Could anyone tell me why the poor beggar at the start of the film was thrown into jail, where he was to spend the rest of his life? Was it simply for his drunken insolence in telling the marquis to "have a good night"?
Surely this doesn't merit a life sentence?
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The guy playing th marques is awesome. Especially when he is old and picking at his vile face. One of the more memorable smaller roles in a Hammer film.
shareIts Richard Wordsworth who plays the beggar - have a look at another of his performances in 'The Quatermass Xperiment' where he plays the astronaut Victor Carroon. Great stuff!
shareAn interesting anecdote about his performance appeared on a TV blog: "My mother had a bit part in a Hammer horror film once. Her only scene involved a medieval banquet where a beggar was taunted into dancing for food scraps. The actor playing the beggar had asked her how long she had on the shoot, then winked and said: “don’t worry, I’ll get you an extra day’s work.”
So come the scene, he hams his performance to the sky assuming they’ll have to do retakes.
“Cut and print!” came the call. He hated the take and protested, but that’s what made it on to the screen."
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"The guy playing th marques is awesome. Especially when he is old and picking at his vile face. One of the more memorable smaller roles in a Hammer film."
Anthony Dawson-- who also played "Professor Dent" in DR. NO (1962), who Sean Connery pumped full of bullets even after the guy was unarmed & helpless! Legend has it he also played Blofeld in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, but was dubbed by Eric Pohlman.
And he plays C.J. Swan, the petty thief and roué who Ray Milland blackmails into murdering Grace Kelly, in Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder.
You might very well think that. I couldn't possibly comment.
He was given a life sentence because the Marquis said so. Such things happened in those days.
shareI thought that the beggar's tone & facial expression when he wished the marquis & his wife a "good night"appeared to have a sexual subtext.As though the beggar was telling the marquis that he(marquis)& his wife were going to be making whoopee & have fun but in a salacious manner on the beggar's part.The marquis immediately picked up on it,so did the guests as they all went silent after the beggar's comment,& the marquis was insulted by it.Being an egotistical despot & nasty fellow,the marquis then had the beggar thrown into his jail.Now the marquis was a reprehensible & vile character & the beggar didn't deserve a lifetime sentence in jail.However,the beggar was foolish making his suggestive comment in the first place.
shareIt could have been worse. He could have called the Marquis a 'Jive Turkey'...
shareHe said a sexual comment to the Marques and his bride, thats why
shareYes, it was him telling the marquis to have a good night. Poor guy, killing had been much more merciful. Bride tried to turn the marques´ head but no. Depraved guy.
shareThe Marquis was a major jerk and wanted to go on a power trip. I realize the beggar was disrespectful with his comment, but the Marquis was 10 times more disrespectful to him earlier. And a lifetime was a bit too much.
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