The Horse’s Mouth
Directed by Ronald Neame
Written by Alec Guinness from a novel by Joyce Cary
1958/UK
Knightsbridge Films
Repeat viewing/Netflix rental
[box] Gulley Jimson: I like it here: bricks and broken glass, and an old garbage can. It’s the story of my life.[/box]
Artistic genius isn’t too “pretty” in this comedy.
Gulley Jimson (Alec Guinness) has just been released from jail for making harrassing calls to his wealthy sometime benefactor Hickson (Ernest Thesiger). He is met by Nosey, a young man who worships his art. Gulley has nothing but bemused contempt for everyone. He is immediately on the phone to Hickson to try to cadge money for paints.
He also hits up Dee Coker (Kay Walsh), a combative plain spinster. She wants him to retrieve the paintings his ex-wife gave to Hickson to pay his debts and press-marches him in that direction. Sir William Beeder, another wealthy art patron has been trying to get his hands on one of Gulley’s early works.
Gulley manages to worm his way into the Beeders’ London flat while they are on vacation and proceeds to destroy it while painting a mural of the Raising of Lazarus. After he is caught at that, he turns himself to the wall of a church that faces demolition.
This is Guinness’s only screenwriting credit and it’s an antic somewhat messy farce that also manages to say something serious about the creative process. He’s marvellous as the completely uninhibited painter. Sometimes it’s all a bit much but mostly the film is very entertaining.
Alec Guinness was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium.
Trailer
