The Horse's Mouth (1958)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Ronald Neame

Writers:

Joyce Cary (novel)
Alec Guinness (writer)

Release Date:

11 November 1958 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Smart Alec

Plot:

A somewhat vulgar but dedicated painter searches for the perfect realization of his artistic vision, much to the chagrin of others.

Plot Keywords:

Painter | Nude Model | Thames | Painting | Screwball

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 4 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Alec Guinness	...	Gulley Jimson
Kay Walsh	...	Coker
Renee Houston	...	Sara Monday
Mike Morgan	...	Nosey
Robert Coote	...	Sir William Beeder
Arthur Macrae	...	A.W. Alabaster
Veronica Turleigh	...	Lady Beeder
Michael Gough	...	Abel
Reginald Beckwith	...	Capt. Jones
Ernest Thesiger	...	Hickson
Gillian Vaughan	...	Lollie

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #19408) | Finland:S | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

Knightsbridge Films

Trivia:

Mike Morgan died ten days before the end of shooting. Some of his lines were dubbed by an unknown actor in post-production.

Quotes:

Miss D. Coker: Excuse me, Mrs. Monday, I'm Miss D. Coker, a friend of Mr. Jimson's and we want a few words with you, and not in the street, if you please.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Curious George (2006)

Soundtrack:

LIEUTENANT KIJE

dare I say timeless?

This is probably my favorite movie. It may be overstatement to call a mere British comedy a timeless classic, but this outstanding movie, beneath its raucously madcap surface, has some very serious things to say about what it means to be an artist, to be driven by visions while living in a society that doesn't care. I think Guinness is the greatest actor of the century, and that his performance here as the maddening, irascible, impossible Gulley Jimson is the zenith of his movie roles. They don't make them like this anymore.