Editing Michael Hordern (section)

====''Cleopatra'' and the 1960s====

[[File:Cleopatra poster.jpg|thumb|right| ''[[Cleopatra (1963 film)|Cleopatra]]'' (1963), in which Hordern played the orator and philosopher [[Cicero]]]]

In 1960 Hordern played [[John Tovey, 1st Baron Tovey|Admiral Sir John Tovey]] in the British war film ''[[Sink the Bismarck!]]'', based on the book ''[[Last Nine Days of the Bismarck]]'' by [[C. S. Forester]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120712170748/http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b6b607180 "Sink the Bismarck! (1960)"], [[British Film Institute]], accessed 16 November 2015.</ref> and with a plot reminiscent of his naval days.<ref name="HORDERN66-67" /> With a few smaller roles in between, Hordern started work on the American [[Epic film|epic]] historical drama film ''[[Cleopatra (1963 film)|Cleopatra]]''. It was made in 1962 and, according to the actor, was "the most extraordinary piece of film-making in which I had the pleasure to take part".<ref>Quote by the author; Hordern, p. 114.</ref> He played the Roman orator [[Cicero]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120711202742/http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b701ea47f "Cleopatra (1963)"], [[British Film Institute]], accessed 29 August 2015.</ref> and was hired on an eight-week contract which due to various setbacks, including cast sickness and adverse weather conditions, was extended to nine months.<ref name="HORDERN115-116">Hordern, pp. 115–116.</ref>{{#tag:ref|Hordern cited various reasons which held up production: [[Elizabeth Taylor]] was taken ill several times during filming; Rex Harrison refused to film scenes unless the producers paid his chauffeur's bill; location filming was often delayed by the bad weather, and financing had to be continually reviewed owing to the frequent problems. Because of this, schedules had to be changed at the last minute, causing scenes to be brought forward. Such was the rush, script changes had to be written on scrap paper which would then often go missing. Because of the quick changes, scenes were often filmed the next day which left little time for performers to learn the revised scripts. Hordern likened the manic experience to being back in repertory theatre as he felt that that too was often unorganised and required the cast to frequently improvise. Filming took so long on ''Cleopatra'' that the boy employed to play Caesar's son had grown too tall during production and had to be replaced for [[Continuity editing|continuity]] reasons.<ref name="HORDERN115-116" />|group= n}} Much to Hordern's annoyance, the film would require him to work once again with Rex Harrison, who was cast as [[Julius Caesar|Caesar]]. Despite the animosity between them, they agreed to endure each other's company for the sake of the film. The agreement was short-lived; Harrison made a drunken quip at a cast dinner about ''Nina'' which prompted Hordern to assault him. The incident almost resulted in Hordern's dismissal, but the matter was quickly resolved by producers and the two were kept separate in between filming. In 1993 Hordern claimed the incident had "cleared the air"<ref name="HORDERN119">Hordern, p. 119.</ref> between them and they eventually became friends.<ref name="HORDERN119" /> After ''Cleopatra'''s release, Hordern made a return to films, appearing in ''[[The Spy Who Came In from the Cold (film)|The Spy Who Came In from the Cold]]'' (1965),<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120712181228/http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b6b71f3bf "The Spy Who Came In from the Cold (1965)"], [[British Film Institute]], accessed 16 November 2015.</ref> ''[[Khartoum (film)|Khartoum]]'' (1966, as [[Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville|Lord Granville]]), ''[[How I Won the War]]'' (1967),<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120713141925/http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b6acb7658 "How I Won the War (1967)"], [[British Film Institute]], accessed 16 November 2015.</ref> ''[[Where Eagles Dare]]'' (1968),<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120713075901/http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b6ba99276 "Where Eagles Dare (1968)"], [[British Film Institute]], accessed 16 November 2015.</ref> and ''[[Anne of the Thousand Days]]'' (1969, as [[Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire|Thomas Boleyn]]). He was also featured in the Roman [[farce]] ''[[A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (film)|A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum]]'' in 1966.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120713175959/http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b6aabdea2 "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" (1966)], [[British Film Institute]], accessed 23 January 2016.</ref>

Hordern first met the British theatre director [[Jonathan Miller]] in 1968. Miller, who had long been an admirer of Hordern,<ref>Croall, p. 61.</ref> offered him the part of the agonistic Professor Parkin in his forthcoming television drama "[[Whistle and I'll Come to You (1968 film)|Whistle and I'll Come to You]]". Hordern, who had heard positive things of Miller from theatrical friends, likewise thought highly of the director, and was quick to take up location filming in [[Norfolk]] that year. He came to like Miller's way of working, such as having the freedom to improvise instead of adhering to the strict rules of a script; the actor wrote in his autobiography that he had never experienced that degree of professional freedom.<ref>Hordern, p. 137.</ref> The programme was released towards the end of 1968 and was a hit with audiences and critics. Mark Duguid of the [[British Film Institute]] called it "a masterpiece of economical horror that remains every bit as chilling as the day it was first broadcast",<ref>Mark Duguid, [http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1155174/index.html ''Whistle and I'll Come to You''], [[British Film Institute]], accessed 23 November 2015</ref> while a journalist for ''The Telegraph'', writing in 2010 about that year's remake starring [[John Hurt]], reminded readers of the "brilliant Sixties production by Jonathan Miller [in which] Michael Hordern made a fine, crusty Parkin".<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/8220294/John-Hurt-interview-Whistle-and-Ill-Come-to-You-BBC-One.html "John Hurt interview: Whistle and I'll Come to You, BBC One"] by Olly Grant. ''The Telegraph'', 23 December 2010, accessed 23 November 2015.</ref> The year ended with a role in [[Peter Hall (director)|Peter Hall's]] production of [[Edward Albee|Edward Albee's]] ''[[A Delicate Balance (play)|A Delicate Balance]]'' at the Aldwych Theatre.<ref>Hordern, p. 141.</ref> The piece received lukewarm reviews, with Hilary Spurling of ''The Spectator'' thinking Hordern was "ill-served" as the principal character, Tobias.<ref>[http://archive.spectator.co.uk/article/24th-january-1969/20/theatre "A Delicate Balance (Aldwych) Life Price (Royal Court)"] by Hilary Spurling. ''The Spectator'', 24 January 1969, p. 20.</ref>