Stage and screen star in spotlight
Ian McKellen talks about a life in film
Sir Ian McKellen, better known to many of his fans as Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings films, faces the camera to talk about the many aspects of his own life in a biographical documentary McKellen: Playing the Part.
“To this day, McKellen works mostly in theatre, and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1990 for his efforts in the arts. However, he has managed to make several quite successful forays into film. He has appeared in several productions of Shakespeare’s works including his well received Richard III (1995), and in a variety of other movies. However, it has only been recently that his star has finally begun to shine in the eyes of North American audiences. Roles in various films, Cold Comfort Farm (1995), Apt Pupil (1998) and Gods and Monsters (1998), riveted audiences.’ IMDb
The film will be screened at the Embassy at 10.30am on Wednesday, December 12 — note the change of Wednesday. Running time 92 Minutes.
The Cinema Group is one of the 30 groups to promote lifelong learning for those in the third age. Anyone interested in joining U3A Whanganui Inc, or being placed on the email list for notification of the film schedule, shouldsee Mark Humphrey before or after the film.
Film critic Andrew Murray gives the film 4/5.
“Director Joe Stephenson’s biographical documentary McKellen: Playing the Part is a fascinating insight into the life and work of veteran actor Sir Ian McKellen, from his childhood in Wigan and early acting career to his LGBTQ activism and thoughts on his twilight years. “The stage and screen star is a huge figure within our cultural landscape, and this intimate film allows us to get to know the man behind Gandalf, his ambitions, hopes and regrets — everything laid bare in this very human story.
“With the majority of the feature directly narrated by McKellen sitting in an armchair, much of the enjoyment of the documentary comes from just listening to him talk. Despite the performer’s opening comments that he’s always playing a different version of himself in interviews, his ability to recall anecdotes of his life and provide droplets of wisdom that only someone who has truly lived can do generates a warmth that compels you to absorb every syllable he has to say. While many of his recollections offer poignant reflections or fond memories, there are some specific segments where no ending comes. Whether these were points too upsetting for McKellen to divulge on camera or whether they were cut from the film out of courtesy is unknown, but what is certain is that the weight of these incomplete tales will hang over viewers.
Alongside the actual interview, the movie is composed of various parts of archive footage of McKellen’s theatrical and cinematic performances, as well as some photographs, which offers a tangible way for audiences to vicariously live through these moments. But where the picture relishes in itself the most is during black and white reconstructions of parts of the actor’s early life. These sequences are recalled with a knowing self-awareness, quite literally giving life to the events being described. One depiction of a stereotypically pompous Cambridge professor highlights the fun. The brief fourth-wallbreaking moments with the documentary crew bring a spirit of community rarely seen in cinema — again, this is used to illustrate a point rather than to serve aesthetics alone.
Perhaps that’s the best way to encapsulate McKellen: Playing the Part: it is about having fun with the man himself as he recollects the events that made him who he has become. The actor may have played dozens of parts in his life, but here he’s just playing himself.”