:15:31,467 But the film helped a lot, helped enormously. 347 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:33,433 It was huge, it was absolutely huge. 348 00:15:33,567 --> 00:15:35,100 Every, it was undeniable. 349 00:15:35,233 --> 00:15:37,733 We all knew that we were in the presence of, of stardom. 350 00:15:37,867 --> 00:15:40,400 And David Lean, probably his finest picture. 351 00:15:40,533 --> 00:15:42,233 I think that's where he was so sharp. 352 00:15:42,367 --> 00:15:44,867 He knew how he wanted to look. 353 00:15:45,067 --> 00:15:46,933 It's called the, Stanislavsky calls it "The Mask". 354 00:15:47,067 --> 00:15:48,733 Where you, you know, you put on the clothes, 355 00:15:48,867 --> 00:15:49,767 or you put on this, and suddenly 356 00:15:49,900 --> 00:15:50,967 you become the part. 357 00:15:51,100 --> 00:15:52,533 And I think O'Toole did that. 358 00:15:52,667 --> 00:15:55,300 I don't know, so I can't say it precisely, 359 00:15:55,433 --> 00:15:58,067 but I suspect that's it, he knew how to look, 360 00:15:58,167 --> 00:16:00,433 he knew how to shape himself. 361 00:16:00,567 --> 00:16:04,067 What Peter did was he found the core of the man. 362 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:05,300 That was the great thing, 363 00:16:05,433 --> 00:16:07,067 I mean, I'll never forget that performance. 364 00:16:07,167 --> 00:16:08,400 I think it's one of the truly great 365 00:16:08,533 --> 00:16:10,533 film performances, actually, I really do. 366 00:16:10,667 --> 00:16:11,600 What is your name? 367 00:16:13,233 --> 00:16:15,067 My name is for my friends. 368 00:16:21,067 --> 00:16:22,767 None of my friends is a murderer. 369 00:16:22,900 --> 00:16:25,533 My name is for my friends 370 00:16:25,667 --> 00:16:29,167 and none of my friends are murderers. 371 00:16:29,300 --> 00:16:31,633 You know, I mean I was just, it was electric, doing that. 372 00:16:31,767 --> 00:16:33,600 And he had this kind of, 373 00:16:33,733 --> 00:16:35,600 there was something about Peter, he had this, 374 00:16:35,733 --> 00:16:36,867 in that role, he had this sort of 375 00:16:37,067 --> 00:16:39,233 thwarted spirituality about him. 376 00:16:39,367 --> 00:16:41,667 He looked sensational. 377 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:44,333 He had this wonderful ability. 378 00:16:44,467 --> 00:16:46,667 He was, he was also a great actor, 379 00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:50,067 and he was mesmeric on screen. 380 00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:53,433 Two large glasses of lemonade. 381 00:16:53,567 --> 00:16:57,967 In "Lawrence of Arabia", Peter O'Toole speaks slow, 382 00:16:59,333 --> 00:17:00,667 and you feel that he doesn't speak much, 383 00:17:00,800 --> 00:17:04,967 but when he asks, when he walks into that club, 384 00:17:05,100 --> 00:17:09,233 for "Two glasses of lemonade". 385 00:17:09,367 --> 00:17:10,167 It's for him. 386 00:17:11,133 --> 00:17:13,900 It's for him, it's for him. 387 00:17:14,067 --> 00:17:15,333 You think, well you can't say "It's for him" 388 00:17:15,467 --> 00:17:16,733 any slower than that, 389 00:17:16,867 --> 00:17:19,467 but frankly, the "It's for him" 390 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:22,967 has underneath it hand grenades, mines, 391 00:17:23,100 --> 00:17:27,067 a minefield of, you feel as though he's gonna reach across 392 00:17:27,133 --> 00:17:29,467 and pull that barman the other side of the bar. 393 00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:31,100 And that and that sense, you know, 394 00:17:31,233 --> 00:17:33,200 O'Toole's performances of, 395 00:17:34,500 --> 00:17:35,600 and maybe it seems a bit clichéd, 396 00:17:35,733 --> 00:17:39,200 but this sort of contained rage. 397 00:17:39,333 --> 00:17:40,800 Not a club boy at all, 398 00:17:40,933 --> 00:17:42,800 all that stuff when he goes to the Officer's Mess, 399 00:17:42,933 --> 00:17:44,433 it was clearly, he did all of that, 400 00:17:44,567 --> 00:17:45,800 and that's all Peter. 401 00:17:45,933 --> 00:17:47,167 That's all of him, you know, 402 00:17:47,300 --> 00:17:48,500 I mean Lean, of course, director, was brilliant. 403 00:17:48,633 --> 00:17:50,667 And then the wonderful thing when 404 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:53,067 he has the dagger and he sees his own image 405 00:17:53,167 --> 00:17:56,433 and he does that incredible, his vanity. 406 00:17:56,567 --> 00:17:58,533 And then he gets shot and he goes, "Good, good, good", 407 00:17:58,667 --> 00:18:01,433 you know, I mean, yeah, it's a great, great performance, 408 00:18:01,567 --> 00:18:03,233 it's a really great performance. 409 00:18:03,367 --> 00:18:07,067 The quietest of pieces in something like "Lawrence", 410 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:09,267 to use that as an example, 411 00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:12,867 that the sense of an inner turbulence 412 00:18:13,067 --> 00:18:15,400 that either, I dunno, 413 00:18:15,533 --> 00:18:16,833 maybe he's just the greatest actor in the world 414 00:18:16,967 --> 00:18:18,467 and he could flick it on, 415 00:18:18,600 --> 00:18:23,200 or he opened up his own access to something truly, 416 00:18:24,467 --> 00:18:27,067 yeah, turbulent is the impression I have. 417 00:18:27,167 --> 00:18:29,267 And it made you feel uneasy. 418 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:32,367 His performances made you feel unsettled, 419 00:18:32,500 --> 00:18:37,067 and it made you generally feel that he was dangerous. 420 00:18:37,133 --> 00:18:40,200 And in the presence of an O'Toole performance, 421 00:18:40,333 --> 00:18:42,733 what you were aware of was that 422 00:18:42,867 --> 00:18:45,800 the unexpected was possible at any time. 423 00:18:45,933 --> 00:18:48,100 Never seen a man killed with a sword before. 424 00:18:49,067 --> 00:18:50,967 Why don't you take a picture? 425 00:18:51,100 --> 00:18:53,800 It was in his contract that I would fly out every month. 426 00:18:53,933 --> 00:18:55,300 Well, I couldn't fly out every month, 427 00:18:55,433 --> 00:18:57,267 it was impossible over two years. 428 00:18:57,400 --> 00:19:00,900 So I used to, sort of, put the time together 429 00:19:01,067 --> 00:19:03,400 and go and live there in the desert. 430 00:19:03,533 --> 00:19:05,367 And David was such a perfectionist, 431 00:19:05,500 --> 00:19:07,933 he would look through his, whatever you look through, 432 00:19:08,067 --> 00:19:12,567 you know, and say, "No, not quite right, we'll wait a bit", 433 00:19:12,700 --> 00:19:14,933 wait a bit, he could wait a day, he could wait two days, 434 00:19:15,067 --> 00:19:16,133 he could wait a week. 435 00:19:16,267 --> 00:19:18,467 But then he, he liked to become, 436 00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:21,867 to break actors down completely 437 00:19:22,067 --> 00:19:23,933 and then rebuild them completely 438 00:19:24,067 --> 00:19:26,100 so that he was responsible for them 439 00:19:26,233 --> 00:19:27,733 and he would be wonderful to them. 440 00:19:27,867 --> 00:19:29,933 Well, I can't see anyone breaking Peter, [chuckles] 441 00:19:30,067 --> 00:19:32,733 I think anyone trying to break Peter 442 00:19:32,867 --> 00:19:34,733 would just, he'd go the other way. 443 00:19:34,867 --> 00:19:36,600 And one day he tried that with O'Toole, 444 00:19:36,733 --> 00:19:40,567 it was the day they, that O'Toole sang 445 00:19:40,700 --> 00:19:43,733 "The Man Who Robbed the Bank at Monte Carlo", 446 00:19:43,867 --> 00:19:46,200 it was a long tracking shot, 447 00:19:46,333 --> 00:19:49,200 and they started first thing in the morning, 448 00:19:49,333 --> 00:19:51,633 127 degrees, no shade, 449 00:19:51,767 --> 00:19:54,500 O'Toole in khaki up to there with a hat and everything, 450 00:19:56,133 --> 00:19:59,233 and he would sing the song and ride along, very slowly, 451 00:19:59,367 --> 00:20:00,633 until he was out of shot. 452 00:20:00,767 --> 00:20:05,633 And David just said, "Mm, another one". 453 00:20:06,633 --> 00:20:09,033 And they did it all day. 454 00:20:09,167 --> 00:20:11,667 The crew were dropping 'cause there was no shade, 455 00:20:11,800 --> 00:20:14,100 it was intolerably hot. 456 00:20:14,233 --> 00:20:17,800 I was miles away, sitting on a box, 457 00:20:17,933 --> 00:20:19,933 watching in horror, you know, at this, 458 00:20:20,067 --> 00:20:22,367 and I realised this was the day 459 00:20:22,500 --> 00:20:25,500 that Lean was going to break Peter down 460 00:20:25,633 --> 00:20:28,500 and he was going to build him up again. 461 00:20:28,633 --> 00:20:30,733 And I looked and I thought, this is never gonna happen, 462 00:20:30,867 --> 00:20:34,267 he's not gonna break down, he's not gonna do it. 463 00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:35,800 So, and he didn't. 464 00:20:35,933 --> 00:20:37,800 I don't know why a man like David Lean 465 00:20:37,933 --> 00:20:40,633 or any other man or any other woman for that, 466 00:20:40,767 --> 00:20:44,267 has this, this desire to break people down. 467 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:45,900 Lean wouldn't break him down 468 00:20:46,033 --> 00:20:47,933 'cause he wouldn't put up with that English bollocks. 469 00:20:48,067 --> 00:20:50,933 That's what, you know, his Celtic soul 470 00:20:51,067 --> 00:20:54,100 would not put up with that English imperialism. 471 00:20:54,233 --> 00:20:56,867 So I suspect that was a real clash of wills. 472 00:20:57,000 --> 00:21:00,967 If a director knows what he's about, then do 50 takes. 473 00:21:01,100 --> 00:21:02,833 And someone like John Huston would do two takes, 474 00:21:02,967 --> 00:21:06,167 or David Lean would do 25. 475 00:21:06,300 --> 00:21:11,067 * I'm the man who broke the bank at Monte Carlo. * 476 00:21:12,567 --> 00:21:14,533 It was a wonderful, wonderful period in our lives. 477 00:21:14,667 --> 00:21:17,700 We'd not been getting along very well before that. 478 00:21:17,833 --> 00:21:20,367 And the birth of my first daughter seemed to 479 00:21:20,500 --> 00:21:22,767 trigger off something horrible in him. 480 00:21:22,900 --> 00:21:24,967 I don't know, it was some huge crisis, 481 00:21:25,100 --> 00:21:28,267 although he was the one that was keen to have a child. 482 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:31,500 It, he wasn't ready for it at all, he wasn't prepared. 483 00:21:31,633 --> 00:21:35,367 So he was insistent that life should go on 484 00:21:35,500 --> 00:21:38,067 exactly the same as when we didn't have a child. 485 00:21:38,133 --> 00:21:40,433 Well, that is very, very difficult. 486 00:21:40,567 --> 00:21:43,267 Some of our great contemporary filmmakers, 487 00:21:43,400 --> 00:21:45,967 Scorsese and Spielberg and those sort of figures, 488 00:21:46,100 --> 00:21:49,300 the very famous directors of the last 30 or 40 years, 489 00:21:49,433 --> 00:21:52,500 all rate "Lawrence" as one of the great movies 490 00:21:52,633 --> 00:21:55,700 of the 20th century, one of the very, very best. 491 00:21:55,833 --> 00:21:58,567 He got paid £19,000 for doing "Lawrence". 492 00:21:58,700 --> 00:22:00,233 And Jules advised him to take it, 493 00:22:00,367 --> 00:22:02,100 because he said it'll be worth it. 494 00:22:02,233 --> 00:22:04,067 And it clearly was, of course, because the next, 495 00:22:04,133 --> 00:22:06,333 then he went into the big paycheck. 496 00:22:06,467 --> 00:22:08,933 He did it for very, he was the lowest paid actor on the, 497 00:22:09,067 --> 00:22:10,967 on the whole picture, I would think. 498 00:22:12,333 --> 00:22:14,633 It didn't change him fundamentally, no. 499 00:22:14,767 --> 00:22:16,933 He was exactly the same O'Toole 500 00:22:17,067 --> 00:22:18,200 that he'd been before, you know, 501 00:22:18,333 --> 00:22:20,300 at home, he was just the same. 502 00:22:20,433 --> 00:22:23,767 And he didn't really buy into the stardom business, 503 00:22:23,900 --> 00:22:26,133 for instance, he would never travel with an entourage. 504 00:22:26,267 --> 00:22:29,867 You know, everybody, every movie star like Harris or Burton, 505 00:22:30,067 --> 00:22:33,800 they had people, you know, secretaries, 506 00:22:33,933 --> 00:22:37,300 hairdressers, people who fixed things. 507 00:22:37,433 --> 00:22:38,633 O'Toole, never. 508 00:22:38,767 --> 00:22:40,700 He would travel with a stunt man, 509 00:22:40,833 --> 00:22:42,167 usually made friends with the stunt man 510 00:22:42,300 --> 00:22:44,167 and they would shack up together. 511 00:22:44,300 --> 00:22:47,067 And that was his team, as it were. 512 00:22:47,133 --> 00:22:49,733 And that's remained so all the time I knew him. 513 00:22:49,867 --> 00:22:51,800 And I think he deeply respected David Lean, 514 00:22:51,933 --> 00:22:54,800 perhaps more than almost any other director, 515 00:22:54,933 --> 00:22:57,867 and later turned down "Dr. Zhivago", 516 00:22:58,067 --> 00:22:59,433 which rankled with Lean, 517 00:23:00,833 --> 00:23:02,200 but O'Toole said, "It didn't speak to me, 518 00:23:02,333 --> 00:23:03,700 it didn't say anything. 519 00:23:03,833 --> 00:23:06,567 I couldn't get my head into this character". 520 00:23:06,700 --> 00:23:08,533 In later years they became friends again, 521 00:23:08,667 --> 00:23:11,633 and he was with Lean when Lean passed away. 522 00:23:13,300 --> 00:23:17,067 I don't think there can be people like him anymore. 523 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:20,967 I mean, it used to, I remember doing a film years ago, 524 00:23:21,100 --> 00:23:22,967 the first film I did virtually with, 525 00:23:23,100 --> 00:23:25,467 which Kenneth Branagh directed. 526 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:28,867 And I remember we were sitting around at the time saying, 527 00:23:29,067 --> 00:23:31,867 no one is ever going to tell stories about us 528 00:23:32,067 --> 00:23:34,167 in 50 years' time. 529 00:23:34,300 --> 00:23:35,767 "Oh, and do you remember that was the time 530 00:23:35,900 --> 00:23:37,900 that Ken Branagh dropped his teaspoon?". 531 00:23:38,067 --> 00:23:39,867 I mean that's about all that happens. 532 00:23:40,067 --> 00:23:43,900 We are so bloody ordinary, our generation, 533 00:23:44,067 --> 00:23:47,133 compared to that remarkable group of people 534 00:23:47,267 --> 00:23:52,067 who were not only just more daring as actors and performers, 535 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:56,067 who were more, more sort of prepared to, 536 00:23:56,200 --> 00:23:58,967 to strip themselves of any dignity 537 00:23:59,100 --> 00:24:01,433 and to throw themselves into a role, 538 00:24:01,567 --> 00:24:04,600 and yet annoyingly retain that sexiness 539 00:24:04,733 --> 00:24:07,100 and that extraordinary charisma. 