The Browning Version (1951)

I can’t remember why I rented this DVD but I’m glad that I did. The Browning Version is a British film, directed by Anthony Asquith in 1951. Michael Redgrave plays a bitter school teacher named Andrew Crocker-Harris who feels his life has been a complete failure. His health if failing, his wife detests him and his students see him as a joke.

Michael Redgrave won the prize for best actor at Cannes. His performance as Crocker-Harris is unforgettable. He becomes that quirky teacher we all had at some point in our lives. The voice he created for his character reminds me of Pete Postlewaite’s performance as Kobayashi in The Usual Suspects.

I’m willing to bet that Postlewaite watched the Browning Version a few times and based the character of Kobayashi on Michael Redgrave’s performance. Can anyone confirm this or deny it?

The film is well worth watching if you’ve never seen it. The Criterion Collection disc that I watched has an interview with director Mike Figgis. Turns out he did a remake of The Browning Version (1994) with Albert Finney playing Andrew Crocker-Harris. That disc will be going on my ZipList as well as a bunch of other Mike Figgis films I haven’t seen.

Posted in DVD Reviews at 11:01 PM