The much-awaited documentary Peter O’Toole – Along the Sky Road to Aqaba will be broadcast exclusively on BritBox on Tuesday, 9 May 2023. The documentary chronicles the career of British icon Peter O’Toole, who achieved fame for his roles in Shakespeare’s plays and received worldwide fame for his appearances in films such as Lawrence of Arabia, What’s, New Pussycat among others.
Along the Sky Road to Aqaba premiered on the Spanish film festival circuit in November 2022 and has since received rave reviews from critics. Here’s the Times’ review of the documentary:
“An intense and lovingly curated document…Kenneth Branagh, Brian Cox, Anthony Hopkins, Derek Jacobi, Stephen Fry, and many others, in clips from archive material, tell how much of an inspiration he was, a heavy drinker but very disciplined at work.”
Similarly, The Telegraph’s review states:
“This is an engrossing portrait of one of our greatest actors and the archetypal hell-raiser.”
The documentary was directed by Jim Sheridan and written by Catriona Rogan, with producers Brion O’Flaherty, Simon Shire, Liam Beatty, and Edwina Forkin.
The new trailer for Peter O’Toole’s Along the Sky Road to Aqaba includes some discussion with the seasoned performer.
The documentary attempts to highlight the colorful and vibrant life of the actor through not only his old films, but also anecdotes from intimate friends and family that are not known to the public. It features interviews with the O’Toole family as well as famous artists, actors and filmmakers such as Sir Kenneth Branagh, Stephen Fry, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Sir Derek Jacobi and Succession’s Brian Cox.
The documentary’s director, Jim Sheridan, stated that he knew Peter O’Toole well and that he would do his best to authentically portray the actor’s colorful life in his documentary. In an interview with the Irish Examiner, she discussed her relationship with the actor:
“I know him well; He is a good man.” He helped me when I headed the Irish Art Center in New York. He featured in Brendan Behan’s The Hostage for us there. It caused quite a stir. Kate, his daughter, was there. One night, we were short of an actor. He was in New York at the time, so he came and did the role.
He went on to say:
“He’s so sweet, but he’s always acting.” Greater than life. His father is a bookie. To be successful, the bookmaker must be conspicuous. Peter took it from da. He was completely out of place.”
It will be interesting to see how the long-awaited documentary delves into the late actor’s life while maintaining honesty, interest and truth.
The official summary says he “brings a touch of danger to his art and a mad attack to his life.”
According to BritBox, the official synopsis for the planned documentary is as follows:
“Peter O’Toole: Along the Sky Road to Aqaba” is a documentary about the great actor Peter O’Toole, who inspired a generation of filmmakers while bringing a touch of danger to his craft and the madness of his life. The film is divided into four acts, each of which begins with a statement about Peter O’Toole recording his life at a separate moment.”
It went on to say:
“Each act develops into a comprehensive narrative, dealing with issues such as self-belief, alcoholism, relationships with women, belief in socialism, and the selective embrace of Ireland.” While O’Toole’s comments (culled from hundreds of hours of archival interviews) serve as the narrator of his own journey, filmmaker Jim Sheridan expands the story with interviews from O’Toole’s relatives, artists, actors and directors who knew him well.
Categories: Biography
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
