Submitted by
Neal Lofthouse
Anton Walbrook
By Tom Dysart
Picturegoer Saturday December 25 1937
An appreciation of the Viennese actor who plays Prince Albert in Victoria the Great and has already founded a firm reputation with only three English-speaking pictures.
A few months ago Anton Walbrook didn't exist for English-speaking audiences. Today he has a better than even chance of taking a place among the few really great stars of the screen. The story behind those facts is the story of one actor and three films.
A few months ago Continental actor Adolph Wolbruck was offered a Hollywood
contract. He accepted, after much consideration; and was re-christened
Anton Walbrook, just to make it easier for us.
Chracteristically, Hollywood chose to introduce this new find as a glamorous
personality rather than as an actor; and to do so made over as Michael
Strogoff his most catchily colourful European success.
[The French film Michel Strogoff (1935) was remade as The Soldier and the Lady (1937) for R.K.O.]
Walbrook's performance was honestly sincere and effectively dashing, but
he wasn't given a chance to show what a fine actor he really is. The film
itself was a patchily grandiose affair that stirred filmgoers' imaginations
only superficially.
The coolness of its reception makes me wonder what might have happened to
Walbrook, had not R.K.O.-Radio just at that time decided to tie up with
Herbert Wilcox on a long-term producing and distributing arrangement..
Perhaps he would have waited around anxiously for a long time, got bored
with hoping for a better break, and finally returned to Europe, where he
had a big reputation. But, things being as they were, he got instead the
part of the Prince Consort in Victoria the Great.
It was a lucky break for Walbrook as far as his career in Anglo-American
films was concerned. For it took the seemingly inspired casting of him as
Albert to show the English-speaking world that there was in existence a
great actor it hadn't met.
His performance was as near to being beyond criticism as a portrayal can
be. All the charm, strength of character, the courage, the tenderness, the
fine powers and the human qualities of a man England understood but little
are brought out in it. And the superficial things, likeness, bearing, accent
and the rest were so absolutely right. Walbrook stated his claim to eminence
conclusively in Victoria the Great.
He has since made The Rat. The step from historical nobility to gutter-rat melodrama was a tricky stride indeed. But Walbrook took it with the ease of a giant.
The Tough Romantic
Here is a story, devised by a clever craftsman of the theatre, built cunningly
around a shabbily glamourous central figure, a worthless gallant such as
always has captured our illogical imaginations.
Cast the central figure badly, or let him be played by a poor actor, and
your film is doomed. But Walbrook is no poor actor. His Rat, if anything,
transcends the story. You do not look for depth of characterisation in a
portrayal of such a fellow, neither is it strictly necessary; it is enough
if his adventures capture your imagination, and create a pleasant, numbing
glamour.
But Walbrook, even though playing such a romanticised rogue, was too good
an actor to shirk the challenge. Like any other born actor, he had to try
to make the character seem not only attractive, but real.
That is why his performance is worth watching and remembering. It presents
no glamorous Chelsea Arts Ball apache, with picturesque blouse, knotted
scarf and flowing locks. Walbrook wears a truculent gor-blimey cap, a waisty
suit with padded shoulders and exaggerated cut, and a coarse sweater underneath.
He doesn't look romantic; he looks tough.
And he behaves that way. There are blows, not stylishly given, for those
who cross him; harsh words for women who irritate him.
He sulks and shouts when things go wrong. There is often a snarl in his
words of affection. When he is bored he flings himself petulantly on the
bed and stares moodily at the ceiling.
But at the same time he has decent instincts, such romantic ones as the
proverbial thieves' honour, and elemental integrity.
By showing the realistic side of the character, and letting more artificial
qualities develop implicitly, Walbrook achieves a portrayal that is a subtle
blend of realism and romanticism. Not many actors could have done as much.
But the effort has been worth the candle, for it is Walbrook's strong bid
for realism that helps to give the story humanity and grip.
I have dealt at length with Walbrook's portrayal of the Rat, because it
proves that he is one of those rare actors who, when there is an alternative,
choose the harder way which, if successfully followed, will produce a better
result.
Such a course would be commendable in any actor, but it is doubly worthy in Walbrook's case because, as he showed in Michael Strogoff, he has enough romantic dash and fire of personality to have played the part for its superficial romanticism.
Make a point of seeing Walbrook in The Rat as well as in Victoria the
Great; and if you have previously seen Michael Strogoff, so much the
better.You will find no repetition in the two later pictures, but you will
find a striking display of versatility.
You will see instinctive sincerity expressed through two widely differing
characters. You will see, too, the result of a fine feeling for detail,
and a brilliant faculty for seeing a character in the round, instead of
just flat. Above all, you will be impressed by the great range that this
actor, until a few months ago almost unknown to English-speaking filmgoers,
has at his command.
It will give you, I hope, a deep respect for his powers and possibilities
; but that respect may increase when you learn that he has not yet shown
to English-speaking audiences the style of acting with which he is most
familiar and upon which his great continental reputation, which covers half
a dozen countries is founded.
Walbrook, by inclination and the majority of his experience, is a light
comedian. He is actually something between a William Powell and a Robert
Montgomery, as you can appreciate from the fact that he originally played
the part in Maskerade that William Powell later took in its Hollywood
version, Escapade.
Best Since Boyer
Any actor, therefore, who can so easily step out of type, although Walbrook
has never really been typed in the Hollywood sense, and give a performance
of the callibre of his Prince Consort, is one of most uncommon ability.
That is he equally at home in the heroics of Strogoff and the romanticism
of The Rat is needless emphasis of the fact.
It might be a good thing if Walbrook could next be seen in a light comedy
role. Although he has proved his ability as an actor, he has not yet revealed
his natural personality, except, perhaps, in his early scenes in Victoria
the Great. A modern picture would enable him to do so; and even though
it might not do much for his prestige as an actor, it would do wonders for
his popularity in this country.
In my estimation, Walbrook is the most interesting Continental player to
have been introduced to English and American filmgoers since Charles Boyer.
And he has a personality more likely to catch the popular fancy than Boyer's.
The Wilcox-R.K.O. Radio people have a ready made star in their possession.
Three quick, good pictures would take him straight to the top. I hope they
will make them.
