British actors to portray Russian characters ?!!!

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escapist's Avatar
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05-02-17
As of this second, two movies come to mind - The Hunt for Red October, and Enemy at the Gates. I love both these movies, but can't get past a 7/10 rating for either because they use actors from the UK to portray Russian characters, without the slightest bit of effort to mimic a Russian accent.

Like for instance, take Sean Connery in Red October. "and the sea will grant each man new hope, as sleep brings dreams of home"

Sounds like some Prince Charles giving an interview on BBC, more than a Soviet submarine captain. And, that, my friends, is comical ... to say the least.

I understand that sometimes, they need a particular actor for a given role, because his acting ability is most important (as opposed to his accent), so Sean Connery or Jude Law is chosen, and sometimes, it is easy to overlook that. But, sometimes it's not, and it comes off as being comical.

Thoughts ?



Blix the Goblin's Avatar
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05-02-17
What irks me about The Hunt for Red October isn't the accents, but how they start out speaking Russian and then switch to English and I'm just supposed to accept it. It took me completely out of the movie and I became incapable of taking the film seriously from that point on.

Either use actors speaking Russian, or speaking English with Russian accents. Both are fine, what isn't fine is trying to do both. Holy crap that movie irritates me



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05-02-17
Originally Posted by Blix the Goblin
What irks me about The Hunt for Red October isn't the accents, but how they start out speaking Russian and then switch to English and I'm just supposed to accept it. It took me completely out of the movie and I became incapable of taking the film seriously from that point on.

Either use actors speaking Russian, or speaking English with Russian accents. Both are fine, what isn't fine is trying to do both. Holy crap that movie irritates me
LOL, yup ! It irritates me too



The Gunslinger45's Avatar
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05-02-17
I thought the transition was fine. A style choice. As for The Hunt for Red October, it is one of my all time favorite films. I do like Enemy at the Gates too, but it is no HFRO. And I don't care what Sean Connery is playing, I accept whatever he is. Whether it is a Russian submarine captain, a Berber prince, or an Egyptian immortal with a Spanish name and a Scots accent. Zero f**ks are given, it is Sean Connery!



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Pathological cinephobe
05-03-17
How about Americans playing Russians? The two that come to mind (both of whom I really liked) are Alan Arkin (The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming) and Robin Williams (Moscow on the Hudson).
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escapist's Avatar
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05-03-17
Originally Posted by BoxOfficePoison
How about Americans playing Russians? The two that come to mind (both of whom I really liked) are Alan Arkin (The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming) and Robin Williams (Moscow on the Hudson).
Hmm, I haven't seen either of those. But, I have seen K-19, The Widowmaker. And, Harrison Ford was ***outstanding*** with his acting and his accent !

Robin Williams in 9 Months plays a Russian doctor, and he pulled it off superbly, too !

I think it depends on the ability of the actor to mold himself. And, sorry, but British folks just don't seem very good at doing that, with Russian accents ... in my experience.



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05-03-17
Originally Posted by escapist
Hmm, I haven't seen either of those. But, I have seen K-19, The Widowmaker. And, Harrison Ford was ***outstanding*** with his acting and his accent !

Robin Williams in 9 Months plays a Russian doctor, and he pulled it off superbly, too !

I think it depends on the ability of the actor to mold himself. And, sorry, but British folks just don't seem very good at doing that, with Russian accents ... in my experience.
I'd forgotten about Harrison Ford -- you're right, he was good.

Haven't seen Nine Months, but it sounds like I should, after Moscow on the Hudson. (Besides learning his Russian dialogue, Williams also learned to play the saxophone for that movie. The man was pure talent!)

I don't know about you, but I didn't have a problem with Gary Oldman as a Russian in Air Force One. But then Oldman is basically a chameleon anyway!

The worst fake accent I've probably ever heard was from Roddy McDowall, whom I normally love in anything, trying to pull off an American southern accent in an old "Night Gallery" episode. I was basically cringing, if not whimpering, through the entire show.



escapist's Avatar
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05-03-17
Originally Posted by BoxOfficePoison
I'd forgotten about Harrison Ford -- you're right, he was good.

Haven't seen Nine Months, but it sounds like I should, after Moscow on the Hudson. (Besides learning his Russian dialogue, Williams also learned to play the saxophone for that movie. The man was pure talent!)

I don't know about you, but I didn't have a problem with Gary Oldman as a Russian in Air Force One. But then Oldman is basically a chameleon anyway!

The worst fake accent I've probably ever heard was from Roddy McDowall, whom I normally love in anything, trying to pull off an American southern accent in an old "Night Gallery" episode. I was basically cringing, if not whimpering, through the entire show.
Yes, I'd forgotten about Oldman in Air Force 1. You're right .. he was decent.

Tom Hardy did an awesome fake Texan accent in The Revenant !!!

I guess there are exceptions to my generalization

Nine Months as a movie is meh, to be honest. But, Robin Williams was hilarious



SeeingisBelieving's Avatar
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05-03-17
Originally Posted by escapist
As of this second, two movies come to mind - The Hunt for Red October, and Enemy at the Gates. I love both these movies, but can't get past a 7/10 rating for either because they use actors from the UK to portray Russian characters, without the slightest bit of effort to mimic a Russian accent.

Like for instance, take Sean Connery in Red October. "and the sea will grant each man new hope, as sleep brings dreams of home"

Sounds like some Prince Charles giving an interview on BBC, more than a Soviet submarine captain. And, that, my friends, is comical ... to say the least.

I understand that sometimes, they need a particular actor for a given role, because his acting ability is most important (as opposed to his accent), so Sean Connery or Jude Law is chosen, and sometimes, it is easy to overlook that. But, sometimes it's not, and it comes off as being comical.

Thoughts ?
I'm just trying to imagine Sean Connery sounding like Prince Charles – it's tough work !

I was wondering escapist – are you from Russia? I just thought you might be that bit more attuned to the different accents in that region.

I'd expect Gary Oldman to have been really good. There's also Robert Carlyle in The World is Not Enough – I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on his accent because Scottish actors seem to be excellent at changing their accents for roles.