It's funny, but Jack Hawkins a relatively unknown character actor was married briefly to the famous Jessica Tandy. However, while Jessica in the 50s was barely heard of, Jack became a major star. then after he died Jessica came back again with Driving Miss. Daisy.
Jack had a good supporting role as the bad guy in Douglas Fairbanks jnrs thriller State Secret, but in 1952 Hawkins made 3 films that would turn him into a star. He played a station commander in the RAF war film Angel One Five with John Gregson and Michael Dennison. then came Mandy, where he played a headmaster of a deaf school. Phyliss Calvert. i what i think was her best film played the mother of a deaf girl, played brillaintly by Mandy Miller.
however, it was The Cruel Sea with Donald Sinden that really got his career going. it was a more realistic Naval film than In Which We Serve in which Hawkins gave one of the greatest performances of his life.
Jack teamed with Anna Lee for John Ford's Gideon's Day, in a film about the day in the life of a Police chief. John Gregson and Daphne Anderson played the roles in tvs Gideon's Way
the one film that might rival TCS as his best was the outstanding League Of Gentlemen, where he played a reluctantly retired army Colonel, who inlists the help of other ex-servicemen through means of blackmail to rob a bank. Nigel Patrick, Richard Attenbourgh and Bryan Forbes also starred
Jack began to revert back to character roles for Zulu and Laurence Of Arabia, before throat cancer took away his wonderful speaking voice. in the 70s he took a risk with an operation to restore his voice. it appeared to have worked, but not for long. he died in hospital
Jack Hawkins, great middle-aged actor
CRUEL SEA is strong but my two favorites are GIDEON'S and LEAGUE OF GENTLEMEN.
I'm waiting for SMALL BACK ROOM to arrive, but could you discuss Jack's performance in it? How important is he?
(For example, I vaguely recall him in BRIDGE OVER RIVER, but every time I see it, I recall how important he actually is - he really is a power to his scenes. But after months of not seeing it, I tend to recall the two or three main characters instead, belittling Jack unjustly.)
I'm waiting for SMALL BACK ROOM to arrive, but could you discuss Jack's performance in it? How important is he?
(For example, I vaguely recall him in BRIDGE OVER RIVER, but every time I see it, I recall how important he actually is - he really is a power to his scenes. But after months of not seeing it, I tend to recall the two or three main characters instead, belittling Jack unjustly.)