Kenneth Williams: Fantabulosa! (2006) (TV)

Regisseur:

Andy DeEmmony

Drehbuchautor:

Martyn Hesford (written by)

Premierendatum:

13. März 2006 (UK)

Genre:

Biographie | Komödie | Drama

Plot:

Martyn Hesford's comedy-drama about the life and times of tortured comic Kenneth Williams based on his diaries.

Plot Keywords:

Masturbation | Male Full Frontal Nudity | Ill Health | Sexual Desire | Diary

Filmpreise:

1 win & 2 nominations

Nutzerkommentare:

An interesting if not totally successful character piece

Besetzung

Michael Sheen	...	Kenneth Williams
Cheryl Campbell	...	Lou Williams
Peter Wight	...	Charlie Williams
Beatie Edney	...	Joan Sims
Kenny Doughty	...	Joe Orton
Ron Cook	...	Peter Eade
Martin Trenaman	...	Tony Hancock
David Charles	...	Charles Hawtrey
Ewan Bailey	...	Kenneth Halliwell
Rachel Clarke	...	Barbara Windsor
Connor Garnet Comerford	...	Young Kenneth Williams
Beatrice Comins	...	St Joan / Actress
Timothy Davies	...	1st Doctor
Stephen Critchlow	...	Kenneth Horne
Guy Henry	...	Hugh Paddick

Länge:

79 Min

Produktionsland:

UK

Sprache:

Englisch

Farbe:

Farbe

Seitenverhältnis:

1.78 : 1

Tonverfahren:

Stereo

Dies und das:

Roy Holder plays a cameo part as the older road worker who talks to Williams when he opens flat window. Holder was a main character in the movie Loot (1970), by Joe Orton, Williams’ close friend.

An interesting if not totally successful character piece

From his early appearance on stage dressed as a girl as a child, Williams was always one for the limelight and always a rather, well, mincing character. It was a trait he put to good use across his career in comedies ranging from Round the Horne on the radio to the Carry On films on the big screen. At one time he was popular across the UK and perhaps the world, with his harshest critic being none other than himself. Being dropped from Hancock's Half Hour for just doing funny voices, he worries that he will fade without ever blooming, but then along came Carry On Sergeant.

To people of my generation, Williams is famous for his voice mannerisms and work on Willo-the-Wisp and his similar characters in the Carry On series of films. I watched this film to get a bit more background to the man and, although it doesn't do much to really get to grips with the man, it is certainly very interesting in painting a convincing picture of the man. Williams is presented as a rather peculiar man who is confused by his own sexuality, has a very close relationship with his mother, is viewed as a ponce by his father and was quite adored by his fans. The film ignores the detail of the Carry On films and barely shows his famous colleagues but instead focuses on Williams himself, spending a lot of time with him alone in his room, full of self-loathing, self-abuse and self-doubt. Although it is possible after the film to sum this character up into pigeonholes (as opposed to being an unique, real person) it is still interesting to get more information on what his life offscreen was like. It isn't a wonderful character study but it does enough.

Michael Sheen is a big part of the film working because he not only gets the impersonation spot on, he only has the ability to go beyond that and get close to producing a real person. The narration helps him but in his scenes he still produces a real person (or at least as close as the material was going to get). He is the main show here but he is well supported by Campbell as his mother and various impersonations from Edney, Trenaman, Charles, Clarke and a few others.

Overall an interesting and engaging film even if it doesn't totally get into the heart of character. Sheen's performance could easily have just been an impression but he does well to try and bring out more of the person behind the public personae. Not totally successful but interesting nonetheless.