The Beggar's Opera (1953)When the composer of an opera about a swashbuckling, wenching highwayman meets his hero's real life counterpart he's disappointed with his lack of dash. Director:Peter Brook |
|
| 0Share... |
The Beggar's Opera (1953)When the composer of an opera about a swashbuckling, wenching highwayman meets his hero's real life counterpart he's disappointed with his lack of dash. Director:Peter Brook |
|
| 0Share... |
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Laurence Olivier | ... | ||
| Hugh Griffith | ... | ||
|
|
George Rose | ... |
1st Turnkey
|
|
|
Stuart Burge | ... |
1st Prisoner
|
|
|
Cyril Conway | ... |
2nd Prisoner
|
|
|
Gerald Lawson | ... |
3rd Prisoner
|
|
|
Dorothy Tutin | ... | |
|
|
George Devine | ... | |
|
|
Mary Clare | ... | |
|
|
Edward Pryor | ... |
Filch
|
|
|
Athene Seyler | ... |
Mrs. Trapes
|
| Stanley Holloway | ... |
Mr. Lockit
|
|
|
|
Daphne Anderson | ... |
Lucy Lockit
|
| Eric Pohlmann | ... |
Inn Keeper
|
|
|
|
Yvonne Furneaux | ... | |
Authentic rendering of John Gay's 18th century musical, filmed in Technicolor, about Captain MacHeath, a highwayman, and his love for too many beautiful women. Betrayed by Jenny and Sukey, two of his bygone lovers, and temporarily freed by two others, MacHeath is arrested and condemned to death. While waiting to be hanged, the captain is entertained by a musical beggar, who has written an opera of which the highwayman is the hero. Written by Mike Rogers <MICHAELPEM@aol.com>
This was a very enjoyable movie especially if you like period pieces and/or musicals. Hearing Laurence Olivier sing is reason enough to watch this. The cinematography is outstanding and the movie as a whole is very colorful.
Obviously, the song "Mack the Knife" made famous by Bobby Darin, Louis Armstrong and Frank Sinatra is based on this opera/movie. MacHeath is in the opera/movie as is Jenny Diver and Sukey Tawdrey. Louie Miller, Lotte Lenya and Lucy Brown are mentioned in the song (and not in the opera/movie) but, after all, MacHeath was a notorious highwayman and ladies' man.