540 00:24:07,233 --> 00:24:10,133 But they also lived a life that was richer 541 00:24:10,267 --> 00:24:12,067 and more careless. 542 00:24:12,133 --> 00:24:13,633 We were in Arles one day, 543 00:24:13,767 --> 00:24:18,067 and I used to go to a little restaurant up the hill there, 544 00:24:18,167 --> 00:24:19,967 [laughs] quite simply to avoid the bar, 545 00:24:20,100 --> 00:24:23,600 because when we got together it was chaos. 546 00:24:23,733 --> 00:24:27,200 And I sneaking in one night and he was being helped out. 547 00:24:29,233 --> 00:24:31,633 He was fine, he wasn't too drunk, but he was, you know, 548 00:24:31,767 --> 00:24:33,067 he liked to drink and so on. 549 00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:35,267 But next day on set, I'd never seen 550 00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:37,933 a blistering performance, a great performance, 551 00:24:38,067 --> 00:24:40,733 and nothing seemed to affect him. 552 00:24:40,867 --> 00:24:45,700 And he was, he had tremendous recovery in him, 553 00:24:47,067 --> 00:24:51,200 because he was dedicated and he was focused. 554 00:24:52,567 --> 00:24:54,167 And we Celts have been buggered for so long. 555 00:24:54,300 --> 00:24:56,833 We really have, we've been treated so badly. 556 00:24:58,133 --> 00:25:00,400 I mean, the Irish, don't get me started. 557 00:25:00,533 --> 00:25:02,500 I mean, we were treated like shit, 558 00:25:02,633 --> 00:25:05,733 I mean, and, and that's a thing that, it's in our DNA. 559 00:25:05,867 --> 00:25:10,367 We carry this sense of defeat, we have to get over it. 560 00:25:10,500 --> 00:25:12,333 But it's a tough one. 561 00:25:12,467 --> 00:25:14,333 But that's what's so extraordinary about that, 562 00:25:14,467 --> 00:25:16,900 that the Irish have learned, 563 00:25:17,067 --> 00:25:20,367 that it's about how do I deal with control? 564 00:25:20,500 --> 00:25:22,500 I'll get pissed, 'cause I don't wanna be 565 00:25:22,633 --> 00:25:24,667 controlled by anybody, I'll just get pissed. 566 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:26,067 I'll, I'll drink. 567 00:25:26,133 --> 00:25:28,733 And Richard had it, Peter had it. 568 00:25:28,867 --> 00:25:30,567 Albert never had it, you know. 569 00:25:30,700 --> 00:25:32,433 Donal McCann had it. 570 00:25:32,567 --> 00:25:34,633 Donal McCann was one of the great actors, 571 00:25:34,767 --> 00:25:36,500 really another great actor. 572 00:25:36,633 --> 00:25:39,867 He had it, and it, it destroyed him. 573 00:25:40,067 --> 00:25:41,833 And that's, that's a historical thing 574 00:25:41,967 --> 00:25:43,100 that's happened again and again 575 00:25:43,233 --> 00:25:44,967 and again and again and again. 576 00:25:45,100 --> 00:25:47,367 And I think Peter was walking a tightrope 577 00:25:47,500 --> 00:25:49,367 through all of that in order to be 578 00:25:49,500 --> 00:25:52,600 the classical actor that I think he really wanted to be, 579 00:25:52,733 --> 00:25:54,833 and he certainly was and certainly could be. 580 00:25:57,900 --> 00:25:59,400 Because I find when I play it, 581 00:25:59,533 --> 00:26:02,067 and I don't want to talk about it, really, 582 00:26:02,133 --> 00:26:06,867 I am most moved in the play with the ghost. 583 00:26:07,067 --> 00:26:09,467 Because the ghost is the key to that play. 584 00:26:11,100 --> 00:26:12,500 I've often felt that the best actor in the company 585 00:26:12,633 --> 00:26:14,300 ought play it, and the up-and-comer 586 00:26:14,433 --> 00:26:15,867 ought to be Hamlet, you know. 587 00:26:16,067 --> 00:26:18,133 And people like O'Toole, I think, 588 00:26:18,267 --> 00:26:22,367 and Welles always brought to any kind of story, 589 00:26:22,500 --> 00:26:24,533 any sort of genre story, including a revenge story, 590 00:26:24,667 --> 00:26:26,367 including their dalliances with 591 00:26:26,500 --> 00:26:29,633 something like "Hamlet", this complexity. 592 00:26:29,767 --> 00:26:34,633 I was playing Laertes, he was Hamlet, 593 00:26:36,333 --> 00:26:38,233 our relationship was purely professional to start with, 594 00:26:38,367 --> 00:26:40,200 and then we, we became friends. 595 00:26:40,333 --> 00:26:42,567 I was in awe of him, I admired him. 596 00:26:42,700 --> 00:26:46,667 He had the pzazz that I didn't have. 597 00:26:46,800 --> 00:26:48,467 I can't tell you what pleasure it was to me 598 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:50,100 to hear that from Peter O'Toole, 599 00:26:50,233 --> 00:26:51,733 because people always talk about 600 00:26:51,867 --> 00:26:54,833 what Hamlet is, as though he were a universal man, 601 00:26:54,967 --> 00:26:57,567 or as though he were a figure in a 19th century novel. 602 00:26:57,700 --> 00:26:59,867 I mean as a young actor, I'd never seen anything like it. 603 00:27:00,067 --> 00:27:01,867 I just thought, this man is amazing. 604 00:27:02,067 --> 00:27:03,367 And I remember seeing the "Hamlet", 605 00:27:03,500 --> 00:27:04,667 the dress rehearsal of "Hamlet", 606 00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:06,833 which was pretty chaotic actually. 607 00:27:06,967 --> 00:27:08,633 Sure, I think he's perfectly capable of murder. 608 00:27:08,767 --> 00:27:11,733 What he's not capable of is performing 609 00:27:11,867 --> 00:27:15,067 a lead role in a revenge tragedy. 610 00:27:15,133 --> 00:27:17,533 I remember when we rehearsed 611 00:27:18,867 --> 00:27:22,133 the fight scene, for instance, in "Hamlet", 612 00:27:22,267 --> 00:27:26,367 an Olympic swordsman teaching us this routine. 613 00:27:26,500 --> 00:27:29,333 And then one day Peter said to me, 614 00:27:29,467 --> 00:27:31,433 "Look, let's go up to the rehearsal room 615 00:27:31,567 --> 00:27:33,333 and work out another routine, 616 00:27:33,467 --> 00:27:37,467 because the routine he's given us isn't gutsy enough, 617 00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:42,400 you know, it's not spectacular, not swashbuckling enough". 618 00:27:42,533 --> 00:27:45,400 So we went up to the rehearsal room, 619 00:27:45,533 --> 00:27:50,367 and worked out a much more swash and buckle. 620 00:27:52,067 --> 00:27:55,567 But then we opened the show and it got reasonable reviews, 621 00:27:57,267 --> 00:27:59,767 but not spectacularly good reviews. 622 00:27:59,900 --> 00:28:03,333 And Peter, who'd been on the waggon all through rehearsals, 623 00:28:03,467 --> 00:28:04,933 he'd been such a good boy, 624 00:28:06,933 --> 00:28:10,867 because it wasn't hailed as the great, the great "Hamlet", 625 00:28:11,067 --> 00:28:14,233 he went back on the booze a bit. 626 00:28:14,367 --> 00:28:19,267 And so sometimes, not always, 627 00:28:20,933 --> 00:28:24,300 but often, when we got to the duel at the end of the show, 628 00:28:25,633 --> 00:28:26,867 he would wink at me across the stage, 629 00:28:27,067 --> 00:28:29,767 which meant, "Fight for your life tonight, Sam, 630 00:28:29,900 --> 00:28:32,900 because I'm not sticking to any routine". 631 00:28:33,067 --> 00:28:36,600 And he used to swish at the front row, you know, and, 632 00:28:36,733 --> 00:28:39,400 but it ended up with him getting hurt, 633 00:28:39,533 --> 00:28:44,333 because I cut his finger and he had a scar on it for life. 634 00:28:47,100 --> 00:28:51,667 And every time we met, he would do that to me to remind me. 635 00:28:53,067 --> 00:28:54,567 I mean, after "Lawrence of Arabia", 636 00:28:54,700 --> 00:28:57,700 he goes back on the stage to be in Brecht's "Baal", 637 00:28:57,833 --> 00:29:00,167 he does "Ride a Cock Horse" on stage, 638 00:29:00,300 --> 00:29:02,100 with Siân Phillips at the Piccadilly Theatre, 639 00:29:02,233 --> 00:29:03,500 the David Mercer play. 640 00:29:03,633 --> 00:29:06,633 So he constantly goes back to the stage after, 641 00:29:06,767 --> 00:29:09,300 and I think he admired actors, 642 00:29:09,433 --> 00:29:11,767 this is why he didn't like the Peter Halls 643 00:29:11,900 --> 00:29:14,833 and the John Bartons of the Royal Shakespeare Company, 644 00:29:14,967 --> 00:29:18,433 because that was the director's theatre running the company. 645 00:29:18,567 --> 00:29:23,067 And with Keep Films he can well, a, keep all the money, 646 00:29:23,133 --> 00:29:25,800 that's what what it was about, as a joke. 647 00:29:25,933 --> 00:29:27,833 Jules Buck, Jules and Joyce Buck became 648 00:29:27,967 --> 00:29:29,800 very important figures in our lives, obviously. 649 00:29:29,933 --> 00:29:31,233 And we used to love to listen to Jules 650 00:29:31,367 --> 00:29:33,367 talking about Hollywood. 651 00:29:33,500 --> 00:29:35,067 He was, he knew the great days of Hollywood 652 00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:37,167 and he'd worked there all his life. 653 00:29:37,300 --> 00:29:38,867 One night we were there for dinner 654 00:29:39,067 --> 00:29:42,500 at Jules and Joyce's lovely new house in Belgravia, 655 00:29:42,633 --> 00:29:45,800 and I fell asleep, of course, on the couch, eventually, 656 00:29:45,933 --> 00:29:47,700 round about four in the morning. 657 00:29:47,833 --> 00:29:50,067 And I woke and they said, 658 00:29:50,200 --> 00:29:53,667 "We formed a company, a film company, Keep Films". 659 00:29:53,800 --> 00:29:55,733 But he can have greater influence 660 00:29:55,867 --> 00:29:57,500 on which material will he pick. 661 00:29:57,633 --> 00:29:59,233 This is why we have "The Ruling Class", 662 00:29:59,367 --> 00:30:01,267 "Country Dance", "The Lion in Winter", 663 00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:05,000 is all the choices of things that he wants to make. 664 00:30:05,133 --> 00:30:08,000 We were four directors, George Buck and his wife 665 00:30:08,133 --> 00:30:09,533 and myself and O'Toole. 666 00:30:09,667 --> 00:30:12,300 He was an American producer. 667 00:30:12,433 --> 00:30:14,700 You know, he was, he was a nice man. 668 00:30:14,833 --> 00:30:18,467 They fell out in the end, but that was after I'd left. 669 00:30:18,600 --> 00:30:21,867 [church bells tolling] 670 00:30:23,500 --> 00:30:26,967 I remember Richard Burton, he was around all the time. 671 00:30:27,100 --> 00:30:30,133 I remember having to step over his drunken corpse 672 00:30:30,267 --> 00:30:32,667 to get my school bags in the morning, 673 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:34,467 creeping around with, the record player 674 00:30:34,600 --> 00:30:36,233 would still be playing at the end. 675 00:30:36,367 --> 00:30:37,567 Remember? 676 00:30:37,700 --> 00:30:39,200 When they'd just go, tch-ch, tch-ch, 677 00:30:39,333 --> 00:30:41,300 there'd be that sound and the air in the sitting room 678 00:30:41,433 --> 00:30:44,433 would be full of smoke from the cigarettes 679 00:30:44,567 --> 00:30:47,100 and dead people all over the floor, snoring. 680 00:30:47,233 --> 00:30:49,967 Produced all of this, produced "Becket" as well. 681 00:30:50,100 --> 00:30:52,033 He got Burton and the whole cast together. 682 00:30:52,167 --> 00:30:52,967 Yeah, it was quite a remarkable, 683 00:30:53,100 --> 00:30:54,533 well, he was a genius. 684 00:30:54,667 --> 00:30:56,167 [dramatic music] 685 00:30:56,300 --> 00:30:57,000 [Film Narrator] It happened in Canterbury, England, 686 00:30:57,133 --> 00:30:58,433 eight centuries ago. 687 00:30:59,733 --> 00:31:01,700 A story is ageless as time itself. 688 00:31:03,067 --> 00:31:05,400 The immortal story of a man called Becket 689 00:31:05,533 --> 00:31:08,067 who earned a king's most trusted friendship. 690 00:31:08,200 --> 00:31:09,767 Business, My Lord. 691 00:31:09,900 --> 00:31:12,633 [Film Narrator] Who shared his most intimate secrets. 692 00:31:12,767 --> 00:31:14,800 [laughs] I must say, I adore my French possessions, 693 00:31:14,933 --> 00:31:16,400 they're certainly worth recapturing. 694 00:31:16,533 --> 00:31:20,067 Then I saw "Becket" just after "Lawrence of Arabia", 695 00:31:20,200 --> 00:31:22,133 I hadn't, still hadn't met him. 696 00:31:22,267 --> 00:31:23,800 And that was another extraordinary performance. 697 00:31:23,933 --> 00:31:26,167 The end of it, of that film is extraordinary, 698 00:31:26,300 --> 00:31:29,900 he and Burton together, wonderful performance, wonderful. 699 00:31:30,067 --> 00:31:30,967 And I think that's what O'Toole did, 700 00:31:31,100 --> 00:31:33,433 that he hit the ceiling, bam! 701 00:31:33,567 --> 00:31:34,333 And he did it. 702 00:31:34,467 --> 00:31:36,233 I would've gone to war 703 00:31:36,367 --> 00:31:38,200 with all England's might behind me 704 00:31:38,333 --> 00:31:41,067 and even against England's interest, to defend you, Thomas. 705 00:31:42,700 --> 00:31:47,067 I would've given away my life, laughingly, for you. 706 00:31:47,133 --> 00:31:50,067 Only I loved you and you didn't love me. 707 00:31:50,200 --> 00:31:50,900 [dramatic music] 708 00:31:51,067 --> 00:31:52,267 That's the difference. 709 00:31:52,400 --> 00:31:53,633 And again, beautifully shot, 710 00:31:53,767 --> 00:31:56,067 Peter Glenville, an actor's director. 711 00:31:57,700 --> 00:32:00,800 And you can see Burton 712 00:32:00,933 --> 00:32:03,133 holding back a lot in his performance. 713 00:32:03,267 --> 00:32:08,067 Gentlemen, it is a supreme irony that the worldly Becket, 714 00:32:09,067 --> 00:32:10,467 the profligate and libertine, 715 00:32:10,600 --> 00:32:13,433 could find himself standing here at this moment. 716 00:32:13,567 --> 00:32:15,067 The two of them going out there, 717 00:32:15,167 --> 00:32:19,467 and he's sometimes again, almost electrifying in energy. 718 00:32:19,600 --> 00:32:22,233 And then also the vulnerability. 719 00:32:22,367 --> 00:32:24,367 Get out, the pair of you! 720 00:32:24,500 --> 00:32:26,733 I'm actually bored with the sight of you! 721 00:32:26,867 --> 00:32:30,133 'Cause I'm bored with my whole family, he can have you. 722 00:32:30,267 --> 00:32:33,467 It was very gritty, it was very dark. 723 00:32:33,600 --> 00:32:36,067 And all of the Hollywood tinsel, if I may, 724 00:32:36,200 --> 00:32:37,067 no disrespect to Hollywood, 725 00:32:37,133 --> 00:32:38,500 but it was polished away, 726 00:32:38,633 --> 00:32:40,533 so we could see the real characters. 727 00:32:40,667 --> 00:32:43,833 And I think Peter, on that film, said "No drinking". 728 00:32:43,967 --> 00:32:45,633 Him and Burton had to come up to an agreement and say, 729 00:32:45,767 --> 00:32:48,533 "Look, no drinking, let's get through this". 