Burton or Farrell?

[dean]

Hi,Was just watching a bit of "Alexander the Great" with Richard Burton and was quite surprised to find that it wasn't half as corny as I expected it to be.Farrel was of course completely different- Burton could get away with the cliched behaviour on screen I suppose at the time that film came out.But to me, neither of them came 1% near to portraying Alexander, getting to show how he was- but anyway I suppose that I WOULD say that. Listening to a review about the new film I had to laugh when the commentator said that Hephaestion and Alexander "hug" alot.Having said that when all is said and done who do you think COULD successfully play ATG? All the best,
Dean.

[ruthaki]

NOT Leonardo di Caprio!!!
I saw the first Alexander film (with Burton) when it first came out, me being a young Alexanderfile, and I was bitterly disappointed with it. Although I liked Burton as an actor he was far too old to pay the part and, of course, seeing it in recent times, the sets are so phony. I happened to like the new Alexander film, saw it 3 times and enjoyed it more each time I did.

[lucian]

I stick by what I said before, that Colin Farrell did an amazing job playing Alexander, considering what he was given, which was not much. Richard Burton was BLAH. I have no other words to describe him. Plus I hate the fact that Hephaistion was pretty much obliterated from the film. Got to give it to Colin for this one!Luc

[xxx]

I would agree both Farrell and Burton were bad, Burton less so tho because he had 'the voice.'I think Paul Newman looked a bit like the King and could have made a decent Alexander:-) Or combine James Cagney and Errol Flynn and you would get close, very close - fire and charisma...My Alexander knowlegeable friends swear that Cruise as Alexander and Pitt as Hephaistion would have been 'perfect' a la Vampire Lestat.Unlike others, I do think DiCaprio can do a serviceable Alexander. He is a fine actor if you can get past his looks.