The Final Curtain (2002 film)
Encyclopedia
The Final Curtain is a British film from 2002 directed by Patrick Harkins and starring Peter O'Toole
. It tells the story of J. J. Curtis, ageing gameshow host played by O'Toole, who hires novelist Jonathan Stitch (Adrian Lester
) to pen his biography, in the hope of sealing his immortality in the hearts and minds of the British public. This is made more difficult by his rivalry with fellow gameshow host Dave Turner (Aidan Gillen
), and events from his past.
As Stitch delves into the veteran entertainer's life, he encounters some quite unsavory characteristics and events from the past, including the mysterious circumstances surrounding the injury of Monty Franklin, a fellow performer on a 1973 variety show bill. Stitch later tries to resign from the task, but having been tricked into believing Curtis's doctor to be a stalker, and having hit him with a dustbin lid outside Curtis's home (resulting in a coma from which he does not recover) Curtis threatens to reveal Stitch's role if he doesn't complete the book.
An increasingly bitter rivalry develops between Curtis and Dave Turner, host of a downmarket game show called Current Account, in which contestants are invited to subject family members to shocks of higher voltage in exchange for larger cash prizes. Turner was originally introduced to a TV audience by Curtis at a royal variety performance some years earlier, and he therefore resents Turner's challenge in both a ratings war and as competition for a deal to syndicate their respective shows in America.
Turner and Curtis take it in turns trying to inflict PR damage upon one another, starting with tabloid smears but escalating steadily through illicit recordings in the confessional and on to sabotaging each others' shows. Curtis rigs the set of Current Account so that a man is electrocuted on air. The show gets cancelled, and the American TV producers state that they are no longer interested in using the show or the format. (They have already told Curtis that his show will not be syndicated.) Turner arrives at his mother's house in a desperate attempt at reconciliation, but she does not answer the door. Turner abandons any semblance of control, and plants a bomb on the private plane that has been chartered for the family which won Curtis's Big Prize, killing them all. Curtis had become fond of the family, particularly the son, Charlie, who had asked him for his autograph at a point when Curtis had been considering giving up.
Stitch has been investigating the surroundings of Monty Franklin's accident, and confronts his daughter, who confirms his suspicions that Curtis had been involved with her at the time of the incident, despite her being only 14 years old. Franklin had discovered the affair, confronted Curtis and the two had argued, leading up to Curtis pushing Franklin from the rafters, ending his career and launching Curtis's own. Stitch had not realised that there was more though; Turner is Curtis's son.
Stitch drives at speed to Turner's mansion, arriving to find Curtis and Turner fighting in the maze. Curtis has been shot in the calf and is seriously wounded, and Turner has him cornered. Stitch arrives and tries to calm things down so he can tell both men what he has discovered. Turner is moved, and realises that the memories he believes he has of his father are actually just the product of stories his mother had invented, and it seems that some kind of rapprochement is possible, but his disarmed state allows Curtis time to shoot him with a crossbow he has picked up in the maze. Turner dies almost instantly. Curtis is dimsmissive of the relationship and realising he too will die, begins to consider his final words for Stitch to record. Only then does the effect of his actions sink in, and he expresses agonised regret. Crawling towards Turner's body, he dies. The two adversaries lie dead, face to face.
Stitch writes the book, named The Boys From Nowhere. This slightly spoofs Curtis's off the cuff comment about the nature of his autobiography that had become the book's working title, albeit with 'boy' singular. The cover photo is of Curtis introducing Turner at the royal variety performance.
Peter O'Toole
Peter Seamus Lorcan O'Toole is an Irish actor of stage and screen. O'Toole achieved stardom in 1962 playing T. E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia, and then went on to become a highly-honoured film and stage actor. He has been nominated for eight Academy Awards, and holds the record for most...
. It tells the story of J. J. Curtis, ageing gameshow host played by O'Toole, who hires novelist Jonathan Stitch (Adrian Lester
Adrian Lester
-Personal life:Lester was born in Birmingham, England, the son of Jamaican immigrants Monica, a medical secretary, and Reginald, a manager for a contract cleaning company. He sang as a boy treble in the choir of St. Chad's Cathedral, Birmingham...
) to pen his biography, in the hope of sealing his immortality in the hearts and minds of the British public. This is made more difficult by his rivalry with fellow gameshow host Dave Turner (Aidan Gillen
Aidan Gillen
Aidan Gillen is an Irish stage and screen actor and television presenter. He is known in Ireland for his role in Love/Hate, in the UK for his role in Queer as Folk and in the US for his role in HBO's television series The Wire in which he plays Tommy Carcetti and for his role in Game of Thrones as...
), and events from his past.