730 00:32:48,667 --> 00:32:50,200 [dramatic music] 731 00:32:50,333 --> 00:32:51,500 [Film Narrator] The story of Becket is recorded here, 732 00:32:51,633 --> 00:32:54,067 right up to the last, brutal, bloody act. 733 00:32:54,200 --> 00:32:58,067 [crowd shouting and cheering] 734 00:33:09,633 --> 00:33:11,433 A curse and a blessing, the alcohol and all that stuff. 735 00:33:11,567 --> 00:33:14,867 That's a big blessing and a curse as well, it'll kill you. 736 00:33:15,067 --> 00:33:16,267 Or it'll make you survive and it gives you 737 00:33:16,400 --> 00:33:18,467 the drive and the danger to move on, 738 00:33:18,600 --> 00:33:20,100 gives you a sort of false courage. 739 00:33:20,233 --> 00:33:21,167 And for a while, it works. 740 00:33:21,300 --> 00:33:22,267 And then you get to a point when, 741 00:33:22,400 --> 00:33:23,867 it'll take you down. [chuckles] 742 00:33:24,067 --> 00:33:25,700 And I think that's what happens to many people, 743 00:33:25,833 --> 00:33:27,633 you know, no one's perfect. 744 00:33:27,767 --> 00:33:29,833 But what was extraordinary about him 745 00:33:29,967 --> 00:33:30,867 was that he was that magic person. 746 00:33:31,067 --> 00:33:33,333 He had that muscle inside him, 747 00:33:33,467 --> 00:33:36,067 which was part of his drinking and his passion. 748 00:33:36,167 --> 00:33:39,967 I would label Peter as a man who enjoyed having a drink. 749 00:33:40,100 --> 00:33:44,900 He really liked it, and he had a good time drinking. 750 00:33:45,867 --> 00:33:47,400 That's how I would label him. 751 00:33:47,533 --> 00:33:51,133 I would never have, I wouldn't have said he was an alcoholic 752 00:33:51,267 --> 00:33:55,600 because he could, I mean, he apparently could stop. 753 00:33:55,733 --> 00:33:58,567 He did stop through most of "Lion in Winter" 754 00:33:58,700 --> 00:34:02,067 because of what Kate had said to him. 755 00:34:02,200 --> 00:34:04,733 There's a story of the, of the pub in Dublin 756 00:34:04,867 --> 00:34:08,700 where he and Peter Finch buy the bar, 757 00:34:08,833 --> 00:34:12,100 because the barman wants to close up and they say, 758 00:34:12,233 --> 00:34:13,900 "Come on we've gotta stay, gotta drink more. 759 00:34:14,067 --> 00:34:15,500 Well, how much? 760 00:34:15,633 --> 00:34:18,200 We'll buy the bar off you", they said, [laughing] 761 00:34:18,333 --> 00:34:19,600 buy it, and then the next day they rush over 762 00:34:19,733 --> 00:34:21,733 to try and get that check back. 763 00:34:21,867 --> 00:34:24,633 It was a generation that had grown up 764 00:34:24,767 --> 00:34:26,567 at the very end of the war, 765 00:34:26,700 --> 00:34:28,633 Peter used to say, he used to say, you know, 766 00:34:28,767 --> 00:34:30,800 "As soon as the war ended, 767 00:34:30,933 --> 00:34:33,233 we just thought, we are gonna have fun now! 768 00:34:34,767 --> 00:34:38,500 And of course there was rationing for another 15 years, 769 00:34:38,633 --> 00:34:40,500 but we could drink". 770 00:34:40,633 --> 00:34:43,300 And he said, that's why our generation drank in public 771 00:34:43,433 --> 00:34:45,667 and in pubs and in the open 772 00:34:45,800 --> 00:34:49,667 because it was something to celebrate. 773 00:34:49,800 --> 00:34:52,233 And it was a, a pub, an act. 774 00:34:52,367 --> 00:34:54,600 He said, "Your generation, you go and you drink 775 00:34:54,733 --> 00:34:58,200 in private bars and in private clubs and at home, 776 00:34:58,333 --> 00:35:00,633 you're ashamed, aren't you?" 777 00:35:00,767 --> 00:35:02,167 And was so right. 778 00:35:03,833 --> 00:35:05,567 I mean, yeah, he, he'd say in the middle of the day, 779 00:35:05,700 --> 00:35:06,900 "Oh, it was an easy day". 780 00:35:07,067 --> 00:35:09,133 There were maybe not a lot of dialogue, 781 00:35:09,267 --> 00:35:10,100 "Let's have a bottle of shampoo!" 782 00:35:10,233 --> 00:35:11,200 He'd call champagne "shampoo", 783 00:35:11,333 --> 00:35:13,367 so he'd call up for a bottle of, 784 00:35:13,500 --> 00:35:15,733 but it wasn't because he was sitting there thinking, 785 00:35:15,867 --> 00:35:18,500 "Oh God, I've gotta have a drink, I've gotta have a drink". 786 00:35:18,633 --> 00:35:21,367 He could take it or leave it as he wanted to. 787 00:35:21,500 --> 00:35:24,467 Boozing like that, and the thing was 788 00:35:24,600 --> 00:35:25,767 that going out with Peter, 789 00:35:25,900 --> 00:35:28,233 I would always finish up tiddly, 790 00:35:28,367 --> 00:35:31,900 not drunk, but quite tiddly. 791 00:35:32,067 --> 00:35:34,267 I think he was a tormented man. 792 00:35:34,400 --> 00:35:36,267 Yeah, he was that. 793 00:35:36,400 --> 00:35:39,433 I didn't know him that well in those post years. 794 00:35:39,567 --> 00:35:41,900 But whenever I saw him, I remembered 795 00:35:42,067 --> 00:35:45,767 what a great tempestuous man he was. 796 00:35:45,900 --> 00:35:47,867 He had packed up drinking 797 00:35:48,067 --> 00:35:49,867 because of an operation he'd had, 798 00:35:50,067 --> 00:35:52,167 and he wasn't on, he stopped taking cocaine and stuff, 799 00:35:52,300 --> 00:35:54,767 which I think had ruined most of his nose. 800 00:35:55,867 --> 00:35:57,367 But he was quite a character. 801 00:35:57,500 --> 00:35:58,933 Crazy, yeah. 802 00:35:59,067 --> 00:36:00,833 And when he stopped drinking as much in the 70s, 803 00:36:00,967 --> 00:36:02,467 he did become a bit of a cokehead, 804 00:36:02,600 --> 00:36:06,267 which is quite surprising for his generation. [laughs] 805 00:36:06,400 --> 00:36:08,733 Dear oh dear, as if he needed it, I mean, 806 00:36:08,867 --> 00:36:10,500 good lord, but then who am I to speak? 807 00:36:10,633 --> 00:36:13,333 So he didn't live like a rockstar in his private life, 808 00:36:13,467 --> 00:36:16,333 but yes, in his public life he had to a bit, you know, 809 00:36:16,467 --> 00:36:17,900 people would be too disappointed. 810 00:36:18,067 --> 00:36:20,667 I think it's that he never really felt alive 811 00:36:20,800 --> 00:36:23,167 unless he was on a tightrope. 812 00:36:23,300 --> 00:36:25,967 And that's what made his theatre acting so exciting, 813 00:36:26,100 --> 00:36:28,633 was that, this sense that it could fail at any minute, 814 00:36:28,767 --> 00:36:31,333 that he was pushing it and that it was an adventure 815 00:36:31,467 --> 00:36:34,133 and he wanted you all to be a part of that adventure. 816 00:36:34,267 --> 00:36:36,067 And that's quite hard for other actors to cope with, 817 00:36:36,167 --> 00:36:38,967 because how do they live up to that? 818 00:36:39,100 --> 00:36:41,367 Peter O'Toole, going out with a friend of his, 819 00:36:41,500 --> 00:36:43,333 having a few drinks and going to the theatre 820 00:36:43,467 --> 00:36:45,633 and saying to him, "This should be interesting, 821 00:36:45,767 --> 00:36:46,733 this is where I come on". 822 00:36:46,867 --> 00:36:47,667 All right? 823 00:36:48,867 --> 00:36:49,967 It's funny, 824 00:36:50,100 --> 00:36:52,233 I'd heard that 50 years ago, 825 00:36:52,367 --> 00:36:55,233 attributed to Wilfrid Lawson, 826 00:36:55,367 --> 00:36:59,133 and some old actor said it could even have been Edmund Kean, 827 00:36:59,267 --> 00:37:01,833 like in 1800s or something. 828 00:37:01,967 --> 00:37:05,167 [energetic pop music] 829 00:37:14,267 --> 00:37:16,067 So the agent gave me the script and said, 830 00:37:16,200 --> 00:37:17,967 "There's a good part for you in this film". 831 00:37:18,100 --> 00:37:20,567 O'Toole's manager sort of saw it and said, 832 00:37:20,700 --> 00:37:21,900 "What is this?" 833 00:37:22,067 --> 00:37:22,867 And I said, "Well, it's this film 834 00:37:23,067 --> 00:37:24,333 they think I'd be right for," 835 00:37:24,467 --> 00:37:26,567 and I was to play Capucine's part in it. 836 00:37:26,700 --> 00:37:29,700 And, and he said, "Could I have a look at it?" 837 00:37:29,833 --> 00:37:31,300 And he had a look at it and I didn't hear 838 00:37:31,433 --> 00:37:33,433 anything about it for a few weeks until I discovered 839 00:37:33,567 --> 00:37:35,233 that O'Toole was going to make it 840 00:37:35,367 --> 00:37:39,767 and Capucine was going to play her part. [laughs] 841 00:37:39,900 --> 00:37:41,067 Love scene 2A, take 4, 842 00:37:41,200 --> 00:37:42,867 Peter Sellers, Peter O'Toole, Capucine. 843 00:37:43,067 --> 00:37:43,833 [clapper board clacks] 844 00:37:43,967 --> 00:37:44,867 Action! 845 00:37:45,067 --> 00:37:45,700 [people calling out] 846 00:37:45,833 --> 00:37:47,633 Hello, good morning! 847 00:37:47,767 --> 00:37:48,633 [Capucine grunts] 848 00:37:48,767 --> 00:37:49,600 Hello! 849 00:37:49,733 --> 00:37:50,667 [Capucine calls out] 850 00:37:50,800 --> 00:37:51,667 Can't you knock? 851 00:37:51,800 --> 00:37:53,200 Knock? But I'm in dire need! 852 00:37:53,333 --> 00:37:54,200 So am I. 853 00:37:54,333 --> 00:37:55,533 What do you think I am, human? 854 00:37:55,667 --> 00:37:56,967 Bring it up at the next group analysis meeting. 855 00:37:57,100 --> 00:37:58,667 Something like that. 856 00:37:58,800 --> 00:38:00,067 Not, not now! 857 00:38:00,167 --> 00:38:01,067 [door clicking] 858 00:38:01,133 --> 00:38:01,833 [Director] Cut, cut! 859 00:38:01,967 --> 00:38:02,767 Print it! 860 00:38:03,967 --> 00:38:07,433 [gentle accordion music] 861 00:38:20,133 --> 00:38:21,533 "How to Steal a Million". 862 00:38:21,667 --> 00:38:24,533 Ah, tall and slender Audrey Hepburn, beautiful. 863 00:38:25,800 --> 00:38:27,700 Tall and slender, beautiful Peter O'Toole. 864 00:38:27,833 --> 00:38:29,900 And they're great together. 865 00:38:30,067 --> 00:38:30,700 A heist. 866 00:38:30,833 --> 00:38:31,667 A heist? 867 00:38:31,800 --> 00:38:34,067 Oh, you mean a burglary? 868 00:38:34,200 --> 00:38:35,500 What's the score, baby? 869 00:38:38,333 --> 00:38:39,900 The Cellini Venus. 870 00:38:40,067 --> 00:38:41,433 Working with Audrey Hepburn, 871 00:38:41,567 --> 00:38:43,833 the chemistry is perfect, it's a gentle comedy 872 00:38:43,967 --> 00:38:46,367 directed by William Wyler who did "Ben Hur". 873 00:38:46,500 --> 00:38:47,733 Why not? 874 00:38:49,267 --> 00:38:50,233 Henry? 875 00:38:50,367 --> 00:38:51,167 Madam? 876 00:38:52,300 --> 00:38:54,067 Did you ever love me? 877 00:38:55,167 --> 00:38:55,967 No. 878 00:38:58,067 --> 00:38:59,267 Good. 879 00:38:59,400 --> 00:39:01,567 That will make this pleasanter. 880 00:39:01,700 --> 00:39:04,500 [dramatic music] 881 00:39:08,067 --> 00:39:10,167 And "Lion in Winter", "Lion in Winter" 882 00:39:10,300 --> 00:39:12,067 it's a great, great movie, 883 00:39:12,167 --> 00:39:13,933 and it's a wonderful performance. 884 00:39:14,067 --> 00:39:18,767 And the chemistry between them both is just amazing. 885 00:39:18,900 --> 00:39:23,767 Hepburn is wonderful and iconic, as is Peter. 886 00:39:25,367 --> 00:39:28,700 And he, he just blossomed on film. 887 00:39:30,067 --> 00:39:34,467 The thing about Peter was that on stage, 888 00:39:34,600 --> 00:39:39,467 his personality was big, and theater-filling, 889 00:39:41,067 --> 00:39:44,333 in films, with the camera able to get there, 890 00:39:44,467 --> 00:39:49,067 he could pull it all back, all back, 891 00:39:49,133 --> 00:39:53,067 and still be sensationally powerful. 892 00:39:53,167 --> 00:39:55,133 I taught you prancing, lamb, 893 00:39:55,267 --> 00:39:57,600 and lute and flute. 894 00:39:57,733 --> 00:40:01,633 [laughs] That's marvellous. 895 00:40:01,767 --> 00:40:04,033 It's absolutely me. 896 00:40:04,167 --> 00:40:07,233 In "Lion in Winter", he didn't overact, 897 00:40:07,367 --> 00:40:11,767 but he was big, I mean, he he filled that space. 898 00:40:11,900 --> 00:40:13,467 I don't have to fight to win. 899 00:40:13,600 --> 00:40:15,367 Take all your want, this county, that one, 900 00:40:15,500 --> 00:40:16,600 you won't keep it long. 901 00:40:18,533 --> 00:40:21,000 What kind of courage have you got? 902 00:40:21,133 --> 00:40:22,933 One night on the dress room door, 903 00:40:23,067 --> 00:40:26,433 knock on the door, it's Peter O'Toole. [laughs] 904 00:40:26,567 --> 00:40:28,633 And he'd done a few little tipples, 905 00:40:28,767 --> 00:40:31,667 and he was wearing his green cap, green Irish jacket, 906 00:40:31,800 --> 00:40:34,267 and he said, "I want you to do a film test". 907 00:40:34,400 --> 00:40:35,933 so I did the scene. 908 00:40:36,067 --> 00:40:39,633 "It's alright", he said, "ah, do that improvisation 909 00:40:39,767 --> 00:40:40,633 I've heard about". 910 00:40:40,767 --> 00:40:42,000 So I gave some improvisation, 911 00:40:42,133 --> 00:40:44,067 which had shocked people, I guess. 912 00:40:44,200 --> 00:40:45,700 He said, "Right, you've got the part". 913 00:40:45,833 --> 00:40:48,100 So they sent me the script, 914 00:40:48,233 --> 00:40:50,167 and I read the script, and I thought, 915 00:40:50,300 --> 00:40:53,467 "If I don't get this part, I'm gonna kill myself". 916 00:40:53,600 --> 00:40:56,333 [chuckles] It was such a, such an extraordinary script. 917 00:40:56,467 --> 00:40:57,767 Where have you been all night? 918 00:40:57,900 --> 00:40:59,533 Making us an entourage. 919 00:40:59,667 --> 00:41:00,967 What for? 920 00:41:01,100 --> 00:41:02,800 We're off to Rome to see the Pope. 921 00:41:02,933 --> 00:41:04,433 He's excommunicated you again? 922 00:41:05,433 --> 00:41:06,967 No, he's going to set me free. 923 00:41:07,100 --> 00:41:08,467 I'm having Eleanor annulled. 924 00:41:08,600 --> 00:41:09,700 The nation will be shocked to learn 925 00:41:09,833 --> 00:41:11,100 our marriage wasn't consummated. 926 00:41:11,233 --> 00:41:12,900 And Peter was there, and I met him 927 00:41:13,067 --> 00:41:14,233 and "How do you do?" 928 00:41:14,367 --> 00:41:16,933 and all of that, nice man, et cetera. 929 00:41:18,567 --> 00:41:21,533 He said, "Well let's do a little scene from "Country Dance". 930 00:41:21,667 --> 00:41:23,267 He said, "Let's do a little of that". 931 00:41:23,400 --> 00:41:25,700 I said, "Oh, that's gonna be easy, 932 00:41:25,833 --> 00:41:27,167 because I'm doing it every night". 933 00:41:28,467 --> 00:41:30,433 So we started into the scene, 934 00:41:30,567 --> 00:41:33,133 and he said, "Stop, stop, stop!" 935 00:41:33,267 --> 00:41:34,800 I thought, "Oh God, what's going on?" 936 00:41:34,933 --> 00:41:38,400 He said, "I don't believe a fucking word you're saying". 937 00:41:38,533 --> 00:41:41,233 And I, I froze. 938 00:41:41,367 --> 00:41:44,100 I thought, "Oh God, I've blown this". 939 00:41:44,233 --> 00:41:46,200 You know, there's no way I'm gonna get this part. 940 00:41:46,333 --> 00:41:47,067 You mean it? 941 00:41:48,300 --> 00:41:49,067 Shall I kneel? 