The Entertainer

This depressing but fascinating film is another Olivier tour de force; the actor is compelling and unforgettable in a flawless performance that earned him an Oscar nomination. Olivier is a third-rate vaudevillian whose routines are crusty, unappealing, and decidedly boring. He appears in a broken-down music hall, once so popular with British audiences, playing to an almost deserted house. Olivier's home life is as shabby as his stage career. His wife is a shrewish alcoholic who nags him constantly about his failures. His father, a once famous entertainer, is dying yet Olivier prevails upon him to back just one more tawdry musical revue. Only his protective daughter tries to meet Olivier's emotional needs.