Hollywood actor backs Hadleigh's King Guthrum Group's memorial campaign
By Derek Davis
3rd Jan 2022 | Local News
In the first part of his exclusive interview with Huw Roberts for Hadleigh Nub News, Michael York OBE talked about his campaign for greater awareness of the rare disease of amyloidosis. In this second part, Michael gives his support to the idea of a memorial to Hadleigh's first historical personage, King Guthrum.
Here's how it came about.
I read the recent comments about a memorial to Guthrum, the story of this national historical figure, and of his link to Hadleigh.
I was reminded of a film I saw when I was boy. It must have been 1974 or 75. I was 11 or 12, attending an old-fashioned all boys' school on the Welsh border. Some of the masters still wore gowns, and in the assembly hall was an old map of the world, still with the pink of the British Empire over large parts of it. As a rare treat, one afternoon each year, the school would hire a projector and put on a film for us all.
That year the film was the historical epic 'Alfred the Great'. As a boy, I loved the battle scenes, the Vikings, and the history. But one scene stuck with me into adulthood: a love scene between Guthrum and a Saxon princess, in which the camera followed the fur that covered them as it fell to the ground. At this point, all us boys cheered. Mr. Pinner, the teacher who had gone to the trouble to get hold of the film, told us all to shut up if we wanted to see the rest of the movie, which we did.
The actor playing King Guthrum was Michael York.
By the time of the film's original release, 1969, Michael was already a star, having played Tybalt in Zeifferelli's iconic film 'Romeo and Juliet'. He went on to star in many more great movies such as 'Logan's Run', 'The Three Musketeers', 'Murder on the Orient Express', and 'Cabaret'. More recently, he played Basil Exposition in the Austin Powers movies. His TV appearances include 'Jesus of Nazareth', 'Knots Landing', 'Curb Your Enthusiasm', and 'The Simpsons'. On stage, he's played Hamlet, and had major roles in productions of 'Under Milk Wood', 'Bent', 'The Crucible' and 'Camelot'.
Michael's versatility is remarkable yet unremarked on. Whatever he's in - thriller, comedy, musical, historical drama, the audience never think he is playing a character outside his range or against type. That's quite a trick to pull off.
When the idea of Guthrum's memorial came up, I thought of Michael York and wondered what he would think about it. I contacted his agent, and, amazingly, Michael very kindly agreed to an interview.
Michael has suffered from a rare disease, amyloidosis, since 2009. He is a campaigner for more research and greater awareness of the disease. Michael talked about this in the first part of our exclusive interview.
Michael was patient with me, charming, and from the start was enthusiastic about the idea of a Guthrum memorial. I got the impression he knew how to run an effective campaign. Not surprising, given how well he has campaigned for amyloidosis sufferers.
Here's what Michael had to say.
Q. In your autobiography 'Accidentally On Purpose: An Autobiography' (also available as 'Travelling Player') that the production of 'Alfred the Great' was quite troubled. What are your abiding memories? "My abiding memory is of a glorious summer (the finest in decades) spent in the far west of Ireland, living in a castle, and spit-roasting the plentiful local salmon over an open fire. With a very interesting and challenging role to play in an epic film, with a charismatic co-star." Michael's co-star was David Hemmings, who was living in another castle nearby during the shoot. In his autobiography, Michael tells the very 60s anecdote of how Hemmings injured himself during high-jinx at party with the photographer David Bailey and guests, attempting to climb the castle keep. "My wife Pat [Pat York, an accomplished photographer herself] and I were newly-weds and this was the absurdly romantic setting of our first home together." "The movie was not without problems. My own chief concern was the script. When I signed on I had been promised a re-write, but it never came. Vivien Merchant [who played the princess Freda] who has also been promised a dialogue revision, insisted on playing her role as a mute when the re-write was not forthcoming." Q. What about the final film? It got mixed reviews on release but has since had something of a rehabilitation. What did you think of it then and have you seen it recently? If so, has your view of it changed? "When the film was released I remember experiencing a certain relief that the finished result was acceptable, if not brilliant. I haven't seen it since then and would be curious to know my reaction now after all these decades have passed. However, I'm quite happy to live with a rose-tinted retrospective version. I'm delighted to hear, however, that its reputation has been rehabilitated." Q. Looking through your filmography at around that time, it looks pretty packed and the roles and genres very varied (Alfred the Great, The Guru, Justine, The Strange Affair). In fact, the same can be said of your entire career – drama, thrillers, comedies, musicals. I can't think of many other actors who have pulled that off. Have you deliberately strived for variety in the parts you take, and do you have a preferred genre or type of role? "Yes, I have deliberately tried to vary roles and genres. I have also filmed in French, Italian, Russian and even in Anglo-Saxon. "A nightmare for me would be having to play the same part throughout one's career, but other actors welcome this assurance of predictable employment and income. It's called "the golden handcuffs" when long-term commitment is traded for significant remuneration. Me - I prefer my freedom and have managed to get out of every contract I have ever been obliged to sign." Q. In the film, the character of Guthrum is quite a nuanced one in that he is an antagonist who has some virtues. The contrast between him and the Alfred character is not black and white. How did you find playing him? "Shakespeare teaches us that there are no character absolutes. If you are one thing you are sure to be a little of another. It's certainly more interesting and truthful to interpret roles that way. Guthrum would otherwise have been a big noisy bore." Q. In contrast to Alfred, Guthrum is not well remembered (even in Hadleigh). Do you think Guthrum deserves a better place in history? "I think Guthrum's place in history – certainly in local history – is very well-deserved. Let's do something about that." To find more details or to play in a part in the campaign to memorialise Guthrum in Hadleigh, contact Huw Roberts: [email protected] Add your story, feature, letter, or picture by using the black Nub It button on the home news page.
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