The Horse's Mouth

An amusing examination of the artist's spirit. Guinness is the obvious highlight as the rough-around-the-edges Jimson, but it's well-rounded enough. Those paintings were pretty sweet.

Amusing, worth a watch for Alec.

Not anywhere near as vulgar and barrier-smashing as it might think it is, but there's a kind of rapture to Alec Guinness' performance that makes it all worthwhile. He channels the "Artist as destroyer" shtick in entertaining fashion. Plus, it's nice when a fictional character's art is actually pretty decent (in this case, thanks are due entirely to John Bratby).

Another wonderful performance courtesy of Alec Guinness. Gulley is amusingly gruff and scruffy, yet the film walks a fine line between vulgar humor and tender characterization. Ronald Neame's direction is light and unpretentious, and the film features a few really striking paintings done by John Bratby. It seems to me a criminally overlooked little gem of classic British comedy.

Although given a considerably more upbeat ending than the novel upon which it is based (part of an accomplished triptych of novels by Joyce Cary, adapted by Guinness himself), this otherwise faithful adaptation is boisterous, undignified, and thoroughly delightful.

Another impressive role from Guinness (he's got some writing chops, too). Outside of his character the film doesn't have much depth, but it doesn't feel lacking in anything either.

Very funny and enjoyable study of the renegade artist spirit. Alec Guinness is wonderful as always, though the gruff voice he employs takes some getting used to. The same Prokofiev piece used in Love and Death is featured here to great effect. The film does tend to wallow in self-importance, but it's tolerable (except for Nosey's outburst at the very end, which really goes overboard).