Alternate Best Actor 1991: John Gielgud in Prospero's Books

John Gielgud did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying the titular character of Prospero’s Books. 

Prospero’s Books is a strange Avant Garde adaptation of the Tempest. 

John Gielgud plays the role of Prospero however not any version of the character you’d think in your typical adaptation. Although he is frequently visually onscreen the performance shares much in common with his stellar, largely vocal, performance in Providence. It is hardly exactly the same however as Providence. Even in his storytelling and ramblings he is distinctly a tangible human we are visiting through his night of random thoughts and ideas. Prospero here isn’t a character you can grasp onto in the same way; rather he is often literally at a distance in a near constant recitation of various speeches. A critical choice however as Gielgud is one of the very best actors to call upon for constant Shakespearean or at least Shakespearean-esque endless monologuing. Gielgud after all has this specific almost singing way of delivering the verse that I think is important here in creating the flow not only for his performance but for the film as a whole. As we need to prevent any stops or even more so feelings of strict repetition or even dullness. Gielgud skirts each by just the precision of his performance where there’s not a moment where you do not feel in assured hands as Gielgud presents us with every dictation and thought of Prospero through the film. 

Prospero isn’t Prospero as a character however in fact he is more so Shakespeare conceiving the world and characters as we also see him acting upon it. So Gielgud’s performance beyond his dictatorial delivery isn’t exactly a certain through line of a character in any kind of traditional sense, rather what Gielgud does is highlight certain aspects of the character and of the “creator” as we progress through the narrative. As we have moments of Gielgud where he brings a grandfatherly kind of grace, other moments where he switches to a more demented kind of fixated vengeance, others where he has a curious charm and joy all as Prospero. We don’t see the shifts as much as the picking up from one idea to another. As more so the creator Gielgud plays very much the power of the dictatorial god where there are moments of him placing his decisions on those in his view. Moments where Gielgud accentuates in his eyes a certain mischievousness of someone playing with his pets, sometimes that shifts to a calmer demeanor of a graceful man just doing what he sees as right in the moment, and even more so where his eyes glow of the more loving man allowing the character’s happiness at times. Although these elements are theoretically disconnected, Gielgud never feels disconnected in his one performance which is one of the natural flow, albeit in a purposefully unnatural way.

Gielgud’s performance delivers on its very specific task which he previously achieved with Providence which is to carry a film on his great voice. I would say Gielgud does so again and it is pivotal you have him where he never loses his specific tempo and control. I will say however the performance never exactly became more than just a marvelous bit of almost musicianship, where I admired the technique here more so than it connected with me on an emotional level beyond, well, admiration. And yes it is experimental but contrasting that Providence very much did connect with me both as an amazing bit of technique and genuine emotional impact in exploring a character. I don’t feel I really *know* Prospero from this, nor do I see where he’s coming or going, or even as some otherworldly entity. Having said all that, it is still incredibly striking work that in lesser hands would be completely lost in all the visual madness of what is going on around him, or he could’ve been monotonous. Gielgud does neither and instead consistently elevates the film. A film I wouldn’t say wholly worked for me as I honestly felt the style went from inspired to a little tiresome, to repetitive at times, however Gielgud’s work I found an essential anchor that carried me through the rough spots and highlighted the more exceptional moments from the film.