Remember That Movie: Arthur — The Gibson Review
thegibson
It’s a common complaint that Hollywood is a bit too remake-happy, usually setting its sights on good movies. Another remake is being released this week,  Arthur , starring Russell Brand and Helen Mirren. I decided to refresh my memory on the 1981 original that starred Dudley Moore to see how well th
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The Gibson Review
It’s a common complaint that Hollywood is a bit too remake-happy, usually setting its sights on good movies. Another remake is being released this week, Arthur, starring Russell Brand and Helen Mirren. I decided to refresh my memory on the 1981 original that starred Dudley Moore to see how well the classic comedy has held up over time. Is it ripe for a remake or has yet another good film been cranked through the remake machine when it should’ve been left alone?

In case you don’t remember, Arthur is about a jolly little rich guy who spends his days in excess and gets himself drunk whenever he is faced with uncomfortable situations. He begins, however, to crave more in life – someone to love. Arthur happens to meet Linda, a shoplifting aspiring actress with a sharp wit and a talent for talking her way out of trouble. Arthur is quickly taken with Linda, however his father threatens to cut Arthur off from his life of leisure unless he consents to marrying a socialite he doesn’t much like. Arthur must decide what is most important to him.

This is a charming little film that’s made wonderful by the relationship between Arthur and his butler, Hobson, played with stodgy relish by Sir John Gielgud. Hobson finds Arthur’s jokes and antics immature and annoying, but he puts up with all of it because he loves Arthur – and he’s fiercely loyal. When someone disparages Arthur behind his back, Hobson dryly fires back, “I wouldn’t know, I’m just a servant. On the other hand, go screw yourself.”

Gielgud spits out such jabs equally among the cast. He frequently throws barbs at Arthur and freely lets his snobbery show upon meeting Linda after Arthur aides in her petty crime and when visiting her father’s house. Hobson is condescending and sarcastic, yet never hateful. The film may be about Arthur finding love, but he’s already loved by Hobson and theirs is the real relationship at the film’s core.

In fact, Liza Minnelli’s role is quite minor as she only appears in roughly five scenes and is somewhat peripheral to the rest of the story. What is her character’s purpose other than to be Arthur’s love interest and to represent the complete opposite of Arthur’s lifestyle? She doesn't compel Arthur to do anything. As a matter of fact, Arthur resigns himself to a life without Linda and commits to his wedding with The Other Woman, Susan (Jill Eikenberry), even momentarily considering offering Linda the role of mistress.

It is Arthur’s father, grandmother, and Susan’s father who push him toward marrying Susan. It is Hobson who nudges Arthur and encourages him to make any positive decisions for himself.

My only problems with the film – and they are quite minor – are that it does seem to have its cake and eat it too at the end. I won’t spoil what happens during the film’s final moments for those who have yet to see it or don’t recall, but it goes beyond pat. A slightly more significant observation I had was I felt like I was watching a late-‘70s, early ‘80s sitcom like WKRP in Cincinnati or something. I tried to look up the specifics of how the film was shot or what the film’s budget was and came up short, but it often looks like a TV sitcom. This gives the film a slightly aged or dated look, but probably no different than, say, the aged black and white in a film like My Man Godfrey, thus not a legitimate criticism. I wouldn’t go so far as to say the story is timeless, but it and the performances have held up quite well after nearly 30 years.

Arthur won two Academy Awards; John Gielgud won Best Supporting Actor and the film won Best Song for ‘Arthur’s Theme (The Best That You Can Do)' by Christopher Cross, a decent bit of eighties soft rock. It has since grown quite a legacy. The AFI named the film the 53rd greatest comedy of all time and Arthur Bach is Dudley Moore’s most iconic role.

A sequel was made in 1988, Arthur 2 – On the Rocks. It was considered so bad that Dudley Moore disowned it, and many critics and fans have since ignored its existence. How bad is it? So bad that it included the ghost of one of the original film’s major characters.

Dudley Moore had only starred in a handful of movies before Arthur, most notably 1979’s 10 with Bo Derek. He went on to star in about a dozen more films before being stricken with a rare and untreatable form of palsy.

Before Arthur, director and writer Steve Gordon mostly wrote for TV (this background in TV may account for the film's look). He had a rather brief career after Arthur since, 18 months after his directorial debut was released, he died of a heart attack. Arthur was still playing in theaters at the time of his death.

Liza Minnelli previously made a big splash with 1972’s Cabaret. When Arthur came along, she hadn’t starred in a film since 1977’s New York, New York. Afterward, she would go on to star again with Robert De Niro in The King of Comedy, but little else on screen afterward.

John Gielgud, however, starred in many films before and after Arthur until his death in 2000, most notably Murder on the Orient Express, Gandhi, Elizabeth, and two versions of Hamlet. Gielgud is said to have refused the role of Hobson several times and only accepted when the salary became too big to ignore.

The part of Linda, according to IMDB, was offered to Mia Farrow, Farrah Fawcett, Goldie Hawn, Barbara Hershey, Diane Keaton, Jessica Lange, Bette Midler, Gilda Radner, Susan Sarandon, Cybill Shepherd, Meryl Streep, and Tuesday Weld. Also, Kay Lenz of 1986’s House is reported to have lobbied hard for the role.

The lead role was also passed around a bit before landing on Dudley Moore. John Belushi, Bud Cort, George Segal, and John Travolta were all offered the part.

The original Arthur may be getting on in years, but it’s hardly creaky. I could see the possibility of making the character a bit more topical and relevant to today’s financial climate, perhaps even easing off the alcoholic element of the character. That wouldn’t necessarily improve the story and it doesn’t appear to be the direction Russell Brand’s remake takes. At any rate, the original Arthur is a charming little comedy that overcomes its minor flaws with ease thanks to performances by Dudley Moore and Sir John Gielgud. It is a classic that needed not be touched.

8/10

Should you see it? Rent

Arthur is now available on Blu-ray, DVD, and Netflix Instant Streaming.