Plot synopsis
The film begins with novelist Jonathan Stitch describing the story of veteran game show host and entertainer J. J. Curtis. Curtis receives the unwelcome news from his Harley Street doctor that he has cancer. Later that day while watching television, Curtis sees acclaimed novelist Jonathan Stitch's acceptance speech for an award he gained at a prestigious book awards ceremony. The speech that Stitch makes reminds Curtis of the fact that his time is short, and that immortality can be achieved through the printed word. Curtis then approaches Stitch and asks him to help him with the creation of a biography of his life. Stitch is initially reluctant, but is persuaded.As Stitch delves into the veteran entertainer's life, he encounters some quite unsavory characteristics and events from the past, including the mysterious circumstances surrounding the injury of Monty Franklin, a fellow performer on a 1973 variety show bill. Stitch later tries to resign from the task, but having been tricked into believing Curtis's doctor to be a stalker, and having hit him with a dustbin lid outside Curtis's home (resulting in a coma from which he does not recover) Curtis threatens to reveal Stitch's role if he doesn't complete the book.
An increasingly bitter rivalry develops between Curtis and Dave Turner, host of a downmarket game show called Current Account, in which contestants are invited to subject family members to shocks of higher voltage in exchange for larger cash prizes. Turner was originally introduced to a TV audience by Curtis at a royal variety performance some years earlier, and he therefore resents Turner's challenge in both a ratings war and as competition for a deal to syndicate their respective shows in America.
Turner and Curtis take it in turns trying to inflict PR damage upon one another, starting with tabloid smears but escalating steadily through illicit recordings in the confessional and on to sabotaging each others' shows. Curtis rigs the set of Current Account so that a man is electrocuted on air. The show gets cancelled, and the American TV producers state that they are no longer interested in using the show or the format. (They have already told Curtis that his show will not be syndicated.) Turner arrives at his mother's house in a desperate attempt at reconciliation, but she does not answer the door. Turner abandons any semblance of control, and plants a bomb on the private plane that has been chartered for the family which won Curtis's Big Prize, killing them all. Curtis had become fond of the family, particularly the son, Charlie, who had asked him for his autograph at a point when Curtis had been considering giving up.
Stitch has been investigating the surroundings of Monty Franklin's accident, and confronts his daughter, who confirms his suspicions that Curtis had been involved with her at the time of the incident, despite her being only 14 years old. Franklin had discovered the affair, confronted Curtis and the two had argued, leading up to Curtis pushing Franklin from the rafters, ending his career and launching Curtis's own. Stitch had not realised that there was more though; Turner is Curtis's son.
Stitch drives at speed to Turner's mansion, arriving to find Curtis and Turner fighting in the maze. Curtis has been shot in the calf and is seriously wounded, and Turner has him cornered. Stitch arrives and tries to calm things down so he can tell both men what he has discovered. Turner is moved, and realises that the memories he believes he has of his father are actually just the product of stories his mother had invented, and it seems that some kind of rapprochement is possible, but his disarmed state allows Curtis time to shoot him with a crossbow he has picked up in the maze. Turner dies almost instantly. Curtis is dimsmissive of the relationship and realising he too will die, begins to consider his final words for Stitch to record. Only then does the effect of his actions sink in, and he expresses agonised regret. Crawling towards Turner's body, he dies. The two adversaries lie dead, face to face.
Stitch writes the book, named The Boys From Nowhere. This slightly spoofs Curtis's off the cuff comment about the nature of his autobiography that had become the book's working title, albeit with 'boy' singular. The cover photo is of Curtis introducing Turner at the royal variety performance.
Cast
- J. J. Curtis - Peter O'ToolePeter O'ToolePeter Seamus Lorcan O'Toole is an Irish actor of stage and screen. O'Toole achieved stardom in 1962 playing T. E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia, and then went on to become a highly-honoured film and stage actor. He has been nominated for eight Academy Awards, and holds the record for most...
- Jonathan Stitch - Adrian LesterAdrian Lester-Personal life:Lester was born in Birmingham, England, the son of Jamaican immigrants Monica, a medical secretary, and Reginald, a manager for a contract cleaning company. He sang as a boy treble in the choir of St. Chad's Cathedral, Birmingham...
- Dave Turner - Aidan GillenAidan GillenAidan Gillen is an Irish stage and screen actor and television presenter. He is known in Ireland for his role in Love/Hate, in the UK for his role in Queer as Folk and in the US for his role in HBO's television series The Wire in which he plays Tommy Carcetti and for his role in Game of Thrones as...
- Karen Willet - Julia SawalhaJulia SawalhaJulia Sawalha is an English actress well known for her roles as Saffron Monsoon in Absolutely Fabulous, Lynda Day, editor of The Junior Gazette in Press Gang and Lydia Bennet in the 1995 television miniseries of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. She also played Dorcas Lane in the BBC's costume...