942 00:41:52,067 --> 00:41:53,467 It's not another trick? 943 00:41:53,600 --> 00:41:55,833 The bridal party's drilling on the cobblestones. 944 00:41:55,967 --> 00:41:57,667 I thought this, if I get this part, 945 00:41:57,800 --> 00:41:59,700 this is gonna be the thrill of my life. 946 00:41:59,833 --> 00:42:01,400 Would you like a formal declaration? 947 00:42:01,533 --> 00:42:04,200 There, my finest angle, it's on all the coins. 948 00:42:04,333 --> 00:42:07,067 He was really a force to be reckoned with. 949 00:42:07,167 --> 00:42:09,333 And I really don't remember very much else 950 00:42:09,467 --> 00:42:11,567 about anything except him. 951 00:42:11,700 --> 00:42:13,433 And then with Katharine Hepburn, 952 00:42:13,567 --> 00:42:17,500 who was a legend at that time as a film actress. 953 00:42:17,633 --> 00:42:18,900 Execute him. 954 00:42:21,600 --> 00:42:23,833 They're assassins, aren't they? 955 00:42:23,967 --> 00:42:26,433 It was called presence. 956 00:42:26,567 --> 00:42:28,067 And he always had that dangerous quality 957 00:42:28,167 --> 00:42:30,200 and that's what made him the great star that he was. 958 00:42:30,333 --> 00:42:32,733 If you want to know my plans, just to ask me. 959 00:42:34,400 --> 00:42:36,400 Conquer China, sack the Vatican, or take the veil. 960 00:42:36,533 --> 00:42:38,500 I'm not among the ones who give a damn. 961 00:42:38,633 --> 00:42:41,700 It's theatricality is probably the thing 962 00:42:41,833 --> 00:42:45,567 that drew it back from the Oscars. 963 00:42:45,700 --> 00:42:47,267 You don't? 964 00:42:47,400 --> 00:42:49,667 Dear God, the pleasure I still get 965 00:42:49,800 --> 00:42:51,167 from goading you. 966 00:42:51,300 --> 00:42:53,067 He was quite extraordinary. 967 00:42:53,167 --> 00:42:55,067 Yes, he controlled that whole film. 968 00:42:55,133 --> 00:42:58,300 And Spencer Tracy just died and Katharine Hepburn, 969 00:42:58,433 --> 00:43:00,300 he got her out of retirement, 970 00:43:00,433 --> 00:43:01,767 she didn't wanna work anymore. 971 00:43:03,100 --> 00:43:04,967 So he cast her, he managed to cast her. 972 00:43:05,100 --> 00:43:07,600 And I think he may have come in for some criticism, 973 00:43:07,733 --> 00:43:09,067 but he encouraged us, 974 00:43:09,133 --> 00:43:12,067 and that's what I will never forget about him. 975 00:43:12,133 --> 00:43:12,933 Beautiful. 976 00:43:14,167 --> 00:43:15,767 Don't know how I did it. 977 00:43:15,900 --> 00:43:16,600 [curtain swishes] 978 00:43:16,733 --> 00:43:17,733 No! It wasn't like that! 979 00:43:19,167 --> 00:43:20,200 But it was. 980 00:43:21,400 --> 00:43:23,500 But at the same time, you know, 981 00:43:23,633 --> 00:43:27,533 in terms of O'Toole, Hepburn, of course, 982 00:43:27,667 --> 00:43:29,067 and John Barry for the score, 983 00:43:29,133 --> 00:43:31,367 brilliant score, that got the Oscar, 984 00:43:31,500 --> 00:43:33,967 one of three of the five nominations. 985 00:43:34,100 --> 00:43:36,467 So it did get recognised. 986 00:43:36,600 --> 00:43:38,133 And she was pretty formidable as well, 987 00:43:38,267 --> 00:43:42,067 but also, like O'Toole, a great egalitarian. 988 00:43:42,133 --> 00:43:43,300 They knew the crew's names, 989 00:43:43,433 --> 00:43:45,200 she was always wonderful with the crew. 990 00:43:45,333 --> 00:43:46,767 And there's the family there, 991 00:43:46,900 --> 00:43:49,233 Timothy Dalton, John Castle, Nigel Terry, 992 00:43:49,367 --> 00:43:51,167 Katharine Hepburn and O'Toole. 993 00:43:51,300 --> 00:43:53,833 and I had a little, little speech too, 994 00:43:53,967 --> 00:43:57,367 an angry speech, and I did it and I had no fear. 995 00:43:58,500 --> 00:43:59,800 The arrogance of youth. 996 00:44:00,067 --> 00:44:00,733 I'll have the Aquitaine 997 00:44:00,867 --> 00:44:02,367 and Alais and the crown. 998 00:44:02,500 --> 00:44:04,533 I'll not give up one to get the other. 999 00:44:04,667 --> 00:44:05,867 I won't trade off Alais or the 1000 00:44:06,067 --> 00:44:08,167 Aquitaine to that walking pustule! 1001 00:44:08,300 --> 00:44:11,100 And he came over, and he said, "That's it!" 1002 00:44:11,233 --> 00:44:12,533 He gave me such encouragement, he said 1003 00:44:12,667 --> 00:44:15,433 "That's, that's Richard the Lionheart". 1004 00:44:15,567 --> 00:44:17,267 What's wrong? 1005 00:44:17,400 --> 00:44:18,967 You're Richard, aren't you? 1006 00:44:19,100 --> 00:44:20,600 But you're Henry. 1007 00:44:20,733 --> 00:44:23,467 Kate would not have any visitors on the set at all 1008 00:44:23,600 --> 00:44:26,300 from outside unless they had something to do with the film, 1009 00:44:26,433 --> 00:44:27,433 because she said they're bringing 1010 00:44:27,567 --> 00:44:29,200 the wrong energy onto the set, 1011 00:44:29,333 --> 00:44:30,700 they're not part of the family. 1012 00:44:30,833 --> 00:44:32,100 She wouldn't have it. 1013 00:44:32,233 --> 00:44:34,800 Did your father sleep with me or didn't he? 1014 00:44:34,933 --> 00:44:37,867 But they both said, if you want to come on and watch, 1015 00:44:38,067 --> 00:44:39,767 well I did, I wanted to watch, 1016 00:44:39,900 --> 00:44:41,467 'cause I knew I could learn a lot. 1017 00:44:42,400 --> 00:44:43,367 Ask for something. 1018 00:44:43,500 --> 00:44:44,567 Eleanor, we're past it, 1019 00:44:44,700 --> 00:44:46,400 -years past. -Test me, name an act. 1020 00:44:46,533 --> 00:44:47,767 There isn't one! 1021 00:44:47,900 --> 00:44:49,933 About my fornication with your father. 1022 00:44:50,067 --> 00:44:51,367 Yes, there is, you can expire. 1023 00:44:51,500 --> 00:44:52,400 You first, old man. 1024 00:44:52,533 --> 00:44:54,067 I only hope I'm there to watch. 1025 00:44:54,167 --> 00:44:57,433 You're so afraid of dying, you're so scared of it. 1026 00:44:57,567 --> 00:44:59,167 And there was this one scene that 1027 00:45:00,567 --> 00:45:04,400 O'Toole has with Katharine Hepburn, 1028 00:45:05,767 --> 00:45:08,633 where she's goading him and teasing him 1029 00:45:08,767 --> 00:45:10,333 and taunting him and everything else, 1030 00:45:10,467 --> 00:45:14,200 and it's just driving him completely mad. 1031 00:45:14,333 --> 00:45:18,567 I loved your father's body, he was beautiful. 1032 00:45:18,700 --> 00:45:20,900 -It never happened. -I can see his body now, 1033 00:45:21,067 --> 00:45:22,567 shall I describe it? 1034 00:45:22,700 --> 00:45:24,333 -Eleanor, I hope you die! -His arms were rough, 1035 00:45:24,467 --> 00:45:26,433 -with scars here. -No! 1036 00:45:26,567 --> 00:45:28,067 I can feel his arms. 1037 00:45:28,133 --> 00:45:29,667 The scene was so intense, 1038 00:45:29,800 --> 00:45:31,467 I mean it was just, it was so raw. 1039 00:45:32,833 --> 00:45:34,633 And when it was over and there's "Cut!", 1040 00:45:34,767 --> 00:45:37,867 Peter turned around to side of the bed and vomited. 1041 00:45:38,067 --> 00:45:40,433 For my first film to be the film with him, 1042 00:45:40,567 --> 00:45:44,100 a great star like that was, you know, 1043 00:45:44,233 --> 00:45:45,733 that was a red letter day for me. 1044 00:45:48,100 --> 00:45:51,600 Oh, he hated working with me, he hated it. 1045 00:45:51,733 --> 00:45:53,300 If someone gave me a part, 1046 00:45:53,433 --> 00:45:55,867 so I got, I got a part at "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" because 1047 00:45:56,067 --> 00:45:58,633 I was in Paris when the student revolution was on. 1048 00:45:58,767 --> 00:46:01,067 And I got stranded with the director and he said, 1049 00:46:01,133 --> 00:46:03,200 "You know, you'd be perfect for the, the actress 1050 00:46:03,333 --> 00:46:05,233 in "Goodbye, Mr. Chips". 1051 00:46:05,367 --> 00:46:06,500 And I said, "Oh, would I?" 1052 00:46:06,633 --> 00:46:09,600 And he said, "Yes, come down to the studio". 1053 00:46:09,733 --> 00:46:11,367 So I went to the studio and he said, 1054 00:46:11,500 --> 00:46:12,933 "Yeah, yeah, you've got it", he said, 1055 00:46:13,067 --> 00:46:14,333 "that's it, you do it". 1056 00:46:14,467 --> 00:46:15,867 I said, "Wonderful!" 1057 00:46:16,067 --> 00:46:18,600 I went home and I didn't say anything to O'Toole, 1058 00:46:18,733 --> 00:46:21,333 'cause we were also the producers. 1059 00:46:21,467 --> 00:46:24,367 And then one day he found out and he was furious. 1060 00:46:24,500 --> 00:46:26,233 He said, "No, you've got to sack her". 1061 00:46:26,367 --> 00:46:27,800 They said, "But she's got a contact". 1062 00:46:27,933 --> 00:46:29,700 He said, "I don't care, 1063 00:46:29,833 --> 00:46:31,367 I don't want to work with her". 1064 00:46:31,500 --> 00:46:33,933 He didn't tell me that, but they said there's a problem. 1065 00:46:34,067 --> 00:46:36,267 I said, "Well look, if it's a problem, then let it go, 1066 00:46:36,400 --> 00:46:37,867 that's all right". 1067 00:46:38,067 --> 00:46:40,567 And they said, "No, no, it won't be that bad, just come". 1068 00:46:40,700 --> 00:46:43,733 So I went to work and he wouldn't speak to me 1069 00:46:43,867 --> 00:46:45,900 and he wouldn't rehearse with me. 1070 00:46:46,067 --> 00:46:48,067 Three times you've made me laugh. 1071 00:46:48,133 --> 00:46:49,400 And only this morning I really did think 1072 00:46:49,533 --> 00:46:51,267 I'd never laugh again. 1073 00:46:51,400 --> 00:46:53,333 I suppose it's your being a school master. 1074 00:46:55,067 --> 00:46:58,100 I fail to see what's so laughable about that. 1075 00:46:59,700 --> 00:47:01,333 Well, 1076 00:47:01,467 --> 00:47:04,267 Of course he's very tall, and I'm, I'm sort of petite, 1077 00:47:05,800 --> 00:47:07,867 but that didn't seem to bother him. 1078 00:47:09,833 --> 00:47:12,067 And he was lovely and generous 1079 00:47:12,133 --> 00:47:14,300 right from the first moment I met him. 1080 00:47:14,433 --> 00:47:17,500 He wasn't sort of like the great actor, or, you know, 1081 00:47:17,633 --> 00:47:20,667 I know when we were doing "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" in Italy, 1082 00:47:20,800 --> 00:47:23,600 he used to have every morning a Fernet Branca. 1083 00:47:23,733 --> 00:47:28,167 He had to have it every morning to cope with the hangover. 1084 00:47:30,633 --> 00:47:32,767 [upbeat music] 1085 00:47:32,900 --> 00:47:36,667 * Step on up, the question is how * 1086 00:47:36,800 --> 00:47:38,600 * I can feel it but you know I don't... * 1087 00:47:38,733 --> 00:47:42,433 She well, had been George Jamieson in the Navy, 1088 00:47:42,567 --> 00:47:45,067 and she was the most beautiful girl, I mean, 1089 00:47:45,167 --> 00:47:49,267 she was just, she was tall and statuesque, and gorgeous. 1090 00:47:49,400 --> 00:47:52,500 And she had a very deep voice and she dressed beautifully. 1091 00:47:52,633 --> 00:47:55,067 She became a top model and she worked at the club 1092 00:47:55,200 --> 00:47:56,900 of transvestites in Paris, 1093 00:47:57,067 --> 00:48:01,500 a very famous one where the girls were so beautiful. 1094 00:48:01,633 --> 00:48:04,233 And April turned up in Spain at one point, 1095 00:48:04,367 --> 00:48:08,133 and that was where she met Omar and O'Toole. 1096 00:48:08,267 --> 00:48:10,200 O'Toole knew she was George Jamieson. 1097 00:48:10,333 --> 00:48:13,833 April Ashley, one of the very first transgender, 1098 00:48:13,967 --> 00:48:17,133 but I think she was visiting the, she was in, 1099 00:48:17,267 --> 00:48:19,667 they were shooting "Lawrence of Arabia" 1100 00:48:19,800 --> 00:48:22,933 and Peter set her up with Omar Sharif, 1101 00:48:23,067 --> 00:48:25,233 and Omar Sharif got quite a long way with her, 1102 00:48:25,367 --> 00:48:27,500 was very entranced, and then when he discovered 1103 00:48:27,633 --> 00:48:29,567 he chased Peter with a knife 1104 00:48:29,700 --> 00:48:32,767 round and round the hotel, he was furious. 1105 00:48:32,900 --> 00:48:34,800 There's a place called Lebeaux. 1106 00:48:34,933 --> 00:48:36,600 We were drinking Vinyac. 1107 00:48:36,733 --> 00:48:38,900 [laughs] I dunno what the hell we were drinking, 1108 00:48:39,067 --> 00:48:40,833 we were drinking something. 1109 00:48:40,967 --> 00:48:43,333 Oh, I was with them, it was the three boys and Peter, 1110 00:48:43,467 --> 00:48:45,267 and we were all out and drinking, 1111 00:48:45,400 --> 00:48:47,433 and they were, they were drinking. 1112 00:48:47,567 --> 00:48:50,600 And he got into an argument with Nigel Stock, 1113 00:48:50,733 --> 00:48:53,267 and Nigel had been in the Chindits 1114 00:48:53,400 --> 00:48:57,300 in Malaya, during the war with Colonel Wingate. 1115 00:48:57,433 --> 00:49:00,967 He was stalwart, whatever he was, a military man. 1116 00:49:01,100 --> 00:49:02,867 But he was very proud of his army background, 1117 00:49:03,067 --> 00:49:04,600 'cause he'd seen a lot of action. 1118 00:49:04,733 --> 00:49:06,567 And O'Toole started needling him. 1119 00:49:06,700 --> 00:49:09,167 And Peter, frankly, you know, I don't think, 1120 00:49:09,300 --> 00:49:12,967 no surprise, secret, he was very left wing. 1121 00:49:13,100 --> 00:49:17,867 So, you know, army, all of that, that establishment stuff, 1122 00:49:18,833 --> 00:49:19,500 he didn't like any of it. 1123 00:49:19,633 --> 00:49:21,067 And plus, he was Irish. 1124 00:49:21,133 --> 00:49:23,900 And I can't remember the words he used, 1125 00:49:24,067 --> 00:49:28,067 but he used something that really got Nigel. 1126 00:49:28,167 --> 00:49:33,067 And he started to goad Nigel about Wingate. 1127 00:49:34,667 --> 00:49:38,200 And there was a big fight, a big threat of a fight. 1128 00:49:38,333 --> 00:49:40,200 I thought, "What are we into?" 1129 00:49:40,333 --> 00:49:43,200 But the two stuntmen that were with him, grabbed him back. 1130 00:49:43,333 --> 00:49:45,800 But O'Toole like to provoke, he was a provocateur, 1131 00:49:45,933 --> 00:49:49,633 he was, he loved to provoke you, get the best outta you. 1132 00:49:49,767 --> 00:49:52,267 Both O'Toole and Brando, what you learn at drama school, 1133 00:49:52,400 --> 00:49:54,400 the first thing, is to do animal impressions, 1134 00:49:54,533 --> 00:49:59,200 and learn to take away all the inhibitions we have, 1135 00:49:59,333 --> 00:50:02,833 to be naked as an actor and express, yeah. 1136 00:50:02,967 --> 00:50:05,300 And I think they had this innately, 1137 00:50:05,433 --> 00:50:10,067 almost childlike quality of curiosity about life. 1138 00:50:11,700 --> 00:50:16,000 Ruling class is astonishing film. I absolutely love that. 1139 00:50:16,933 --> 00:50:20,133 [O'Toole growls and screams] 1140 00:50:27,533 --> 00:50:30,100 [voice echoes] 1141 00:50:32,333 --> 00:50:35,567 "The Ruling Class" is an astonishing film, 1142 00:50:35,700 --> 00:50:37,433 I absolutely love that. 1143 00:50:37,567 --> 00:50:39,833 He plays an English aristocrat 1144 00:50:39,967 --> 00:50:41,200 who thinks he's Jesus Christ, 1145 00:50:41,333 --> 00:50:43,700 but I mean, really thinks it, he lives it. 1146 00:50:43,833 --> 00:50:45,633 And he's a beautiful Jesus, 1147 00:50:45,767 --> 00:50:49,000 I mean in a Holman Hunt, sort of auburn-haired kind of, 1148 00:50:49,133 --> 00:50:53,933 almost blonde, and just his family are brilliant as well. 1149 00:50:54,900 --> 00:50:56,267 And there's sexual depredation, 1150 00:50:56,400 --> 00:50:57,933 there's all kinds of weird things. 