The Entertainer
The Entertainer

The Entertainer

1960Movie104 minEnglish

Archie Rice, an old-time British vaudeville performer sinking into final defeat, schemes to stay in show business.

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Insights

IMDb7.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes90%
Director: Tony RichardsonGenres: Drama

Plot Summary

In the fading seaside town of Blackpool, Archie Rice is a declining music hall comedian who desperately tries to keep his career and family afloat amidst changing times. As his performances grow more pathetic and his personal life unravels, he struggles with his professional ambition, his relationships with his children, and the looming reality of his obsolescence.

Critical Reception

The Entertainer was widely praised for Laurence Olivier's powerful performance and its stark portrayal of a fading era in British entertainment. Critics lauded the film's authentic depiction of working-class life and its poignant, often uncomfortable, exploration of ambition and regret.

What Reviewers Say

  • Laurence Olivier delivers a career-defining performance as the aging, desperate comedian.
  • The film masterfully captures the atmosphere of a post-war Britain and its changing entertainment landscape.
  • A poignant and often melancholic study of ambition, family, and obsolescence.

Google audience: N/A

Awards & Accolades

Laurence Olivier was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Archie Rice.

Fun Fact

Laurence Olivier reprised his stage role as Archie Rice for the film adaptation, having originated the character in John Osborne's play of the same name in 1957.

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TMDB Reviews

1 reviews
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

Certainly, Laurence Olivier is superb in this drama, but he is surrounded by a superior supporting cast that lend huge poignancy to this story. He is "Archie Rice", a seaside entertainer who has long since passed his use-by date. His quick ...