The Horse's Mouth (1958)

Boring

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

Alec Guinness wrote the screenplay. Already an actor of great repute, in doing so he was in a very dominating position. The film gives the impression of a much less collaborative affair - writer/director/star - than is usual, or successful. Very hard for director to question a portrayal when the star can truthfully say that he knows the character far better than does the director.Guinness chose a deep croaky voice. He consequently lost all musicality - most obviously when he sings but throughout his voice is an inexpressive monotone. The dialogue lacks sparkle further dulled by his monotone. There is a problem in any case of portraying a talented but inarticulate artist - how do you indicate talent or even genius? Apparently based on the writer Dylan Thomas, whose drunkenness was companionable (Richard Burton once a companion?), there was no doubt wit in their conversation. Here the painter is mainly rascally, the paintings shown don't particularly impress either intrinsically or by the way they are treated. All that is left is the implication that for someone so badly behaved yet to still be sought after, must have a great deal of talent. The film fails to show people being won over by his pictures and forgive his trespasses - that's a failure of direction.Given the great talents involved, it is less than it could have been. But given these talents, it should not in anyway be patronised. Even great artists get it wrong sometimes, it doesn't affect their greatness or my admiration.

Alec Guinness plays obsessed artist Gulley Jimson in "The Horse's Mouth," a 1958 film written by Guinness. Gulley is a grizzly-voiced, unkempt, grouchy artist who will paint his vision at all costs. We first see him being released from jail, and then, annoyed by a young man, Nosey (Mike Morgan), who wants to learn at his feet, he attempts to get back into prison.Since the prison doesn't want him, Gulley then returns to what got him into prison in the first place - harassing phone calls to a wealthy man, Hickson (Ernest Thesiger), who was given 18 canvasses by Gulley's ex-wife (Renee Houston) in payment of Gulley's debts to him. Gulley wants the canvasses back because he has a letter from another wealthy man who wants to buy one. But upon going to Hickson's house, Hickson's servant calls the police, and Gulley and his some time friend Dee (Kay Walsh) to whom he owes money have to escape via the kitchen and hijack a cab.Gulley goes to the elegant apartment of the couple (Robert Coote and Veronica Turleigh) who want to buy his painting - a small one, it turns out, for their summer home -- and what does he see but an enormous blank wall. Yes, he decides, that is what I must have for my painting of the raising of Lazurus. The couple leave for Jamaica, and Gulley stays on, commandeering a key from the superintendent. He then starts selling their things in order to buy supplies. The laugh out loud scenes come here, when Michael Gough, a sculptor, arrives and moves in his block of material. Absolutely hilarious.There is a serious undertone to all of this - Gulley Jimson is a man who has given up everything and lives on a houseboat in order to paint. His ideas are unlimited, and throughout the film, he is, in a sense, framing his next canvas."The Horse's Mouth" could be made today, it's just as fresh as it was in 1958. Guinness is sheer perfection as Gulley - nasty, contemptuous of commercialism, completely zeroed in on his vision and his art while he trashes the world around him. And for all that, a serious artist with something to say. The paintings by John Bratby are quirky and look as if someone like Gulley could have done them.It's so sad that the young man who played Nosey died of meningitis during the filming - he was delightful, as is the rest of the cast. Ronald Neame's directing is first-rate.This film is a total triumph.

A truly great classic of film-making and faithfulness to the author's original intentions. The Guiness interpretation of Gully Jimson resonates for anyone who has ever known a slightly mad painter. The production values are splendid. The Bratby paintings are perfectly in keeping with the tone and thrust of the story. Casting for all the supporting roles was great throughout. This is a film that lives on in memory and continues to elicit smiles. I wholeheartedly recommend the film as entertainment at its best. I also applaud the choice made for the music track, it was inspired. You can never again hear that suite without it bringing to mind the running shuffle of Gully Jimson.

Alec Guinness, working with a highly interesting character, provides an enjoyable leading performance in this film that he scripted himself, and Kay Walsh is also wonderful to watch on screen. The film is filled with wonderfully amusing comic moments, and it is only prevented by a few small things from being any better, such as a lack of depth, since there is not much else to the film, other than entertainment value. The premise also wears out before the end and some of the supporting characters, in particular Michael Gough's, are overly silly and add nothing to the tale. However, if not perfect, this is still delightful stuff, with a couple of great performances and many lively moments to be had.