British Universities Film & Video Council

moving image and sound, knowledge and access

Actors, The

Synopsis
Comedy feature film. Anthony O’Malley (Caine) is the star of a terrible low-budget production of Richard III and has taken Tom, who plays small parts in the play, under his wing (the film opens with Tom’s nervous audition for a sausage commercial using Richard’s opening soliloquy). For his research into the character of Richard, O’Malley frequents pubs where he becomes embroiled in a scam and solicits Tom’s help. When it goes wrong the two are forced to use their acting abilities to stay ahead of the game. The film features extracts from several scenes of a Nazi-themed production of Richard III including the opening soliloquy, Lady Anne’s wooing, and Richard’s death. O’Malley also has a project to perform Hamlet "with just the vowels".
Language
English
Country
Germany; Great Britain; Ireland; United States
Medium
Film
Technical information
Colour / Sound
Year of release
2003
Duration
91 mins; 8252 feet

Credits

Director
Conor McPherson
Producer
Neil Jordan; Redmond Morris; Stephen Woolley
Cinematographer
Conor McPherson; Seamus McGarvey
Screenplay
Conor McPherson
Music
Michael Nyman
Production Design
Mark Geraghty
Cast
Dylan MoranTom
Michael CaineO’Malley (Richard, Duke of Gloucester, later King Richard)

Additional Details

Production type
Fiction Films
Historical period
1930s
Plays
Richard III
Keywords
Shakespeare, William (1564-1616); Auditions

Notes

General
Adapted from a story by Neil Jordan.
Reviews
Leslie Felperin. Sight and Sound (vol. 13, issue 5, May 2003), p.38.

Production Company

Name

Bord Scannon nahEireann

Name

Company of Wolves

Name

FilmFour

Name

Miramax Films

Distributor (Sale)

Name

Retail outlets

Record Stats

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