I so admire subtlety in acting… a whole world of meaning conveyed ion the droop of the shoulders, the lift of the chin, the time it takes to blink… Loud, shouty, obvious acting just says ‘I am an actor!’ to me. Alec Guinness was the master; he could speak in low uninflected tones and convey everything that is going through a character’s mind, in his heart, and in his soul, just by slightly lowering his eyes, or an almost imperceptible tightening of the lips. Obviously this is difficult for an actor on stage who has to project to an audience, some of who may be hundreds of yards away, but on TV or film subtlety wins over shouty every time.
There is a certain style of acting which seems to predominate in TV soaps; there are all sorts of acting mannerisms which really put me off and that you see over and over, the exaggerated drop of the jaw, or the mouth left open in a silly gape, the flick of hair or the jerk of the chin, eyes rolling s if in a mime…. I’m sure they all went to the same drama school and had the same teacher.
For class acting, from even te most minor characters, even those who don’t speak but just hand a piece of paper to a lead, or answer a telephone in the background, it doesn’t get better than Forbrydelsen… I know I have become a little obsessed by it recently, but it is utterly gripping. The final two scenes of he second series, where the two main plot-lines are wound up are just magnificent. Sarah Lund, the investigating officer, walks away down a wide staircase, and other police officers part as they rush upstairs to let her down. You wouldn’t think a distance shot of a single woman walking slowly down the centre of a stairway could convey so much… heartbreak, disappointment, vindication, utter heart-weariness. Thomas Buch, the minister for justice, who has fought for that – for justice all the way through the series, fought against corruption and manipulation, threats and perhaps the destruction of his personal relationships, stands among a group of elated politicians who know they have beaten him and worn him down so he can fight no more. The flutter of his eyelashes as he seems to fight back tears, the utter bafflement, shame and disappointment, the complete defeat of himself morally has wounded him and you wonder how the character will eve forgive himself or survive into the future beyond the toll of the credits.
Some TV actors should watch Forbrydelsen to learn how to act… they don’t have to understand a word of it, they just have to watch and learn.
Lois Elsden 