1151 00:50:59,733 --> 00:51:02,567 He allowed me to play and be free and to do things, 1152 00:51:02,700 --> 00:51:05,633 and I thought, "Oh my God, this is such a huge part, 1153 00:51:05,767 --> 00:51:07,900 this is going to be just lovely to work with". 1154 00:51:08,067 --> 00:51:09,433 Darling, I'm waiting. 1155 00:51:09,567 --> 00:51:10,467 [jaunty music] 1156 00:51:10,600 --> 00:51:12,600 [bicycle bell tinkles] 1157 00:51:12,733 --> 00:51:15,100 Why, it's ridiculous! It's not dignified! 1158 00:51:15,233 --> 00:51:17,100 Dignity has nothing to do with divinity. 1159 00:51:17,233 --> 00:51:18,567 O no, not here, not now! 1160 00:51:18,700 --> 00:51:19,867 A bike? You're mad. 1161 00:51:20,067 --> 00:51:21,067 Don't be frightened. 1162 00:51:21,167 --> 00:51:22,767 I'm not frightened. 1163 00:51:22,900 --> 00:51:24,533 I just didn't expect to see my husband 1164 00:51:24,667 --> 00:51:26,333 riding a three-wheeled bike on his wedding night. 1165 00:51:26,467 --> 00:51:27,867 It's the only way to travel. 1166 00:51:30,367 --> 00:51:32,700 I think Peter was used to getting perks 1167 00:51:32,833 --> 00:51:36,400 with his leading ladies, and I was with the director, 1168 00:51:36,533 --> 00:51:39,167 so I wasn't interested in, you know, part. 1169 00:51:39,300 --> 00:51:41,400 So I didn't, and we didn't. 1170 00:51:41,533 --> 00:51:43,833 And I think he went into a big snitch about it. 1171 00:51:44,767 --> 00:51:45,667 Come to me. 1172 00:51:45,800 --> 00:51:48,600 [romantic music] 1173 00:51:49,967 --> 00:51:52,067 Because he never looked at me in the eyes again. 1174 00:51:52,200 --> 00:51:54,300 Every scene that we did was on an angle 1175 00:51:54,433 --> 00:51:58,167 so we could pretend he was looking at me, but he wasn't. 1176 00:51:58,300 --> 00:52:00,067 Eventually I dragged Peter 1177 00:52:00,167 --> 00:52:02,967 to see "Ruling Class", the play. 1178 00:52:03,100 --> 00:52:07,467 I think it was at Cambridge theatre in London, to matinee. 1179 00:52:07,600 --> 00:52:10,800 And we went in, but Jules Buck and Peter O'Toole, 1180 00:52:10,933 --> 00:52:14,367 Jules Buck was Peter's agent, manager, producer, 1181 00:52:14,500 --> 00:52:17,267 father-confessor everything, 1182 00:52:17,400 --> 00:52:21,600 anyhow, and to matinee because he was already doing 1183 00:52:21,733 --> 00:52:26,500 "Country Dance" in Ireland with Susanna York and all that. 1184 00:52:26,633 --> 00:52:28,100 Anyhow, so he had only little time, 1185 00:52:28,233 --> 00:52:29,633 so we see the play. 1186 00:52:29,767 --> 00:52:33,500 And before the play finished, Peter leaned over, 1187 00:52:33,633 --> 00:52:36,567 I just bought this fucking play for you 1188 00:52:36,700 --> 00:52:40,533 to direct it and it's my gift to you. 1189 00:52:41,867 --> 00:52:44,467 And he basically gave me the film. 1190 00:52:44,600 --> 00:52:46,733 I think he's incredibly good in "The Ruling Class" 1191 00:52:46,867 --> 00:52:48,067 because again, he's dangerous. 1192 00:52:48,167 --> 00:52:51,067 He plays this wacky guy, I mean he was really, 1193 00:52:51,200 --> 00:52:52,767 I mean I saw the stage version of that 1194 00:52:52,900 --> 00:52:55,200 and it wasn't nearly as good as what Peter did. 1195 00:52:55,333 --> 00:52:57,300 And Peter also had great supporting actors, 1196 00:52:57,433 --> 00:53:00,933 and Harry Andrews, you know, I mean all of them were great. 1197 00:53:01,067 --> 00:53:04,400 He was, you know, he had incredible, he had great taste. 1198 00:53:04,533 --> 00:53:06,500 And Alistair Sim as the bishop, 1199 00:53:06,633 --> 00:53:10,600 is one of the funniest things you will ever see in history. 1200 00:53:10,733 --> 00:53:13,600 And it's no accident that he played these roles 1201 00:53:13,733 --> 00:53:15,200 that were very close to him, 1202 00:53:16,800 --> 00:53:18,800 slightly debauched, over the hill, 1203 00:53:18,933 --> 00:53:21,633 lunatics, in some cases. 1204 00:53:21,767 --> 00:53:23,067 And "Ruling Class" is a lunatic, 1205 00:53:23,200 --> 00:53:25,700 it's close to the edge of normal, 1206 00:53:25,833 --> 00:53:27,267 of, you know, normal behaviour. 1207 00:53:27,400 --> 00:53:30,067 You wouldn't want to live with that character. 1208 00:53:30,167 --> 00:53:33,467 Happy to watch them for 100 minutes, 1209 00:53:33,600 --> 00:53:36,300 but you wouldn't want to go on holiday with them. 1210 00:53:36,433 --> 00:53:37,567 I wanted to apologise 1211 00:53:40,667 --> 00:53:42,367 for not being at my son's christening, 1212 00:53:43,567 --> 00:53:44,400 [baby whimpers] 1213 00:53:44,533 --> 00:53:46,100 The little devil stole the show. 1214 00:53:46,233 --> 00:53:48,333 Must be sure before I make my first public appearance. 1215 00:53:48,467 --> 00:53:50,133 He never directed a question to me 1216 00:53:50,267 --> 00:53:54,133 and he just redid the scenes, you know, and he left. 1217 00:53:54,267 --> 00:53:56,467 Important to leave the right impression. 1218 00:53:56,600 --> 00:53:58,233 Ignoring me, he was making it very clear 1219 00:53:58,367 --> 00:54:01,933 that he hadn't got his toy, he wanted his plaything, 1220 00:54:02,067 --> 00:54:02,933 and he hadn't got one. 1221 00:54:03,067 --> 00:54:04,700 Re-re-re-re relax, don't! 1222 00:54:06,300 --> 00:54:08,767 Overall impression of superiority, and volatile, 1223 00:54:08,900 --> 00:54:11,067 farts! Whoredoms! Bloody network! 1224 00:54:11,167 --> 00:54:13,167 That performance in "The Ruling Class", 1225 00:54:13,300 --> 00:54:16,333 which I think was a very brave choice, you know, 1226 00:54:16,467 --> 00:54:19,333 it's a dangerous character, unpleasant character, 1227 00:54:19,467 --> 00:54:21,867 the tone of the movie goes all over the place. 1228 00:54:22,067 --> 00:54:23,633 But he does that fantastic 1229 00:54:23,767 --> 00:54:26,200 soft shoe shuffle dance number in there, 1230 00:54:26,333 --> 00:54:28,100 and then he turns into Jack the Ripper. 1231 00:54:28,233 --> 00:54:30,600 It's, you know, pretty extraordinary. 1232 00:54:30,733 --> 00:54:31,500 [laughs] Lover. 1233 00:54:33,967 --> 00:54:37,400 The sword of the Lord is filled with blood. 1234 00:54:40,067 --> 00:54:42,500 There was something, I don't know what it was about Peter, 1235 00:54:42,633 --> 00:54:44,533 but there was something where, 1236 00:54:44,667 --> 00:54:47,500 I'll say it, but it was something, 1237 00:54:47,633 --> 00:54:50,100 there was sometimes in the middle of performance, 1238 00:54:50,233 --> 00:54:52,400 he'd just say, "Fuck it" and went, "Okay, fuck it", 1239 00:54:52,533 --> 00:54:54,500 and then go off on something. 1240 00:54:54,633 --> 00:54:56,600 I mean, still like, electric as an actor, 1241 00:54:56,733 --> 00:55:01,067 but he had that sort of, kind of consistent inconsistency, 1242 00:55:01,200 --> 00:55:04,467 but he was unpredictable. 1243 00:55:04,600 --> 00:55:06,100 And that's of course what made him great, 1244 00:55:06,233 --> 00:55:08,600 'cause he was really very unpredictable. 1245 00:55:09,900 --> 00:55:12,600 Stanislavsky always said with actors, 1246 00:55:12,733 --> 00:55:15,733 they need plasticity, the great teacher said. 1247 00:55:15,867 --> 00:55:20,233 O'Toole had that quality, he's like treble-jointed. 1248 00:55:20,367 --> 00:55:22,133 He could bend his arms here and 1249 00:55:22,267 --> 00:55:24,567 make his eyes move there, and so forth. 1250 00:55:24,700 --> 00:55:26,833 [Crowd] * Dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk around, * 1251 00:55:26,967 --> 00:55:29,600 * Dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk around * 1252 00:55:29,733 --> 00:55:32,067 * Dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk around * 1253 00:55:32,200 --> 00:55:34,100 * I hear the word of the Lord! * 1254 00:55:34,233 --> 00:55:36,367 Now you also see the tension between 1255 00:55:36,500 --> 00:55:39,067 a fellow with great intelligence, great charisma, 1256 00:55:39,200 --> 00:55:41,633 who is, if not trapped, at least he's the bearer 1257 00:55:41,767 --> 00:55:44,067 of this weird body that doesn't seem to want it to do 1258 00:55:44,200 --> 00:55:45,933 all the things he wants to do. 1259 00:55:46,067 --> 00:55:49,067 So you sometimes see the rage about his bloody limbs 1260 00:55:49,167 --> 00:55:52,267 are not in the, in the way he wants them to, sort of work. 1261 00:55:52,400 --> 00:55:54,900 But for us, of course it's, it's fascinating. 1262 00:55:55,067 --> 00:55:56,967 And he, he seemed to begin to realise, 1263 00:55:57,100 --> 00:55:58,633 "Oh no, this is gold". 1264 00:55:58,767 --> 00:56:00,600 All of this, all of this mixture, 1265 00:56:00,733 --> 00:56:02,667 nobody's got this mixture. 1266 00:56:02,800 --> 00:56:07,300 [laughs] He's so impressive, Your Ladyship, isn't he? 1267 00:56:07,433 --> 00:56:10,533 For a few bob, we raced across the suspension bridge 1268 00:56:10,667 --> 00:56:13,700 into Leigh Woods, then back again over the suspension bridge 1269 00:56:13,833 --> 00:56:16,467 and then up into Clifton. 1270 00:56:16,600 --> 00:56:18,567 And we came across two professors, 1271 00:56:19,900 --> 00:56:21,900 Professor Joseph and Professor Murray, 1272 00:56:22,067 --> 00:56:23,300 Legends! 1273 00:56:23,433 --> 00:56:25,733 They would come and lecture at the school, 1274 00:56:25,867 --> 00:56:27,400 and they were crying their eyes out. 1275 00:56:27,533 --> 00:56:28,800 And O'Toole said, "What's the matter?" said O'Toole. 1276 00:56:28,933 --> 00:56:30,567 "We've just been to see Sir John Gielgud 1277 00:56:30,700 --> 00:56:33,533 in 'The Seven Ages of Man', he's amazing. 1278 00:56:33,667 --> 00:56:36,833 Yes, a phenomenal grasp of the verse, huh? 1279 00:56:36,967 --> 00:56:39,633 You must go and see it", and they walked off. 1280 00:56:39,767 --> 00:56:42,633 And O'Toole said to me, "It's amazing, isn't it? 1281 00:56:42,767 --> 00:56:47,300 They're so enamoured of Sir John, they failed to realise 1282 00:56:47,433 --> 00:56:50,100 that both you and I are bollock naked". 1283 00:56:50,233 --> 00:56:53,233 [O'Toole laughing] 1284 00:56:53,367 --> 00:56:58,167 I was invited to speak at Spike Milligan's Memorial 1285 00:56:59,800 --> 00:57:02,167 at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, off Trafalgar Square in London. 1286 00:57:02,300 --> 00:57:06,467 There was some, oh, Sykes and, and Eddie Izzard and, 1287 00:57:06,600 --> 00:57:08,433 and Peter with his son Lorcan. 1288 00:57:08,567 --> 00:57:10,667 Now bear in mind, this is a church, 1289 00:57:10,800 --> 00:57:12,600 and it's getting more and more crowded 1290 00:57:12,733 --> 00:57:15,067 as actual guests who are not speaking 1291 00:57:15,200 --> 00:57:17,733 turn up for the proper hour. 1292 00:57:17,867 --> 00:57:19,567 And he starts to tell me, he says, 1293 00:57:19,700 --> 00:57:23,300 "You know, there's such shit," he said, "such shit". 1294 00:57:23,433 --> 00:57:25,300 He said, "Did you know, who's that awful old fraud? 1295 00:57:25,433 --> 00:57:26,767 That dreadful man? 1296 00:57:26,900 --> 00:57:28,567 Tolkien! Tolkien! 1297 00:57:28,700 --> 00:57:31,767 You know him, he wanted me to play a fucking wizard. 1298 00:57:31,900 --> 00:57:33,167 A wizard! 1299 00:57:33,300 --> 00:57:34,433 I don't wanna play a fucking wizard. 1300 00:57:34,567 --> 00:57:35,967 And they said, you'll love the script. 1301 00:57:36,100 --> 00:57:38,367 I said, I won't love it 'cause I won't read it". 1302 00:57:38,500 --> 00:57:41,133 He said, "And one day this boy comes around on a motorbike 1303 00:57:41,267 --> 00:57:43,067 and he's got these scripts". 1304 00:57:43,133 --> 00:57:44,500 He said, "What are you doing?" 1305 00:57:44,633 --> 00:57:47,300 He said, "Well, I'm told that I have to give you 1306 00:57:47,433 --> 00:57:49,067 the scripts and and wait here, 1307 00:57:49,167 --> 00:57:50,100 and that when you've read them, 1308 00:57:50,233 --> 00:57:51,400 you'll so love them". 1309 00:57:53,367 --> 00:57:54,533 And Peter said, 1310 00:57:54,667 --> 00:57:56,133 "I'm not gonna fucking read them, 1311 00:57:56,267 --> 00:57:59,067 by the way, they're blue, why're are they on blue paper?" 1312 00:57:59,200 --> 00:58:01,767 And the boy biker said, "Well, I think it's 1313 00:58:01,900 --> 00:58:03,533 so you don't photocopy them." 1314 00:58:03,667 --> 00:58:05,267 "Photocopy them! 1315 00:58:05,400 --> 00:58:07,667 Why would I photocopy them? 1316 00:58:07,800 --> 00:58:09,367 Pompous cunt!" 1317 00:58:09,500 --> 00:58:12,633 And this, this was ringing around the church. [laughs] 1318 00:58:12,767 --> 00:58:16,067 And then he said, with a fabulous wave of the hand, he said, 1319 00:58:16,200 --> 00:58:18,300 "Anyway, I think they've offered it to Ian, 1320 00:58:18,433 --> 00:58:19,867 he'll be brilliant". 1321 00:58:20,067 --> 00:58:21,500 And I remember my father being like, 1322 00:58:21,633 --> 00:58:23,900 "This is all fucking gobbledygook 1323 00:58:24,067 --> 00:58:27,067 and I'm not gonna spend four years in fucking New Zealand, 1324 00:58:27,167 --> 00:58:29,567 and this is all nonsense", et cetera. 1325 00:58:29,700 --> 00:58:31,500 So it was, it was quite a funny moment. 1326 00:58:32,733 --> 00:58:35,067 Oh, Peter was born in Leeds 1327 00:58:35,200 --> 00:58:40,067 to Patrick and Constance in 1932. 1328 00:58:41,733 --> 00:58:44,933 Well, he wasn't, [laughs] I don't believe he was Irish, 1329 00:58:45,067 --> 00:58:47,767 I mean, I would, it never occurred to me 1330 00:58:47,900 --> 00:58:48,800 that he was actually Irish, 1331 00:58:48,933 --> 00:58:50,233 he just had an Irish name. 1332 00:58:50,367 --> 00:58:53,100 Well, because he was so frightfully British. 1333 00:58:53,233 --> 00:58:55,300 I mean, it was an accent he'd acquired. 1334 00:58:55,433 --> 00:58:57,533 I think his accent would've been made in RADA, 1335 00:58:57,667 --> 00:58:59,133 because it wasn't the RADA voice. 1336 00:58:59,267 --> 00:59:01,200 I mean, there's never been a RADA voice, 1337 00:59:01,333 --> 00:59:03,567 but they definitely did teach you to speak 1338 00:59:03,700 --> 00:59:06,533 standard English clearly and loudly. 