Here is a secret. I once had a sexy dream about John Cleese. I had to have a shower after.
Fawlty Towers Page 2
Connie Booth is going to speak about Fawlty Towers for the first time:
Some developments currently going on could result in Fawlty Towers becoming looking a little bit more dated.
Catalonia, of which Barcelona is the capital, is currently holding a referendum on independence from Spain.
I lived in England in 1979 for six months but missed the series on TV. Went back to live in Lincolnshire area in 1991 and it was only then when I discovered FT. Bought just three episodes in a videotape and the Book. Read it so many times cause the script in itself is a masterpiece. As mentioned in another thread, I personally believe the Manuel part could have been better performed by more resorceful actor, even thou it did make people laugh cause it was the fool role, it was not at par with the cast.
luis
The scripts are a very funny read which shows how strong the writing was.
And Sachs was perfect as Manuel. Maybe he's not the broadest of actors, but all the detail was perfect, the accent, the innocence, the feigned innocence, the Spanishisms, the little quirks that made him so likable to the audience and ofcourse his refusal to dislike the man who treated him so shabbily. Perfect.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ December 13 2009, 1:07 PM GMTAnd Sachs was perfect as Manuel. Maybe he's not the broadest of actors, but all the detail was perfect, the accent, the innocence, the feigned innocence, the Spanishisms, the little quirks that made him so likable to the audience and ofcourse his refusal to dislike the man who treated him so shabbily. Perfect.
I've never had a problem with his performance either.
His granddaughter, on the other hand...
No, that was Russell Brand's performance she was disappointed with.
I understand, no big deal. It's just a personal feeling. I am very critical of roles which are deliberately made to be foolish and make fun for that. It's an easy way of making laughs but a difficult way of making it with excellence.
I'm able to separate completely text from acting. Give the same actor an unfunny text and see the difference.
I appreciate David Schneider as the fool Bradley in "The Peter Principle", Mackenzie Crook in The Office, but dislike Sachs or Tim Robinson as Baldrick.
luis
Quote: luis kmentt @ December 13 2009, 2:23 PM GMTdislike Sachs or Tim Robinson as Baldrick.
luis
Are you insane man? *Books BCG firing squad for trip to Brazil*
Quote: luis kmentt @ December 13 2009, 2:23 PM GMTI understand, no big deal. Its just a personal feeling. I am very critical of roles which are deliberately made to be foolish and make fun for that. Its an easy way of making laughs but a difficult way of making it with excellence.
I think you're forgetting that, in fact, all Spaniards are pretty much exactly like Manuel. (Most of them wear bow ties and hide rats from their employers, for example.) For me, it was the least heightened performance in the show.
Quote: Tim Walker @ December 17 2009, 12:25 PM GMTI think you're forgetting that, in fact, all Spaniards are pretty much exactly like Manuel. (Most of them wear bow ties and hide rats from their employers, for example.) For me, it was the least heightened performance in the show.
Disagree. I felt Sachs performance, particularly in the physical comedy was most excellent and whilst perhaps the accent wasn't pluperfect I thought everythimg else bang on. Plus he was a caricature. As for the bow tie, he was a waiter! He did not wear it on his days off 
*Realises how sad this post is and falls on sword* 
Quote: roscoff @ December 17 2009, 1:48 PM GMTDisagree. I felt Sachs performance, particularly in the physical comedy was most excellent and whilst perhaps the accent wasn't pluperfect I thought everythimg else bang on. Plus he was a caricature. As for the bow tie, he was a waiter! He did not wear it on his days off
*Realises how sad this post is and falls on sword*
His in-and-out scenes from the dining room timing with Cleese were great, he is an excellent actor and did his role well. But in such a sitcom with a marvellous sarcastic text, he was the least funny of all because his part was to play a fool non-english speaking waiter loyal to his arrogant boss, ok.
I just think he could have been funnier with a different acting approach of "poor-fool" Manuel. Just my personal opinion. A funny laugh in the wrong moments, one-word comments in certain scenes, etc.
Manuel was a rich charachter that could have been more hilarious but the chance was lost. If you read just the Book its still the least funny of all, even the two old ladies or the Colonel were funnier.
luis
Perhaps it's unfair to criticise his performance now, 30+ years after the event, because times have changed. Back then, there really were a lot more Spanish waiters in England, and our attitude to stereotypes was very different. At the time, his performance was perfectly judged, in that context.