The Ghost of Richard Harris

I was fortunate to see a screening of THE GHOST OF RICHARD HARRIS last night at its North American premiere featured at this year's 2022 Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival. The film and its director, Adrian Sibley, provides the audience with an inside look into the provocative, complex life and fascinating career of the late Irish actor Richard Harris. The documentary contains several entertaining cameos and interviews with friends, family and colleagues including actor Russell Crowe, songwriter Jimmy Webb, actors Stephen Rea and Vanessa Redgrave and Harris' sons Damian, Jared and Jamie.

I wondered whether there was a need for a documentary about Richard Harris, who in the 20 years since his death hasn't maintained the almost mythological fame of his fellow hell-raisers Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole (the latter seen here rugby tackling Harris to the ground!) Director Adrian Sibley's achievement is to re-awaken our interest in a great actor (his performance in "This Sporting Life" is timelessly "real") and a unique singer (you try and attempt the range and colour of his performance of "MacArthur Park"). Sibley seems to have been given an open cheque book by Sky to travel everywhere necessary. He talks to all Harris's three sons and their mother (who died earlier this year), Jimmy Webb (writer of "MacArthur Park") and even - gasp! - Russell Crowe, who worked with Harris on "Gladiator". Thanks perhaps to Mum and the Harris boys, there's some great archive including home movies from Harris's childhood. The film is not hagiography. Harris behaved badly and several people speak ruefully about this. He also made a whole slew of minor films, a few with his second wife Ann Turkel, also now almost forgotten. Sibley stitches everything together with great ability. (He's been making films for well over 20 years). My only regret is the lack of his film bits prior to "This Sporting Life." All his other major roles are here including his late career revival as Albus Dumbledore. Sorry, but in my view his replacement, Michael Gambon, didn't have the Harris gravitas.

Richard Harris was a Hollywood hellraiser who briefly had a second career as a pop star, as he took Jimmy Webb's unlikely song 'MacArthur Park' to the top of the charts. As such, he's somewhat more interesting than many actors. But this documentary feels over-long, with substantial contributions from his family, most of whom confess it was hard to really get close to him. My overall feeling after watching this programme is of a straightforward person who threw himself head-first into life; but there's not much inherent narrative in such a biography, nor are we given a technical analysis of his craft. The story of his work with Jim Sheriden stands out as perhaps the definitive anecdote.

Really well done.

It was rough and tumble, just as Dickie, and Richard the actor, were.. as we come to realize they were mean in some ways, and bold, and contradictory, as well as loving, lovable, and endearing. By watching this film, we do come to understand these things.

There were points while watching, I wondered if I really wanted to continue with it, I was alarmed at how the film was making me feel. Nearly despondent, and very pessimistic. Very against my own nature. And yet, as the minutes passed, I came to realize I held similar views very deep down, and that Richard, and Dickie, held these views both of them, and they used visceral emotional reactions to it all, as powerful influences in their lives. For Dickie, it was boldness and an athlete's passion and power, and vision once notoriety had ensued.. and. Richard, the reincarnation, the actor, embodying so much of what he felt about the chaos he spoke about.

I'm glad I persevered. This film is a credit to the wondrousness that was Dickie Harris, and Richard Harris. I learned so much more than my earlier version of Richard Harris could ever have held.