1339 00:59:06,667 --> 00:59:08,800 He was very proud of the name O'Toole. 1340 00:59:08,933 --> 00:59:10,867 And he was very happy with the fact 1341 00:59:11,067 --> 00:59:14,233 that his father had been a bookmaker and was from Ireland. 1342 00:59:14,367 --> 00:59:17,400 I think it started when he became famous. 1343 00:59:17,533 --> 00:59:19,967 It didn't start before, he didn't, I mean, 1344 00:59:20,100 --> 00:59:21,900 everyone knew he came from Leeds 1345 00:59:22,067 --> 00:59:24,900 and it was when he made his name 1346 00:59:25,067 --> 00:59:26,667 in "The Long and the Short and the Tall" 1347 00:59:26,800 --> 00:59:29,100 and then "Lawrence of Arabia" happened. 1348 00:59:29,233 --> 00:59:32,733 But, you know, the minute he became successful, 1349 00:59:32,867 --> 00:59:36,067 obviously the press starts to make stories. 1350 00:59:36,167 --> 00:59:40,600 And somehow, I don't know how it became known 1351 00:59:40,733 --> 00:59:43,133 that he was born in Ireland. 1352 00:59:43,267 --> 00:59:46,100 My father never claimed to be born in Ireland 1353 00:59:46,233 --> 00:59:48,367 because he wasn't, he was born in Leeds, 1354 00:59:48,500 --> 00:59:50,067 as the records show. 1355 00:59:50,167 --> 00:59:52,767 He was born in Leeds in an Irish ghetto 1356 00:59:52,900 --> 00:59:56,067 to an Irish father in an immigrant city. 1357 00:59:56,200 --> 00:59:58,467 So he was Irish through and through. 1358 00:59:58,600 --> 01:00:00,400 Well, he certainly regarded himself as Irish, didn't he? 1359 01:00:00,533 --> 01:00:04,333 And he was, he was, he was Celtic of personality, 1360 01:00:04,467 --> 01:00:07,467 it would seem, a lover of the romance 1361 01:00:07,600 --> 01:00:09,600 and the Celtic twilight and the poets. 1362 01:00:09,733 --> 01:00:12,533 I have never revealed his life before he met me, 1363 01:00:12,667 --> 01:00:16,767 although he did slowly and painfully confide in me 1364 01:00:16,900 --> 01:00:19,200 bit by bit over the years. 1365 01:00:19,333 --> 01:00:22,100 And I've never been able to repeat any of that 1366 01:00:22,233 --> 01:00:24,167 because it's his business. 1367 01:00:24,300 --> 01:00:25,933 I don't think he understood it even. 1368 01:00:26,067 --> 01:00:30,833 But I imagine, like you, that it was a traumatic childhood. 1369 01:00:32,167 --> 01:00:33,933 I don't know if Siân feels the same, 1370 01:00:34,067 --> 01:00:36,367 but that's what I've certainly felt coming off him. 1371 01:00:36,500 --> 01:00:39,033 That there was this real conflict that, 1372 01:00:39,167 --> 01:00:41,067 that had never been resolved, 1373 01:00:41,200 --> 01:00:46,067 between his roots and his Anglophile element. 1374 01:00:47,033 --> 01:00:48,067 He had a bully of a father. 1375 01:00:48,200 --> 01:00:49,467 Yes, he did, he did. 1376 01:00:49,600 --> 01:00:51,500 His father said, "Jump off the mantelpiece". 1377 01:00:51,633 --> 01:00:54,833 And he had no trust, you know, he didn't know 1378 01:00:54,967 --> 01:00:56,333 what was gonna happen to him. 1379 01:00:57,267 --> 01:01:00,133 [mournful music] 1380 01:01:06,933 --> 01:01:08,467 He said, I've got to have a place in Ireland. 1381 01:01:08,600 --> 01:01:11,233 So, I was delighted. 1382 01:01:11,367 --> 01:01:15,200 And we found a place in Renvyle, on the clifftop, 1383 01:01:15,333 --> 01:01:17,167 and that fell through for some reason. 1384 01:01:17,300 --> 01:01:19,700 And we found a place somewhere else, and that fell through. 1385 01:01:19,833 --> 01:01:21,167 And then suddenly somebody said, 1386 01:01:21,300 --> 01:01:24,067 "There's a little place going on the Sky road". 1387 01:01:24,200 --> 01:01:25,967 And I didn't know what the Sky road was, 1388 01:01:26,100 --> 01:01:28,500 so we said we'd buy it. 1389 01:01:28,633 --> 01:01:30,400 So we bought it and then we went to look at it 1390 01:01:30,533 --> 01:01:31,733 and it was lovely. 1391 01:01:31,867 --> 01:01:34,533 It was a little cottage with a lot of land. 1392 01:01:34,667 --> 01:01:36,533 It's, I think, about 70 acres of land 1393 01:01:36,667 --> 01:01:38,933 and a little forest and a little beach. 1394 01:01:39,067 --> 01:01:40,533 And it was just lovely. 1395 01:01:40,667 --> 01:01:42,567 One of the earliest memories of mine is 1396 01:01:42,700 --> 01:01:46,067 being with him in Clifton and Connemara in Ireland 1397 01:01:46,133 --> 01:01:48,367 and him walking me to the sea, 1398 01:01:50,133 --> 01:01:52,067 and putting me into the cold water 1399 01:01:52,167 --> 01:01:55,300 and giving myself a wild experience of nature. 1400 01:01:57,667 --> 01:01:59,733 To actually walk out onto a stage 1401 01:01:59,867 --> 01:02:03,133 in front of 1,000 people, you have to be a bit crazy. 1402 01:02:03,267 --> 01:02:06,567 So the kind of wild guys, they weren't real, 1403 01:02:06,700 --> 01:02:09,633 except O'Toole, he was the real McCoy. 1404 01:02:09,767 --> 01:02:11,800 He was wild, he was dangerous. 1405 01:02:11,933 --> 01:02:14,267 He could fight, he had imagination. 1406 01:02:14,400 --> 01:02:17,267 So I did this film and when I arrived in Ireland, 1407 01:02:17,400 --> 01:02:21,900 Lee J Thompson directing, the film "Country Dance", 1408 01:02:22,067 --> 01:02:24,567 and when I got there, there's O'Toole in a ditch, 1409 01:02:24,700 --> 01:02:28,867 and he'd got manacles marks bleeding on each arm, 1410 01:02:29,067 --> 01:02:30,600 he'd been fighting the police all night 1411 01:02:30,733 --> 01:02:32,100 and they'd had him in cells. 1412 01:02:32,233 --> 01:02:35,367 When O'Toole saw me arrive on the set, 1413 01:02:35,500 --> 01:02:37,333 "Ah, ya big boy! God!" 1414 01:02:37,467 --> 01:02:40,133 He charged at me and I had to kind of do a cross-buttock, 1415 01:02:40,267 --> 01:02:42,900 bring him down, onto his back, and pin him down. 1416 01:02:43,067 --> 01:02:45,267 And Lee J Thompson thought, "What, who in hell 1417 01:02:45,400 --> 01:02:48,800 have I bloody employed? 1418 01:02:48,933 --> 01:02:50,500 He's worse than O'Toole!" 1419 01:02:50,633 --> 01:02:53,700 And we had a little clash over now and again, [laughs] 1420 01:02:53,833 --> 01:02:56,433 I was in a restaurant in Carcassonne, 1421 01:02:56,567 --> 01:02:59,067 we wrapping up the film, and he came in, 1422 01:02:59,167 --> 01:03:00,733 and he wanted to start trouble. 1423 01:03:00,867 --> 01:03:04,433 I mean, without making, the Welsh and all that, 1424 01:03:04,567 --> 01:03:06,367 "You devious Welshman!" 1425 01:03:06,500 --> 01:03:08,133 And I suddenly, I'd had a couple, I said "Come on! 1426 01:03:08,267 --> 01:03:10,867 Let's go outside and fight, right?" 1427 01:03:11,067 --> 01:03:13,533 Went outside the back, I was gonna deck him. 1428 01:03:13,667 --> 01:03:16,700 I said, "Give us a kiss". [laughs] 1429 01:03:16,833 --> 01:03:18,967 And before we started filming, 1430 01:03:19,100 --> 01:03:23,067 dear Boris Sagal and his lady companion, 1431 01:03:25,233 --> 01:03:29,733 well, Boris decided that they should have a readthrough, 1432 01:03:29,867 --> 01:03:33,267 just Peter O'Toole and Peter Strauss, 1433 01:03:33,400 --> 01:03:37,400 and they would do it calmly, 1434 01:03:37,533 --> 01:03:39,600 just go through the script and so on. 1435 01:03:39,733 --> 01:03:43,100 Peter O'Toole arrived absolutely dead punctual on time, 1436 01:03:43,233 --> 01:03:47,567 but Boris and his lady were a little alarmed 1437 01:03:47,700 --> 01:03:50,633 that he did not have a script with him. 1438 01:03:50,767 --> 01:03:54,567 And Boris said, "Peter, we we were going 1439 01:03:54,700 --> 01:03:56,833 to do a read through". 1440 01:03:56,967 --> 01:04:01,300 And Peter said, "Oh, do I have to read?" 1441 01:04:01,433 --> 01:04:03,800 And Boris said, "Well of course, unless you know it all". 1442 01:04:03,933 --> 01:04:06,867 And he said, "Well, I hope I do". 1443 01:04:07,067 --> 01:04:09,733 And I said, "Do you know it?" 1444 01:04:09,867 --> 01:04:12,067 He said, "Well, I hope so". 1445 01:04:13,133 --> 01:04:14,433 "Are you sure?" 1446 01:04:14,567 --> 01:04:15,433 He said, "Well, we'll see. 1447 01:04:15,567 --> 01:04:17,067 Shall we start?" 1448 01:04:17,167 --> 01:04:21,600 And he knew all the lines as they went along, 1449 01:04:22,967 --> 01:04:24,200 he knew them all. 1450 01:04:24,333 --> 01:04:27,267 And his memory was formidable. 1451 01:04:27,400 --> 01:04:30,133 His memory was absolutely terrifying. 1452 01:04:30,267 --> 01:04:33,433 Once he'd learned something, it was there forever. 1453 01:04:33,567 --> 01:04:36,067 And O'Toole said, "No, you've got to know your lines. 1454 01:04:36,133 --> 01:04:39,067 If you don't know your lines, you can't even start". 1455 01:04:39,167 --> 01:04:42,067 And he said to me once, "It's like learning to dance. 1456 01:04:42,167 --> 01:04:44,300 If you don't know the dance steps, you can't go". 1457 01:04:44,433 --> 01:04:46,567 Yes, you can improvise, but it all falls apart. 1458 01:04:46,700 --> 01:04:47,867 And I think what O'Toole did, 1459 01:04:48,067 --> 01:04:50,333 he would examine underneath each line. 1460 01:04:50,467 --> 01:04:52,133 And I learned that from him, 1461 01:04:52,267 --> 01:04:54,400 and to dig under the text, 1462 01:04:54,533 --> 01:04:57,333 dig under it to find new meanings in it. 1463 01:04:57,467 --> 01:05:01,200 He could remember poetry that he learned when he was five, 1464 01:05:01,333 --> 01:05:03,067 little pantomimes that he might have been in 1465 01:05:03,133 --> 01:05:07,300 at school when he was six, every single line. 1466 01:05:07,433 --> 01:05:08,933 And you cover the first line, 1467 01:05:09,067 --> 01:05:10,967 "Hail Alexander, when do we meet?" 1468 01:05:11,100 --> 01:05:13,467 And you say, "Hail Alexander, when do we meet?" 1469 01:05:13,600 --> 01:05:14,333 Hail Alexander, when do we meet? 1470 01:05:15,667 --> 01:05:17,200 Hail Alexander, when do we meet?" 1471 01:05:17,333 --> 01:05:20,067 And then you move it over the next line, and so on, 1472 01:05:20,133 --> 01:05:22,600 all through the script. 1473 01:05:22,733 --> 01:05:26,067 And they looked at him and said, 1474 01:05:26,133 --> 01:05:27,800 "Learn the whole script like that?" 1475 01:05:27,933 --> 01:05:30,600 "Yes", he said, "it is a very boring process, 1476 01:05:30,733 --> 01:05:33,067 but I mean, you have to know the lines, don't you?" 1477 01:05:35,533 --> 01:05:38,433 But there was, yes, there was a sort of 1478 01:05:38,567 --> 01:05:41,367 desperation in that sense, I think, 1479 01:05:42,667 --> 01:05:45,333 and I know Siân Phillips still speaks of him 1480 01:05:45,467 --> 01:05:47,167 with enormous love and affection. 1481 01:05:47,300 --> 01:05:49,167 And there was clearly, it was a marriage 1482 01:05:49,300 --> 01:05:50,933 that was impossible for her, 1483 01:05:51,067 --> 01:05:52,733 and on many occasions. 1484 01:05:52,867 --> 01:05:56,267 But you know, he was, as charismatic 1485 01:05:56,400 --> 01:05:58,933 as a figure within a family as he was, 1486 01:05:59,067 --> 01:06:02,767 as a figure on a stage or on a screen. 1487 01:06:02,900 --> 01:06:06,833 He was the love of my life and I was of his, I know. 1488 01:06:06,967 --> 01:06:09,200 And we had a wonderful relationship. 1489 01:06:09,333 --> 01:06:12,867 You know, it was difficult from time to time as well, 1490 01:06:13,067 --> 01:06:16,567 but it was, it was also wonderful. 1491 01:06:16,700 --> 01:06:19,067 * If I gave a thought to fascination * 1492 01:06:19,200 --> 01:06:24,067 * I would know it wasn't right to care * 1493 01:06:25,367 --> 01:06:27,200 * Logic doesn't seem to mind to die * 1494 01:06:27,333 --> 01:06:32,200 * I'm fascinated by a love affair. * 1495 01:06:33,200 --> 01:06:35,200 * Still my heart would benefit * 1496 01:06:35,333 --> 01:06:40,133 * From a little tenderness from time to time * 1497 01:06:41,367 --> 01:06:43,100 * But never mind, cause baby I'm a fool * 1498 01:06:43,233 --> 01:06:47,700 * Who thinks it's cool to fall in love * 1499 01:06:48,833 --> 01:06:50,833 He had been on a bender with, 1500 01:06:50,967 --> 01:06:52,667 with a journalist friend of ours, 1501 01:06:52,800 --> 01:06:54,533 and they came back and he said, 1502 01:06:54,667 --> 01:06:56,267 "I don't feel good". 1503 01:06:56,400 --> 01:07:00,500 And he went to bed and, and they diagnosed pancreatitis. 1504 01:07:02,133 --> 01:07:06,067 So it was the Royal Free in Hampstead, down the road, 1505 01:07:06,133 --> 01:07:08,367 that was able to take him in, an NHS hospital, 1506 01:07:08,500 --> 01:07:10,800 and they had all the equipment there, 1507 01:07:10,933 --> 01:07:12,700 they told me to expect the worst. 1508 01:07:12,833 --> 01:07:14,233 And there was nobody there, 1509 01:07:14,367 --> 01:07:16,833 my mother and the children were on holiday, 1510 01:07:16,967 --> 01:07:19,133 nobody knew that he was in there, 1511 01:07:19,267 --> 01:07:21,533 but the press gradually got hold of it 1512 01:07:21,667 --> 01:07:24,567 and they would ring up and, to check the obit. 1513 01:07:24,700 --> 01:07:27,833 And one day he opened his eyes and he was better. 1514 01:07:28,833 --> 01:07:30,600 And it was against all the odds. 1515 01:07:30,733 --> 01:07:34,533 And we went home and he went to bed 1516 01:07:34,667 --> 01:07:37,367 and the children came back, my mother came back from holiday 1517 01:07:37,500 --> 01:07:39,467 and everything went on as though 1518 01:07:39,600 --> 01:07:41,633 it had not happened, almost. 1519 01:07:41,767 --> 01:07:44,067 But I had nearly died myself 1520 01:07:44,200 --> 01:07:46,100 when I mourned him for four weeks. 1521 01:07:46,233 --> 01:07:48,967 I was heartbroken for four weeks. 1522 01:07:49,100 --> 01:07:51,900 And he said, "We must go on holiday". 1523 01:07:52,067 --> 01:07:54,600 So we went, we could only find, out of season, 1524 01:07:54,733 --> 01:07:57,900 one hotel in Italy. 1525 01:07:58,067 --> 01:08:00,733 We had the best, we were there for a month 1526 01:08:00,867 --> 01:08:03,967 and then out of season there was nobody else there. 1527 01:08:04,100 --> 01:08:06,367 And then we were there for another few weeks 1528 01:08:06,500 --> 01:08:09,167 'cause we liked it so much, it was wonderful. 1529 01:08:09,300 --> 01:08:12,067 And he recovered, and we came back to England, 1530 01:08:12,167 --> 01:08:16,533 and I thought, I really did think that our life had turned, 1531 01:08:16,667 --> 01:08:19,433 taken a turn for the better somehow, 1532 01:08:19,567 --> 01:08:22,333 that we, I felt I was different, 1533 01:08:22,467 --> 01:08:25,267 having lived through his death. 