The Rebel AKA Call Me Genius, Further Comments

[moon_custafer]

So, the premise of this movie is that Tony is a passionate but supremely talentless artist who runs away to Paris where he somehow becomes the toast of the Rive Gauche and then accidentally becomes an art star when a famous art dealer (George Sanders) gets his worked mixed up with that of his friend Paul. Even before the latter happens, I think Tony’s popularity with the bohemians is supposed to be an emperor’s-new-clothes thing— but here’s the thing: his “bad” paintings really are more energetic and interesting then the movie’s “good” paintings.

Given that the movie ends with Paul making new paintings influenced by Tony’s style, and those paintings being acclaimed* maybe the point really is that it’s the synthesis of Tony’s enthusiasm and Paul’s skill that makes for great art. Apparently the movie was a favorite of many painters of the time, including Lucian Freud, and I’m curious to know how they interpreted it.

(also I’m pretty sure Tony had a green carnation in his lapel in one scene)

* Apparently all the paintings for this movie were done by the same artist, and the paintings seen at the end were taken from his most recent gallery exhibit.

ETA-- 

Apparently in 2002 the London Institute of Pataphysics reconstructed and exhibited all "Tony Hancock's" painting and sculptures from this movie.

Looks also like somebody did the same thing on a lesser scale and is trying to sell their copy of "Ducks In Flight."

Comments

[sovay]

it’s the synthesis of Tony’s enthusiasm and Paul’s skill that makes for great art. Apparently the movie was a favorite of many painters of the time, including Lucian Freud, and I’m curious to know how they interpreted it.

That's delightful. I can't remember—have you seen The Horse's Mouth (1958)? Alec Guinness' paintings in that one were done by John Bratby and range believably from confrontational and visionary to actually failed, scrap and start over from scratch. It's one of my favorite movies about visual art and The Rebel sounds like it might make a viable double feature.

(also I’m pretty sure Tony had a green carnation in his lapel in one scene)

Aw.

[moon_custafer]

have you seen The Horse's Mouth (1958)?

I haven’t. Another one for the list.

[moon_custafer]

Looked up Paul Massie (who plays Paul Ashby in this movie) and realized you saw him as the accuser in Libel: https://sovay.dreamwidth.org/1184729.html

[sovay]

Looked up Paul Massie (who plays Paul Ashby in this movie) and realized you saw him as the accuser in Libel

Oh, nice! I don't think I have seen him in anything else, although I know he's in Sapphire (1959).

[cuddyclothes]

Tony Hancock! One of my all-time favorite comedians. It was a shame he never caught on in the US, but few English comics did back then. The style was just too different for American audiences. I saw this years ago, I should again.

[moon_custafer]

I mostly knew him from his radio and television work, which is interesting to compare with say, The Goon Show, because it's (comparatively) realistic and character-driven.

[cuddyclothes]

I loved the Goon Show! BBC was playing it in the evenings back when I was there as a kid c. 1979. It has the kind of crazed energy I love. I still hear Col. Bloodnok's voice: "Curse this wind! I never should have eaten those balloons!"

[moon_custafer]

"Quick, Nurse, the screens!"

[cuddyclothes]

LOL!