Article on Actors wearing Cardigans...

... i.e. in films and TV shows.

A moment please, in respect of the humble cardigan. The woolly garment, specifically the ones where the many strands of wool were visible to the mortal eye.

Previously only worn by those announcing to the world at large that they were in, how shall I put it - their olden years, or just cold and that was the first item they came across, has been adopted by the younger crowd and people with attitude.

First example to come to light, Tom Hardy as Forrest Bondurant in Lawless.

Worn during a confrontation with "law" enforcement officials, its hard to believe that it is a cardigan at all. Mr Hardy is not only a great actor, but also changing accepted rules of clothing at the same time.

Second, Guy Pearce as Jack Irish in the television movies. Just as confident as Mr Hardy's character, he wears the humble cardigan more than once, without any fanfare.

True, this is the same actor who once donned dresses and heels in an earlier film, but compared to wool, it pales, frankly. Added to that, he wears the wool in scenes with older men, other people noticing his wardrobe choices.

Another two, Sienna Miller and Keira Knightley in the Edge of Love. Its set in Wales, admittedly and in a period film, but I've known others to forgo the use of cardigan. Resistance, for example.

Another, more recent, The Hobbit, one of the dwarves, wore one. While declaring himself to be unafraid of the dangers ahead, one of which includes the dragon Smaug.

And at the summit of all this is:

Allan Corduner, best known for his recent portrayal of Verrocchio (Leonardo's friend and mentor) in the TV series Da Vinci's Demons - his cardigan wearing was in the film The White Countess. His character's name was Mr Samuel Feinstein and he was a friend to one of the leads, Sofia.

His best line in the film (he wasn't wearing a cardigan at the time, but had it been set later in the day, he would have been, so its a moot point) is after someone shouting "Dirty Jew" at him. Ralph Fiennes's character, Todd Jackson asks him, "Do you have to put up with a lot of that around here?"
He replies, "Was someone shouting something bad? - I didn't listen, luckily I'm hard of hearing. Riding around on that old wreck (motorcycle), ruins your eardrums."
Mr Jackson says, " Maybe that's just as well. I suppose you left Europe to get away from that kind of thing."
"To get away from that kind of thing? Mr Jackson, we had a terrible journey coming here. The children lost their dear mother and their grandfather. But we're here now, its safe, they can learn, play and grow up - that kind of thing - after what we endured - what is it? Nothing. I don't hear it - the children don't hear it."

After this start, long may it continue.

Its not an important boundary to break, but it is breaking nonetheless. And another to help the movement grow, the character of James Hunt in the recent movie Rush. Big blue cardigan. It was quite tasteful.

Comments

  1. This quote comes from a film that breaks the normal boundaries of making a film on people with mental illnesses.

    “[holding hands] Pat: Wait, what's this?
    Tiffany: I thought you were doing it.
    Pat: I thought you were doing it.”

    ReplyDelete

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