1534 01:08:25,400 --> 01:08:27,533 And I thought he must feel different as well. 1535 01:08:27,667 --> 01:08:29,767 But he didn't, he nearly died, 1536 01:08:29,900 --> 01:08:33,733 but he wasn't aware that he'd nearly died. 1537 01:08:33,867 --> 01:08:36,067 So to him, he was just better. 1538 01:08:36,200 --> 01:08:37,800 So he said, "No, no, no, we'll go on 1539 01:08:37,933 --> 01:08:40,600 just as we did before, I'll go away and I'll come back, 1540 01:08:40,733 --> 01:08:43,367 you come out with me and settle me in 1541 01:08:43,500 --> 01:08:44,600 and then fetch me back". 1542 01:08:44,733 --> 01:08:47,067 And I said, "No, I have to be, 1543 01:08:47,133 --> 01:08:47,967 I have to travel with you", 1544 01:08:48,100 --> 01:08:50,167 'cause he was frail still. 1545 01:08:50,300 --> 01:08:51,867 He said, "No, no, no, not at all". 1546 01:08:53,833 --> 01:08:55,800 So I'd realised actually that we'd reached 1547 01:08:55,933 --> 01:08:57,333 the end of the road. 1548 01:08:57,467 --> 01:09:01,500 After this idyllically happy time, this awful time, 1549 01:09:01,633 --> 01:09:03,533 and then this wonderful time. 1550 01:09:04,867 --> 01:09:07,133 And then it couldn't go back to square one. 1551 01:09:07,267 --> 01:09:08,433 So whenever the buzzer went, 1552 01:09:08,567 --> 01:09:10,267 it was always a bit of a tense moment. 1553 01:09:10,400 --> 01:09:12,167 So the buzzer went, "eeh", and it was, 1554 01:09:12,300 --> 01:09:15,333 "Could you please come down to the living room, 1555 01:09:15,467 --> 01:09:16,633 we need to have a family talk". 1556 01:09:16,767 --> 01:09:19,633 And I knew in my bones what it was. 1557 01:09:19,767 --> 01:09:23,633 I'd tried to help my sister by preparing her for it, 1558 01:09:23,767 --> 01:09:25,933 but she didn't want to hear it, really. 1559 01:09:26,067 --> 01:09:29,067 She was just that bit too young, I think, at the time. 1560 01:09:29,133 --> 01:09:30,733 And I said, "But I want to leave, 1561 01:09:30,867 --> 01:09:33,333 I want to start my life again". 1562 01:09:33,467 --> 01:09:36,300 I don't know [laughs] about the speech 1563 01:09:36,433 --> 01:09:37,667 having been written for my mother, 1564 01:09:37,800 --> 01:09:40,300 but she did announce that she was leaving. 1565 01:09:40,433 --> 01:09:43,600 And she said, "Does anybody have anything to say?" 1566 01:09:43,733 --> 01:09:47,100 And of course, Mamgee was there, my, our grandmother. 1567 01:09:47,233 --> 01:09:50,367 And she said, "I have plenty to say 1568 01:09:50,500 --> 01:09:53,567 and I am not going to say it". 1569 01:09:55,733 --> 01:09:58,467 [traffic buzzing] 1570 01:10:00,833 --> 01:10:05,700 It is one of the more mighty and vehement 1571 01:10:06,533 --> 01:10:08,667 and sublime vehicles 1572 01:10:10,100 --> 01:10:11,767 that Shakespeare wrote. 1573 01:10:11,900 --> 01:10:14,567 I dragged him onto the stage. 1574 01:10:14,700 --> 01:10:19,567 Silence, shock, couldn't believe it. 1575 01:10:20,400 --> 01:10:23,200 Terrible. Horror. 1576 01:10:23,333 --> 01:10:24,533 They thought they were being conned. 1577 01:10:24,667 --> 01:10:26,633 It was sad really, because 1578 01:10:26,767 --> 01:10:30,533 he should have been, could have been, 1579 01:10:30,667 --> 01:10:32,633 ought to have been a wonderful Macbeth, 1580 01:10:35,200 --> 01:10:38,767 but something went wrong, and I think, dare I say it? 1581 01:10:38,900 --> 01:10:40,833 I think it was the drink, you know, 1582 01:10:40,967 --> 01:10:43,300 there was always drink in the dressing room, 1583 01:10:43,433 --> 01:10:45,733 and so when Peter came on, 1584 01:10:45,867 --> 01:10:49,233 he thought he was going at the speed of light, 1585 01:10:49,367 --> 01:10:53,733 but actually he was going so slowly that "Macbeth", 1586 01:10:53,867 --> 01:10:58,300 which is a fairly short play, became endless. 1587 01:10:58,433 --> 01:11:02,767 And that's what the critics picked up on. 1588 01:11:02,900 --> 01:11:04,467 Speak if your can. 1589 01:11:06,933 --> 01:11:08,067 What are you? 1590 01:11:09,100 --> 01:11:11,533 All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, 1591 01:11:11,667 --> 01:11:13,833 -Thane of Glamis! -All hail Macbeth, 1592 01:11:13,967 --> 01:11:16,267 hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor! 1593 01:11:16,400 --> 01:11:19,567 All hail Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter! 1594 01:11:19,700 --> 01:11:20,967 [dramatic music] 1595 01:11:21,100 --> 01:11:23,067 On the front page of "The Sun" newspaper, 1596 01:11:23,200 --> 01:11:24,867 the most popular tabloid, 1597 01:11:25,067 --> 01:11:27,067 the least associated with Shakespeare 1598 01:11:27,133 --> 01:11:29,533 of any of our national newspapers, 1599 01:11:29,667 --> 01:11:34,167 on the front page the next day the headline was, "Macflop". 1600 01:11:34,300 --> 01:11:36,067 On the front page of "The Sun". 1601 01:11:36,133 --> 01:11:38,833 If chance will have me king, 1602 01:11:38,967 --> 01:11:43,633 why, chance may crown me, without my stir. 1603 01:11:43,767 --> 01:11:46,300 And he completed the performance, 1604 01:11:46,433 --> 01:11:49,200 which lasts for probably six hours. 1605 01:11:49,333 --> 01:11:52,733 And I stayed on the stage after I was dead, as Banquo, 1606 01:11:52,867 --> 01:11:55,700 holding onto him, waiting for him to die. 1607 01:11:57,633 --> 01:11:59,433 Well, he didn't die. 1608 01:11:59,567 --> 01:12:03,600 And he completed the performance, he completed the tour, 1609 01:12:03,733 --> 01:12:07,167 he saw the job through. 1610 01:12:10,067 --> 01:12:13,133 I said to my dad, the coal miner, my dad, 1611 01:12:14,500 --> 01:12:16,933 I have never seen courage like that. 1612 01:12:17,067 --> 01:12:21,467 Whatever he did worked, 1613 01:12:21,600 --> 01:12:24,433 the only time it didn't work was the "Macbeth". 1614 01:12:24,567 --> 01:12:28,533 And I think that was because he wasn't in control. 1615 01:12:28,667 --> 01:12:30,700 He was half Scots, half Irish. 1616 01:12:30,833 --> 01:12:34,133 So there was a, there was a unity and a conflict 1617 01:12:34,267 --> 01:12:36,400 at the same time, you know, 1618 01:12:36,533 --> 01:12:38,933 and I think that was what was really, 1619 01:12:39,067 --> 01:12:40,967 that was really what his skill was. 1620 01:12:41,100 --> 01:12:42,700 But he also had this sort of very, 1621 01:12:42,833 --> 01:12:45,533 he could do the British thing very well. 1622 01:12:45,667 --> 01:12:46,967 He could do it much better than any of the others. 1623 01:12:47,100 --> 01:12:49,400 He could do it much better than Albert, 1624 01:12:49,533 --> 01:12:50,667 much better than Tom or Alan, 1625 01:12:50,800 --> 01:12:51,800 or even Richard. 1626 01:12:51,933 --> 01:12:53,067 He could do that. 1627 01:12:53,133 --> 01:12:55,400 Rugby may make more row, 1628 01:12:56,767 --> 01:12:59,700 but we'll row, row, row forever, 1629 01:12:59,833 --> 01:13:03,533 steady from stroke to bow, 1630 01:13:03,667 --> 01:13:06,900 and nothing in life will sever the chain 1631 01:13:07,067 --> 01:13:08,967 that is round us now. 1632 01:13:15,967 --> 01:13:19,200 O'Toole, in this total way, somehow understands 1633 01:13:19,333 --> 01:13:22,467 that it's about a whole period in Hollywood filmmaking, 1634 01:13:22,600 --> 01:13:24,933 that that performance is embodying, 1635 01:13:25,067 --> 01:13:28,233 as well as a kind of down and dirty 1636 01:13:28,367 --> 01:13:32,233 sort of comic ruthlessness about what gets a laugh. 1637 01:13:32,367 --> 01:13:33,967 He had a great comic skill as well, 1638 01:13:34,100 --> 01:13:37,133 he was a very, his timing was pretty amazing at times. 1639 01:13:37,267 --> 01:13:39,533 And that was one of the things that was kind of, 1640 01:13:39,667 --> 01:13:41,467 again, compelling about him, really. 1641 01:13:42,533 --> 01:13:46,233 * Others may fill our places * 1642 01:13:46,367 --> 01:13:50,467 * Dressed in the old light blue * 1643 01:13:50,600 --> 01:13:54,767 * We'll recollect our races. * 1644 01:13:54,900 --> 01:13:57,600 Winning an Oscar is very much about 1645 01:13:57,733 --> 01:14:00,667 what campaign are you running in Hollywood to win this? 1646 01:14:00,800 --> 01:14:03,667 And what interviews are you doing, what chat shows? 1647 01:14:03,800 --> 01:14:05,400 I don't think he cared about that. 1648 01:14:05,533 --> 01:14:07,267 I went to the Oscars twice with him, 1649 01:14:07,400 --> 01:14:11,367 once when he was nominated for "Venus", 1650 01:14:12,700 --> 01:14:15,933 I think it was 2007, and the other time in 2004 1651 01:14:16,067 --> 01:14:18,800 when he was nominated for his, not nominated, 1652 01:14:18,933 --> 01:14:22,267 he was given his Lifetime Achievement Award, 1653 01:14:22,400 --> 01:14:26,600 which he highly resented to begin with, 1654 01:14:26,733 --> 01:14:29,067 and actually turned it down to the Academy 1655 01:14:29,167 --> 01:14:31,400 and said, "You know, you're retiring me. 1656 01:14:31,533 --> 01:14:32,900 I don't want any of this at all". 1657 01:14:33,067 --> 01:14:34,800 And they said, "Well, it's a miscommunication. 1658 01:14:34,933 --> 01:14:36,633 We really want you to accept this award". 1659 01:14:36,767 --> 01:14:41,133 And after a little bit of debate, 1660 01:14:42,200 --> 01:14:43,400 he decided to go for it. 1661 01:14:43,533 --> 01:14:45,933 He hated all that, he he called the Oscars, 1662 01:14:46,067 --> 01:14:48,200 "The dog and pony show". 1663 01:14:48,333 --> 01:14:51,233 And he didn't want to go and he certainly didn't want 1664 01:14:51,367 --> 01:14:54,100 an honorary Oscar, which is what he got. 1665 01:14:54,233 --> 01:14:58,233 And he objected to that, he wanted to win one outright. 1666 01:14:58,367 --> 01:15:01,800 you want to have an Oscar, you have to go to LA, 1667 01:15:01,933 --> 01:15:04,500 and you have to do a lot of publicity work, 1668 01:15:04,633 --> 01:15:07,767 a lot, you have to campaign for it, you know, 1669 01:15:07,900 --> 01:15:10,600 it takes months out of your life. 1670 01:15:10,733 --> 01:15:13,367 And he was never prepared to do that. 1671 01:15:13,500 --> 01:15:15,500 He wouldn't go, he never went to Hollywood. 1672 01:15:18,367 --> 01:15:20,533 And seeing him in "Jeffrey Bernard", 1673 01:15:20,667 --> 01:15:24,067 on stage this 16 times, couldn't take my eyes off him, 1674 01:15:24,200 --> 01:15:25,833 because you need to follow every move. 1675 01:15:25,967 --> 01:15:27,133 Has he forgotten his line now? 1676 01:15:27,267 --> 01:15:30,600 Is he just wobbling or no, no, no. 1677 01:15:30,733 --> 01:15:35,567 This one man holds the entire 1,100 audience 1678 01:15:36,533 --> 01:15:38,067 at the Old Vic in a vice. 1679 01:15:38,133 --> 01:15:41,300 But I saw "Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell" many times. 1680 01:15:41,433 --> 01:15:43,933 That was fantastic. 1681 01:15:44,067 --> 01:15:46,533 Some, I mean really fantastic. 1682 01:15:46,667 --> 01:15:49,700 Some people say the greatest comic performance 1683 01:15:49,833 --> 01:15:52,933 of the 20th century, and I'd be inclined to agree. 1684 01:15:53,067 --> 01:15:55,333 It really was spectacular. 1685 01:15:55,467 --> 01:15:56,767 I had highlights as well. 1686 01:15:56,900 --> 01:15:58,400 I remember going to the theatre one night 1687 01:15:58,533 --> 01:16:00,633 and Jeff was actually there, Jeffrey, 1688 01:16:00,767 --> 01:16:02,300 he was still alive at the time 1689 01:16:02,433 --> 01:16:04,467 and he was absolutely drunk out of his mind, 1690 01:16:04,600 --> 01:16:07,100 and he was at the bar refusing to leave. 1691 01:16:07,233 --> 01:16:08,600 And the bar staff didn't know what to do 1692 01:16:08,733 --> 01:16:10,633 'cause the curtain was going up. 1693 01:16:10,767 --> 01:16:12,567 And so I was telling my dad about this 1694 01:16:12,700 --> 01:16:14,167 and he said, "Oh, what they should have 1695 01:16:14,300 --> 01:16:16,933 just put a velvet rope around him and charged tickets". 1696 01:16:17,067 --> 01:16:18,800 [Woman] Couldn't you have telephoned? 1697 01:16:18,933 --> 01:16:20,367 [Man] Now, if I put you in a cab, 1698 01:16:20,500 --> 01:16:22,767 will you promise not to fall out the other door? 1699 01:16:24,433 --> 01:16:25,600 [Woman] You only get out of life what you put into it. 1700 01:16:25,733 --> 01:16:27,800 [Man] Fancy a spot of cat racing, Jeff? 1701 01:16:27,933 --> 01:16:31,133 You're a mean, alcoholic diabetic prick. 1702 01:16:31,267 --> 01:16:32,267 And? 1703 01:16:32,400 --> 01:16:34,100 You make me sick! 1704 01:16:35,733 --> 01:16:37,267 But you're never snide 1705 01:16:37,400 --> 01:16:40,067 and you never hurt and you wouldn't wanna win 1706 01:16:40,133 --> 01:16:42,567 on a doctored beast, and anyway, 1707 01:16:42,700 --> 01:16:46,067 the least of your pleasures resides in paltry measures. 1708 01:16:47,633 --> 01:16:52,100 So God, great joker God, please guard this great Bernard, 1709 01:16:53,400 --> 01:16:57,733 let him be known for the prince of men he is. 1710 01:16:57,867 --> 01:17:02,533 A master, at taking out of himself, and us, the piss. 1711 01:17:03,767 --> 01:17:06,800 [audience clapping] 1712 01:17:11,200 --> 01:17:12,667 He knew this was the last, 1713 01:17:12,800 --> 01:17:14,300 this was the one of the greatest parts 1714 01:17:14,433 --> 01:17:16,867 you could ever have in theatre. 1715 01:17:17,067 --> 01:17:19,133 And he knew it was his. 1716 01:17:19,267 --> 01:17:22,867 The people who'd taken over from him knew it was his. 1717 01:17:23,067 --> 01:17:25,067 They couldn't manage it. 1718 01:17:25,200 --> 01:17:27,267 It was Peter's and lots of people have played it since. 1719 01:17:27,400 --> 01:17:30,233 But nah, it was Peter's part and he knew it. 1720 01:17:30,367 --> 01:17:32,233 And I think taking it to the old Vic 1721 01:17:32,367 --> 01:17:34,567 must have been balm to the soul. 1722 01:17:34,700 --> 01:17:37,367 And it was an unofficial farewell to 1723 01:17:37,500 --> 01:17:39,533 theatre that he really loved. 1724 01:17:39,667 --> 01:17:41,467 I don't have the right to be calling him O'Toole, 1725 01:17:41,600 --> 01:17:44,067 except he is a legend, but I saw him in 1726 01:17:44,200 --> 01:17:46,100 "Jeffrey Barnard is Unwell", 1727 01:17:46,233 --> 01:17:51,067 the story of a Soho literary bohemian drunk 1728 01:17:52,367 --> 01:17:55,467 of brilliance and comic kind of delight. 1729 01:18:00,367 --> 01:18:01,633 [ironing board clunks] 1730 01:18:01,767 --> 01:18:04,600 [audience laugh] 1731 01:18:12,933 --> 01:18:14,867 People are always surprised to learn 1732 01:18:15,067 --> 01:18:16,800 that I'm a domestic animal. 1733 01:18:16,933 --> 01:18:19,700 [audience laughs] 1734 01:18:23,333 --> 01:18:26,167 Peter did not have his script with him. 1735 01:18:26,300 --> 01:18:28,233 He already knew it by heart. 