Life is no laughing matter. (Jeffrey Bernard Is Unwell (DVD))

Member Name: pjs21

Product:	Jeffrey Bernard Is Unwell (DVD)
Date:	10/06/03 (517 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good Script, Very Funny, Great Acting

Disadvantages: Nothing

Who the hell is Jeffrey Bernard? I hear you shout.

A fair question.

Jeffrey Bernard was a columnist for the Spectator who died in 1997, and yes, he was a real person. He was a well-known alcoholic who spent the majority of his life in the coach of horses pub, an address he apparently once gave out as his own.

Whilst trying to find out some information about him for this I found a fantastic tale of how he never owned a car and was too tight to pay for taxi. Instead, he would post himself a letter at the cost of 17p. When the post van came to deliver the letter he would scrounge a lift back into the village from the postman. On arrival to the village he would post himself another letter to guarantee a lift back in to the town the following day.

Anyway, I'm here to talk about the DVD, not the man himself.

This fantastic comedy/drama is the filming of a live theatre production. It was the brainchild of playwright Keith Waterhouse and stars the amazing Peter O'Toole as Bernard himself, and a talented cast of four more actors filling in all other characters as necessary.

Five o'clock in the morning and Jeffrey comes round from another nights drinking to discover that he has been locked in the pub. A hacking cough ceased only by lighting another cigarette, and a pathetic cry for hello only loud enough to be heard by him whilst pouring another drink, and we know he is settling in for the rest of the night.

So begins the life story of Jeffrey Bernard, his jobs, his friends and his loves.

Peter O'Toole is without doubt a highly rated film actor and one of this country's greatest, yet it is here on stage that he shows his true skill and knowledge of his craft. His understanding of his subject and his marvellous timing and use of language is truly amazing to watch.

He builds from a loud, vile, obnoxious, almost self pitying man?

"I could die here. It&#
39;s a good thing I can hold this stuff tolerably well if I were a yob or a Hooray Henry. By the time the pub opens again I could be one of those cases described by the coroner "Choked on their own vomit." Disgusting phrase, since when did you hear of someone choking on someone else?s vomit.?

? to a sad, lonely, heart-broken old man.

This however is not a depressing journey. The comedy in the play is constant and you find yourself laughing out loud throughout, mainly because of O'Toole?s genius comic sense. This is a truly colourful and outstanding performance. One of the best drunks ever to be seen on stage.

Support comes from Royce Mills, Timothy Ackroyd, Sarah Berger and Annabel Leventon and was directed by the Mr Theatre himself, Ned Sherrin.
As for the DVD there isn't really much to say. There are no special features, no interviews with the cast, or featurettes on designers. There is directors commentary, but I don't really count that as a feature.

It's just the play and that's it. 123 minutes of fantastic script and fantastic acting. This is one of the few theatrical productions to screen-things that holds up really well to being watched on the small screen.

For lovers of theatre, lovers of English eccentrics, lovers of good acting, and obviously, fans of Peter O'Toole, this is a must see.

As you would expect from a character that drinks and chain-smokes there is a lot of bad language in this so it's not one to watch with the kids. It is worth watching though.

Summary: