RIP Alan Rickman!

More sad news: great Character Actor Alan Rickman has died. He achieved stardom for his first movie role: dastardly criminal Hans Gruber in the classic “Die Hard” – but Rickman’s career was varied, everything from period dramas like “Sense & Sensibility” to the blockbuster fantasy series “Harry Potter”:

And of course, he was also in one of the best holiday films ever: “Love Actually.”

Here’s a look at two of his greatest roles!

BOW DOWN AND “DIE HARD”!

Perhaps the best action film ever, it was the movie that made Bruce Willis a superstar, playing New York City Detective John McClane, who arrives in Los Angeles to spend Christmas with his wife. Unfortunately, it is not going to be a Merry Christmas for everyone. A group of terrorists, led by Hans Gruber, is holding everyone in the Nakatomi Plaza building hostage.

Hello, Hans Gruber!

Alan Rickman steals the film – his first! – as the bad guy Hans Gruber, because he plays the character in an understated, sarcastic manner instead of as the “BAD GUY!”

Here’s the first exchange, by walkie talkie, between Rickman and Willis:

Hans Gruber: [on the radio] Mr. Mystery Guest? Are you still there?
John McClane: Yeah, I’m still here. Unless you wanna open the front door for me.
Hans Gruber: Uh, no, I’m afraid not. But, you have me at a loss. You know my name but who are you? Just another American who saw too many movies as a child? Another orphan of a bankrupt culture who thinks he’s John Wayne? Rambo? Marshal Dillon?
John McClane: Was always kinda partial to Roy Rogers actually. I really like those sequined shirts.
Hans Gruber: Do you really think you have a chance against us, Mr. Cowboy?
John McClane: Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker.

The scene in which Gruber and McClane meet was inserted into the script after Rickman was found to be proficient at mimicking American accents. The filmmakers had been looking for a way to have the two characters meet prior to the climax and capitalized on Rickman’s talent. It is one of the film’s highlights.

Hans: [Hans uses McClane’s gun and says something in an uninterpreted German on his CB Radio] Put down the gun, and give me my detonators.
John McClane: Well, well, well… Hans.
Hans: Put it down now.
John McClane: That’s pretty tricky with that accent. You oughta be on fucking TV with that accent. But what do you want with the detonators, Hans? I already used all the explosives. Or did I?
Hans: I’m going to count to three…
John McClane: Yeah, like you did with Takagi?
John McClane: [Hans pulls trigger] Ooops.
[Hans pulls the trigger a few times more]
John McClane: No more bullets. What do you think, I’m fucking stupid, Hans?
Hans: [elevator opens] You were saying?

Rickman’s First Movie!

“Die Hard” was Rickman’s first film. He got the role just after arriving in Los Angeles, and he almost turned it down!

Luckily, he took the part in an action movie and it made him a star!

Rickman went on to act in a number of popular movies, but one has become a holiday classic!

“Love Actually” is a series of inter-locking stories that take place during the holiday season: some are funny, and a few are sad – with an all-star cast including Rickman, Kiera Knightley, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Laura Linney, Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson.

Rickman plays a husband who is being pulled away from his family by a young co-worker…not the most upbeat of holiday stories, but Rickman handles the subject matter well…

His honest portrayal of an unfaithful husband gives the movie weight, and helps maintain a balance of humor, happiness, and emotional depth that makes the film a classic.

Rickman’s most recent film was one he directed as well: “A Little Chaos” with Kate Winslet

Alex and I are going to seek it out to pay tribute to his work and legacy…

RIP Alan Rickman!

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