1736 01:18:28,367 --> 01:18:30,867 It was a huge part, he had it down, 1737 01:18:31,067 --> 01:18:32,700 I think he had in three weeks' rehearsal, 1738 01:18:32,833 --> 01:18:34,700 he maybe had two prompts. 1739 01:18:34,833 --> 01:18:36,267 He knew exactly what he was doing 1740 01:18:36,400 --> 01:18:38,733 and he spent rehearsals doing something 1741 01:18:38,867 --> 01:18:41,400 I've never seen anyone doing. 1742 01:18:41,533 --> 01:18:43,200 He was working out, he had to do a lot of 1743 01:18:43,333 --> 01:18:45,067 lighting of cigarettes, 1744 01:18:45,133 --> 01:18:47,133 lot of smoking of them, stubbing them out. 1745 01:18:47,267 --> 01:18:51,300 He had two pour soda into his glass 1746 01:18:51,433 --> 01:18:54,200 and find tomato ketchup, and the vodka, 1747 01:18:54,333 --> 01:18:56,067 he had to stagger about the stage, 1748 01:18:56,200 --> 01:18:59,833 he had to look in things, and he worked everything out, 1749 01:19:00,067 --> 01:19:02,133 even to, when do I take a breath in. 1750 01:19:02,267 --> 01:19:04,800 Comic timing, including working this, 1751 01:19:04,933 --> 01:19:08,233 this now this sort of, almost like a mime's body, 1752 01:19:08,367 --> 01:19:11,067 a long stringy Marcel Marceau 1753 01:19:11,167 --> 01:19:15,400 of slightly gangly stuff that he could do. 1754 01:19:15,533 --> 01:19:19,400 And he became the master of it. 1755 01:19:19,533 --> 01:19:22,467 Who the hell do they think washes my glass up 1756 01:19:22,600 --> 01:19:24,467 every morning if there's no one else to do it? 1757 01:19:24,600 --> 01:19:27,500 [audience laughs] 1758 01:19:29,767 --> 01:19:30,533 I cook. 1759 01:19:32,067 --> 01:19:34,733 I sow, I reap. 1760 01:19:34,867 --> 01:19:36,500 [ironing board clatters] 1761 01:19:36,633 --> 01:19:37,933 And there's an egg trick, 1762 01:19:38,067 --> 01:19:40,167 there's a trick, a magic trick in the show, 1763 01:19:40,300 --> 01:19:42,067 which he did, two runs of it, 1764 01:19:42,133 --> 01:19:44,633 that went on forever, months and months and months. 1765 01:19:44,767 --> 01:19:47,500 I think the egg trick only went wrong once. 1766 01:19:47,633 --> 01:19:49,833 And the egg trick is a strange one, I don't understand, 1767 01:19:49,967 --> 01:19:53,067 but it involves a shoe, a biscuit tin lid, 1768 01:19:53,200 --> 01:19:58,067 a pint mug, a matchbox and an egg. 1769 01:19:59,367 --> 01:20:02,867 You need a good and steady hand, Keith said. 1770 01:20:03,000 --> 01:20:03,667 [audience laughs] 1771 01:20:03,800 --> 01:20:04,700 Here goes. 1772 01:20:05,800 --> 01:20:09,133 One, two. 1773 01:20:09,267 --> 01:20:10,833 [shoe cracks] 1774 01:20:10,967 --> 01:20:12,433 [audience applauds] 1775 01:20:12,567 --> 01:20:15,633 And the idea is you tap with the heel of your shoe, 1776 01:20:15,767 --> 01:20:18,000 some bit of this when it's all been set up in a tower 1777 01:20:18,133 --> 01:20:20,867 and the egg plops into the glass of water 1778 01:20:21,000 --> 01:20:22,167 when you've done it right, 1779 01:20:23,633 --> 01:20:26,233 Peter did it right every single night. 1780 01:20:26,367 --> 01:20:27,833 Now, I once went to an evening meeting at Windsor, 1781 01:20:27,967 --> 01:20:30,600 got absolutely asshole, lost every penny in my pocket 1782 01:20:30,733 --> 01:20:33,800 and no idea how to get back to London after the last race. 1783 01:20:33,933 --> 01:20:36,433 I was practically the only person left on the racetrack. 1784 01:20:36,567 --> 01:20:39,667 And as I stood desolate in the car park, 1785 01:20:39,800 --> 01:20:41,867 I suddenly saw this beautiful white Rolls Royce 1786 01:20:42,000 --> 01:20:43,233 heading for the gate. 1787 01:20:43,367 --> 01:20:45,667 I stood in its path and signalled it to stop. 1788 01:20:45,800 --> 01:20:48,533 The owner, suave as any film star said, 1789 01:20:48,667 --> 01:20:49,900 Yes, what can I do for you? 1790 01:20:50,033 --> 01:20:50,900 I said, 1791 01:20:51,033 --> 01:20:52,767 He said, I'm pissed and potless, 1792 01:20:52,900 --> 01:20:54,533 please take me to the Dorchester immediately 1793 01:20:54,667 --> 01:20:55,967 and buy me a drink. 1794 01:20:56,100 --> 01:20:58,867 [audience laughs] 1795 01:21:04,200 --> 01:21:07,433 I'd never seen him before, and I've never seen him since, 1796 01:21:07,567 --> 01:21:11,133 but he was absolutely charming, 1797 01:21:11,267 --> 01:21:13,933 he recognised someone who'd done their bollocks 1798 01:21:14,067 --> 01:21:15,267 and was feeling thirsty. 1799 01:21:15,400 --> 01:21:16,567 [audience laughs] 1800 01:21:16,700 --> 01:21:20,567 His last night, well we were all in tears, 1801 01:21:20,700 --> 01:21:23,100 and the audience were, as always, on their feet. 1802 01:21:23,233 --> 01:21:24,500 And he turned around and he went, 1803 01:21:24,633 --> 01:21:26,167 having taken the curtain call, 1804 01:21:26,300 --> 01:21:30,733 he went, and Charlie came on with a tray of glasses, 1805 01:21:32,367 --> 01:21:35,933 with champagne, and Peter then proceeded to make a speech. 1806 01:21:36,067 --> 01:21:38,200 [audience clapping] 1807 01:21:38,333 --> 01:21:42,067 [audience cheering] 1808 01:21:42,133 --> 01:21:46,933 And spoke about each one of us and what we had contributed 1809 01:21:48,200 --> 01:21:50,600 and how, and how well he thought of us, 1810 01:21:50,733 --> 01:21:53,733 I mean, and, and basically wished us luck. 1811 01:21:53,867 --> 01:21:56,267 And it was, he gave us a handover like that, 1812 01:21:56,400 --> 01:21:58,133 which was so wonderful. 1813 01:21:59,500 --> 01:22:02,067 Last week I had an erection. 1814 01:22:02,167 --> 01:22:04,333 [audience laughs] 1815 01:22:04,467 --> 01:22:05,767 I was so amazed. 1816 01:22:07,367 --> 01:22:09,167 I took its photograph. 1817 01:22:09,300 --> 01:22:10,567 [audience laughs] 1818 01:22:10,700 --> 01:22:13,267 Life after death! 1819 01:22:13,400 --> 01:22:15,800 What more do you want? 1820 01:22:15,933 --> 01:22:17,400 Go on, Norman! 1821 01:22:17,533 --> 01:22:20,467 [audience applauds] 1822 01:22:25,567 --> 01:22:28,433 As O'Toole himself described it, at the end, 1823 01:22:28,567 --> 01:22:30,700 he said he has been fortunate enough 1824 01:22:30,833 --> 01:22:33,100 to have a standing ovation. 1825 01:22:33,233 --> 01:22:35,567 But he called this, and I was there when it happened, 1826 01:22:35,700 --> 01:22:37,300 a jumping ovation. 1827 01:22:37,433 --> 01:22:40,500 He was so fantastic that people didn't just stand up, 1828 01:22:40,633 --> 01:22:41,800 when the lights went out at the end, 1829 01:22:41,933 --> 01:22:43,800 the whole audience jumped up 1830 01:22:43,933 --> 01:22:46,333 because they knew they'd seen something which was, 1831 01:22:46,467 --> 01:22:48,200 I would say, sublime. 1832 01:22:48,333 --> 01:22:49,600 Oh, I was so proud of him. 1833 01:22:49,733 --> 01:22:51,633 I mean, he was just brilliant. 1834 01:22:51,767 --> 01:22:52,967 He was marvellous. 1835 01:22:53,100 --> 01:22:54,900 And his physical dexterity, you know, 1836 01:22:55,067 --> 01:22:57,300 he was, he was a wonderful Falseur, apart from anything, 1837 01:22:57,433 --> 01:22:58,933 he could do anything. 1838 01:22:59,067 --> 01:23:03,800 And his elegance and his comic effects, and he could, 1839 01:23:05,467 --> 01:23:09,133 I just loved everything he did, it was wonderful. 1840 01:23:11,800 --> 01:23:13,967 She doesn't belong here, she never did. 1841 01:23:15,167 --> 01:23:17,100 I find it most odd. 1842 01:23:17,233 --> 01:23:18,667 Odd? 1843 01:23:18,800 --> 01:23:22,833 What she says about you, despite your hatred towards me. 1844 01:23:22,967 --> 01:23:23,900 Which is? 1845 01:23:25,667 --> 01:23:26,500 Nothing. 1846 01:23:29,267 --> 01:23:32,967 He made a dried eyed farewell to acting. 1847 01:23:33,100 --> 01:23:36,067 But as far as I know, I mean, 1848 01:23:36,200 --> 01:23:39,267 there were films coming out with Peter O'Toole, 1849 01:23:39,400 --> 01:23:42,167 even after his death that, you know, 1850 01:23:42,300 --> 01:23:44,233 so it didn't look like he stopped, 1851 01:23:44,367 --> 01:23:46,633 and I wondered, could he ever stop? 1852 01:23:46,767 --> 01:23:47,633 [majestic music] 1853 01:23:47,767 --> 01:23:49,967 Katherine speaks the truth. 1854 01:23:50,100 --> 01:23:53,133 [audience clapping] 1855 01:23:55,733 --> 01:23:56,833 I thought, well, see if I can get a script together, 1856 01:23:58,733 --> 01:24:01,133 and do this film from some documents, 1857 01:24:01,267 --> 01:24:02,933 an ancient diary they had discovered, 1858 01:24:03,067 --> 01:24:05,300 and we'd had for years. 1859 01:24:05,433 --> 01:24:06,600 To cut a long story short, 1860 01:24:06,733 --> 01:24:08,367 the diary seemed to be quite important 1861 01:24:08,500 --> 01:24:10,700 and seemed, allegedly, was written by 1862 01:24:10,833 --> 01:24:13,100 St. Katherine or Katherine of Sinai. 1863 01:24:13,233 --> 01:24:15,867 [stately music] 1864 01:24:17,200 --> 01:24:18,933 And so I formed a script from there, 1865 01:24:19,067 --> 01:24:23,067 and on a gamble sent it to every actor I could. 1866 01:24:23,200 --> 01:24:26,167 Joss Acklin, Peter O'Toole, Steven Burkoff, 1867 01:24:26,300 --> 01:24:29,067 Edward Fox, and so on, Brian Blessed and Freddy Jones, 1868 01:24:29,200 --> 01:24:30,500 the great, great actors. 1869 01:24:31,467 --> 01:24:33,700 And it was just a, a gamble. 1870 01:24:35,333 --> 01:24:38,767 And then all the actors came back and said an immediate yes, 1871 01:24:38,900 --> 01:24:41,100 which I didn't have the budget for, 1872 01:24:41,233 --> 01:24:45,500 and Peter was the last to come back. 1873 01:24:45,633 --> 01:24:48,067 Now I'd just assumed that he wouldn't do it 1874 01:24:48,200 --> 01:24:50,500 because he'd retired. 1875 01:24:50,633 --> 01:24:52,600 And on the notion that he wouldn't do it, 1876 01:24:52,733 --> 01:24:55,367 I then sent the script to Herbert Lom, 1877 01:24:55,500 --> 01:24:57,767 and said, "Please do this, this film". 1878 01:24:57,900 --> 01:24:59,833 And then Peter suddenly, I think it was a phone call 1879 01:25:00,067 --> 01:25:01,667 to the studio and it was Peter, 1880 01:25:01,800 --> 01:25:03,333 and I said, "Oh, I'm really sorry Peter, 1881 01:25:03,467 --> 01:25:06,100 I just assumed you wouldn't be interested, 1882 01:25:06,233 --> 01:25:07,500 and I gave the part away". 1883 01:25:07,633 --> 01:25:10,933 And then another call came and it was Peter, 1884 01:25:11,067 --> 01:25:13,767 and he said, "Well, write me a fucking part". 1885 01:25:14,733 --> 01:25:18,133 And I, that was it, so I did. 1886 01:25:18,267 --> 01:25:21,333 Peter visits this girl in the prison cell, 1887 01:25:21,467 --> 01:25:24,233 and I think it's a lovely performance. 1888 01:25:24,367 --> 01:25:26,133 Beautiful, harmless child. 1889 01:25:27,967 --> 01:25:30,400 I knew then damnation would follow, 1890 01:25:30,533 --> 01:25:34,067 having lived most of my pitiful existence by extremes, 1891 01:25:34,167 --> 01:25:37,200 which would sicken the learned heart. 1892 01:25:37,333 --> 01:25:41,733 He's a a Roman senator, 1893 01:25:41,867 --> 01:25:44,867 he's embarrassed by the wealth that he's lived under. 1894 01:25:45,067 --> 01:25:48,533 And I now take my place alongside other greedy, 1895 01:25:48,667 --> 01:25:53,500 pitiful souls in Maxentius's great hall of shame. 1896 01:25:54,900 --> 01:25:56,600 The absolute embarrassments on his face 1897 01:25:56,733 --> 01:25:57,900 with this young girl, he doesn't know 1898 01:25:58,067 --> 01:26:00,367 how to approach this young girl. 1899 01:26:00,500 --> 01:26:03,800 I wrote you a cowardly letter. 1900 01:26:03,933 --> 01:26:06,433 Should you have refused to see me? 1901 01:26:09,933 --> 01:26:13,233 Do you wonder where the dead and buried go? 1902 01:26:15,467 --> 01:26:19,167 Does it fear you to know nothing of all whereabouts 1903 01:26:19,300 --> 01:26:22,333 and including all spirits? 1904 01:26:22,467 --> 01:26:24,700 Their ultimate distinction? 1905 01:26:24,833 --> 01:26:28,400 And for me it's a very, very moving scene. 1906 01:26:28,533 --> 01:26:31,767 Feel more at ease, 1907 01:26:31,900 --> 01:26:34,500 in this reckoning of eventual death. 1908 01:26:36,133 --> 01:26:37,433 I want to go to the pictures to see something 1909 01:26:37,567 --> 01:26:39,067 I don't see in the rest of my life. 1910 01:26:39,133 --> 01:26:41,967 Well, I ain't seen Pete O'Toole at the end of my street, 1911 01:26:42,100 --> 01:26:44,100 and I'm not seeing him on the telly, I'm seeing him 1912 01:26:44,233 --> 01:26:47,633 60 foot across at the Empire Leicester Square, 1913 01:26:47,767 --> 01:26:51,567 in parts that that unusual poetic sensibility, 1914 01:26:51,700 --> 01:26:52,533 which you know is there, 1915 01:26:52,667 --> 01:26:54,133 you read his autobiography 1916 01:26:54,267 --> 01:26:58,300 and it's neo- Joyce-ean stream of consciousness that is, 1917 01:26:58,433 --> 01:27:03,233 and that completely infuses what you see on screen, 1918 01:27:04,600 --> 01:27:06,433 you know, you feel it's a Yates-ean, Joyce-ean, 1919 01:27:06,567 --> 01:27:10,200 Wilde-ean kind of Irish braggadaccio, 1920 01:27:10,333 --> 01:27:12,100 which is unique. 1921 01:27:14,267 --> 01:27:17,667 [Woman] * I wish I was * 1922 01:27:20,433 --> 01:27:25,367 * In Carrickfergus * 1923 01:27:26,700 --> 01:27:30,133 * Only for nights in Ballygrand * 1924 01:27:37,400 --> 01:27:42,367 * I would swim over * 1925 01:27:43,233 --> 01:27:47,800 * The deepest ocean * 1926 01:27:49,400 --> 01:27:54,300 * The deepest ocean * 1927 01:27:55,167 --> 01:27:59,500 * My love to find * 1928 01:28:00,467 --> 01:28:04,833 * But the sea is wide * 1929 01:28:05,867 --> 01:28:10,633 * And I can't swim over * 1930 01:28:11,733 --> 01:28:16,667 * I need a light * 1931 01:28:17,533 --> 01:28:22,200 * The wings to fly * 1932 01:28:23,267 --> 01:28:28,200 * I wish I knew * 1933 01:28:29,067 --> 01:28:33,700 * The handsome boatman * 1934 01:28:34,533 --> 01:28:39,500 * To ferry me over * 1935 01:28:40,333 --> 01:28:45,133 * To my love then die * 1936 01:28:46,200 --> 01:28:51,167 * Ah, but in Kilkenny * 1937 01:28:52,067 --> 01:28:56,833 * It is reported * 1938 01:28:58,200 --> 01:29:01,933 * They have marble stones there * 1939 01:29:03,333 --> 01:29:08,267 * That's black as ink * 1940 01:29:09,100 --> 01:29:13,633 * With gold and silver * 1941 01:29:14,500 --> 01:29:19,167 * I did support her * 1942 01:29:20,533 --> 01:29:25,433 * But I'll sing no more * 1943 01:29:26,300 --> 01:29:28,867 * Till I get a drink * 1944 01:29:40,400 --> 01:29:43,667 [nostalgic music fades]