Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Alec Guinness? Seriously?

  • 21-03-2007 2:29pm
    #1
    humanji
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,976 ✭✭✭✭


    I was just wondering about this: Why did Alec Guinness decide to be in Star Wars? I mean, when it was being made, George Lucas was about the only one who had any faith in it. The rest of the stars were fairly unknown, with the odd exception and the studio wanted to stop production several times.

    So why did he agree to it? Anybody know? I hate to think that he was so hard up for work that this was all he could get.


Comments

  • #2
    Shiva
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,401 ✭✭✭Shiva


    I remember reading somewhere that he was one of the few people who thought it would be a commercial success, and negotiated a cut of the profits. So, short answer - for the money :)
    I don't know how accurate that is though, or where I read it.

    I also remember reading that he hated the film itself, and up until his death would have nothing to do with it or the fans. He also had a clause in his contract that allowed him to avoid promotional work for it too.


  • #3
    AnCapaillMor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,920 ✭✭✭AnCapaillMor


    Heard that himself and ford hated it, ford tried to do his best to get out of them.


  • #4
    Pigman II
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,921 ✭✭✭✭Pigman II


    I heard that he actually liked the story and actively wanted to be involved. His enthusiam was an prompt to younger actors like Hamill and Fisher to trust in Lucas when his directorial style (which could probably most generously described as confusing).

    However Guinness was underwhelmed with the success of StarWars and esp the fact that in time it would become his most identifiable role.


  • #5
    faceman
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 16,663 CMod ✭✭✭✭faceman


    Guinness got agreement for profit sharing and had it in his contract that he did not have to do any promo for the film. However even he didnt foresee the massive success the film had and he began to resent the fans, seeing them as out of touch with reality and obsessive. He hated the dialogue in the script and in a interview once he commented that he asked lucas to kill off the character to avoid him coming back. However on the dvd's lucas comments that guinness didnt want the character killed off so i guess we'll never know who's right.


Advertisement