Paul Scofield, one of the greatest actors of the twentieth century, has passed away at 86.
Known as a quiet, reclusive man, Scofield rarely gave interviews and refused a knighthood in the 1960s. His acting spoke for him. His Oscar-winning performance as Thomas More in A Man for All Seasons is a family favorite, a rich and heartbreaking portrait of a saint that convinces without ever being sentimental. Part of his authenticity as the Catholic martyr who stood up to King Henry VIII in defense of his principles may be attributed to Scofield’s own inherent goodness: he was nicknamed “Saint Paul” among friends and associates who appreciated his humility and the simplicity of his family-oriented lifestyle.
Which isn’t to say he couldn’t play bad guys. Scofield oozed cultured menace as Burt Lancaster’s Nazi nemesis in John Frankenheimer’s The Train. The weight of the world found expression in his hangdog face and weary gestures as the melancholic French King in Branagh’s Henry V. He added warmth and gravitas to the role of Mark van Doren in Quiz Show, earning another Oscar nod. I watched him recently as the Ghost in Zeffirelli’s Hamlet (better known, I’m guessing, as Mel Gibson’s Hamlet). He is the highlight of the film — his grizzled face, low, mournful voice, and tortured eyes suggest an otherworldly, purgatorial ghost — a ghost who has truly harrowed hell. He was also towering as King Lear in Peter Brook’s 1971 version.
I hope that in Heaven he’ll be willing to repeat some of his greatest performances for the benefit of those unable to see them in this life: his Whiskey Priest in The Power and the Glory, Salieri in Amadeus, Uncle Vanya, Hamlet, Timon of Athens, Othello…basically anything he was ever in.
Goodnight, sweet prince, may flights of angels sing thee to thy rest…