MOD RULE

Times were so tough, but not as tough as they are now,
We were so close and nothing came between us - and the world -
No personal situations.
Thick as thieves us, we'd stick together for all time

-- The Jam, Thick As Thieves

British character actors. There are probably quite a few, although no one special comes to mind immediately, so I'll ask the question regardless - are there any better than Phil Daniels? Jimmy from Quadrophenia and the Nunn brothers from Bad Behaviour are just a couple of characters portrayed by Daniels, one of the most under-rated actors in the UK.

No one does the good natured, smart-arse loser quite like him, so it was a treat to see him show up in Ep.3 of the The Long Firm. As (another) Jimmy, he's once again in top form as a long-time pal of psychotic sixties mod mobster, Harry Starks.

Jimmy [in voice-over]: "The Stardust. Now this is my kind of place. Nobody to bother me, a few second-division faces, a handful of slutty women doing a nutty routine. I love slutty women. Slutty women are the best. Nuts ... and sluts ... and Harry Starks. Harry and me go way back. I did time with him in Winchester in 1959. His first crack-up. Even his mum thinks he's trying it on. Prison shrink thinks different. It's for real with Harry. Certified. Long Grove mental hospital, straight-jacket, the lot."

Harry: "Alright, Jimmy? You lairy bastard."

Jimmy: "Who you callin 'lairy', you big poof."

Harry: "You wanna watch that, Jimmy. People get topped for mouthing off like that. Still selling the vitamin pills?"

Jimmy: "I've got a pill for every occasion, Harry."

Harry: "Yeah? Got a pill to make you shut up? Got a pill to make me rich and famous?"

Jimmy: "I'm not a magician" [They smile at each other, holding up their glasses. They obviously go way back.] "Cheers."

Harry: "Look at this place; it's dead. I only done it up to get the punters in. I scared them all off."

Jimmy: "It's the frilly knickers. Frilly knickers are scary. Get some proper strippers, blue movies. Forget all this Moulin Rouge bollocks."

As you can see, he does perceptive film reviews, too.

Comments

[Tony.T]

By the way, don't gimme no overacting Gary Oldman, either. He's occasionally OK, Rosencrantz & Guildernstern Are Dead, for instance. But most of the rest; piss off!

[Simon]

And he did the vocals for Blur's "Parklife".

Should have had a walk on part in Minder -
"Awright my son".

[Tony.T]

Now that I didn't know. The Blur bit, that is.

Elsewhere ...

He'd be one of the few British 'faces' that didn't appear on Minder. Ahhh, what a show.

Terry: "Cmon, Arfur, how'ja do jury service, anyway?"

Arfur: "Well, Terrence my son, it's easy inn'it. If it's one o' your own, one o' the chaps up on offer, been up to a bit o' misschiff, nothing bad, though; it's a 'Not Guilty'. On the uvver 'and, if it's a nonce case in the dock, been gettin' at the kiddies, it's into the shovel and plenty o' porridge. Simple."

[Simon]

That episode sounds like the "Twelve Angry Men" parody when Arthur convinces the rest of the jury that an obviously guilty guy is not. A real winner.

Gary Oldman - totally agree. He showed what a joke he was in "The Fifth Element".

For mine - David Thewlis.

[Tony.T]

David Thewlis. Excellent choice, but a bit grim for me. I'll take David Threlfall, last seen (by me) in Master & Commander as the redoubtable Killick.

That's the right one with Twelve Angry Men. It contains one of my favourite sayings from the Chinese bloke ...

"When in Rome, do not be a Christian."

[slatts]

Tone, I missed the first two episodes on account of being in the West. Any idea when they're repeating the series. Reggie Postlethwaite's pretty good at being pretty bad.

[Tony.T]

They'll be on again for sure, Slatts. Their last big showm Deadwood, is on all the time. Just check out the FoxtelTV guide. It doen't look like it's on in the next week, but it will be on sometime.

And I assume you mean Pete Postlethwaite? He's grouse.

[Habib]

Try and catch "Time Gentlemen, Please" with baldy publican Al Smith- 7 has it on at the ungodly hour of 3.30 in the morning at the moment. Phil Daniels features as "Terry", the resident alky and pervert.

[Tony.T]

Phil as a 'resident alky and pervert' seems a fair fit, Habib. I've now got it on my watch-list; thanks.

[Brett Pee]

Have you caught any of Ray Winston's fillums ? A British character actor on the rise- except he always play's the same roles- a tough, loud mouthed take no bullshit hardman. Vinnie Jones anybody ? No, thought not.

[Habib]

Ray Winston was Jimmy's rocker mate in Quadrophenia, who was kicked to death by Jimmy and his pack of parka'd pillocks.

[Tony.T]

I first came across Winston as Arnie in Minder. "Phwoar! Have a drive o' this. Bit broomish, Tel."

[edward]

Whenever I go into a pie and mash shop, I always put on my best Jimmy the Mod voice.

"Assit, larv, paaahl aaaahn the liquor"

[Tony.T]

You might have to translate that for us colonials, Ed.

[Habib]

It's the disgusting water they've cooked mushy peas in. England- the culinary centre of the universe.

[Tony.T]

Good grief!

"Shit sandwich, sir?"

"No thanks. I don't like bread."