"Arthur" (1981), Directed by Steve Gordon - Starring Dudley Moore as a Lovable, Hyper-Wealthy Lush

[DonRocks]

I'm going to watch "Arthur" again soon, and was just watching a highlight clip from it - one particular scene recalled a *hilarious* story that happened over thirty years ago.

I used to (lovingly) call my mom "Eva," and one day I was sitting at the kitchen table having some sort of family meal - my young niece (probably 3 or 4 years old) was there, and my mom said something - I can't remember what - that was most likely a combination of amusing and annoying (she was probably trying to force food on me as she was wont to do). 

Putting on my absolute best "Arthur-style" English accent, I imitated this scene in the YouTube video - the one where Dudley Moore said, "Susan, you're *such* an ahss-hole" - I said to my mom, "Eva, you're *such* an ahss-hole."

All of a sudden, my niece (who was too young to recognize such a term spoken in such a mock-accent) started crying frantically. We all started saying, "What's wrong? What's wrong?" She turned to my mom and said, while crying, "Donald called you a nostril!"

[Al Dente]

 

[DonRocks]

On 8/9/2016 at 11:13 AM, Al Dente said:

...

Wow, I didn't realize that scene came so early in the movie - I don't think I've seen this in 35 years, but I've always *loved* it. I'd make a good Arthur. 

I just started watching it again, and I'm really looking forward to it - I remember cringing at Sir John Gielgud's part as Hobson, but he did win the 1981 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (it figures - the guy busts his rear end for his entire life acting in every Shakespearean role there is to play, and he wins the award for playing a stereotype with potty humor ... such is the Academy). 

Items #3 and #4 here pertain to Gielgud playing the role of Hobson:

"10 Rich Facts about 'Arthur'" by Roger Cormier on mentalfloss.com

I can't imagine anyone *but* Dudley Moore playing Arthur, even though this listicle says he was the *fifth* choice!

By the way, have you ever heard Dudley Moore play the piano? He was an accomplished musician - see Al Dente's first video here.