It can hardly have escaped your attention - certainly if you've been anywhere near social media - that the British film world has today lost one of its truly brilliant talents. Albert Finney, whose career on- and off-screen spanned more than six decades, has passed away from a short illness at the age of 82.
I only became aware of Finney's work towards the end of his career, being impressed by him in The Bourne Ultimatum and raising more than a few smiles from his appearance in Skyfall. It's only as I've become more of a film fan and started going back over the history of British cinema that I've come to appreciate how significant a force he was. He was at the centre of the British new wave with Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, which still holds up as one of the finest examples of the kitchen sink drama. Before the arrival of David Suchet, his was arguably the most imposing and recognisable portrayal of Hercule Poirot in Murder on the Orient Express. He is also, for my money, the definitive on-screen Winston Churchill; whatever the merits of Gary Oldman in The Darkest Hour or Timothy Spall in The King's Speech, his performance in The Gathering Storm truly takes some beating.
Finney for me was an actor who didn't always demand the limelight, but still lit up any film in which he appeared. He had a wonderful habit of stealing the show in supporting roles, or at least giving the leads a run for their money - think of his Oscar-nominated performance in Erin Brockovich, his work on Tim Burton's beautiful Big Fish, his supporting role in Ridley Scott's debut The Duellists, and even his appearance in the live version of Pink Floyd's The Wall in 1990. He was a man with a commanding yet humble presence, always sure of his talents but happy to share the glory with others.
If you want to pay tribute to Finney, any of the films I've listed would be fitting. He was an underrated titan of British stage and screen, and we are all worse off without him. RIP.
Daniel
Daniel
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