In his article on D. Mason, The Times magazine in 1984, after his death, stated that he was an actor of universal talent. An intelligent, charming and incredibly creative person who has starred in his career in more than a hundred films. The print publication says that not all of them were worthy of his talent: James Mason raised even the poorest material to a higher level and, of course, could enrich the best in world cinema. The actor was repeatedly nominated for the most prestigious awards, including Golden Globe and Oscar, Saturn and BAFTA.
Personal life
The future English actor, and subsequently screenwriter and producer, was born on May 15, 1909 in the city of Huddersfield (UK). The family lived in abundance, my father was very successful in the sale of textiles.
Mason never studied acting, his talent opened and gradually improved independently. James Mason received his education at Marlborough College, and then learned to be an architect at the famous Cambridge University. It was there that he began his career with participation in theatrical productions.
During the Second World War, the actor refused to go to the front. The act provoked condemnation in the family circle and provoked a quarrel, as a result of which the relationship was interrupted for many years.
Married James Mason was twice. For the first time on the American actress Pamela Ostrer (marriage years 1941-1964). They had a daughter and a son (pictured). The second time he married in 1971, the Australian actress Clarissa Kaye, with whom he lived until the end of his life.
In 1959, D. Mason survived the first extensive heart attack. The actor died as a result of the second, on July 27, 1984, in Swiss Lausanne.
Theatrical and cinematic career
His stage debut took place at the Royal Theater in 1931. His talent was noticed right away, the newspaper The Daily Telegraph writes that for several years there was no actor with such a characteristic appearance and the voice of a villain and a villain, and this is undoubtedly a gift. James Mason got into the cinema in 1935, playing one of the main roles in the crime drama "Evening Special". However, the actor’s special popularity was brought by the numerous melodramas of the Gainsborough Pictures studio, in which he played antiheroes. The film "Man in Gray" made him a real star of the screen, the film "The Seventh Veil" was, meanwhile, the most successful and was appreciated by many critics. Between 1944 and 1947, James Mason was the highest-grossing actor in the UK.
At the peak of his popularity, he went to Hollywood. It was some time before the magnificent acting talent and charismatic appearance were recognized at the world level. Among his most successful works are Lolita, Desert Fox, Julius Caesar, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and others.
His last picture is “Dr. Fischer from Geneva,” in which he got the main role of a too rich and too eccentric businessman. D. Mason used great life and professional experience during the period of mentoring. In the late 70s, Sam Nill, now a famous actor, Golden Globe Award nominee and officer of the Order of the British Empire, became his student.
James Mason, whose films are very numerous, had an amazing talent. Having established himself as a brilliant villain, he nevertheless tried other roles - and always more than successfully. We offer you a selection of 5 of his most interesting works in cinema, marked by nominations and awards.
"A star is born"
A remake of the 1937 film tells of the tragic love of singer Esther Blodgett and movie star Norman Maine. After an unusual acquaintance at one of the important Hollywood ceremonies, they begin an affair. The actor helps the singer to achieve success and fame with a unique voice, and his popularity, meanwhile, is inexorably fading. D. Mason was nominated for an Oscar and received the Golden Globe in the nomination for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy. His partner in the film was the legendary Judy Garland, for whom this work was one of the last in cinema.
"Island of the hero"
Adventure action movie, in which actor D. Mason also acted as a producer, was released in 1962. This is the story of a family who bought an island off the coast of California. On it, the husband and wife are going in peace and quiet to raise two of their sons and run the household. It just turned out that the land was already occupied by mysterious strangers, whom it was not possible to convince even by providing documents on the property. Neville Brand, Rip Thorne, Kate Manks, Warren Watts and others also took part in the film “Isle of a Hero”, and Leslie Stevens directed and scripted.
Lolita
The legendary black-and-white film based on the novel of the same name by the writer V. Nabokov was shot by Stanley Kubrick in 1962. D. Mason played the main role - professor of French literature Humbert. In addition to him, the candidates of Lawrence Olivier and Peter Ustinov were also considered . Nabokov himself directly participated in the selection of the actress. The film is marked by numerous nominations for prestigious cinema awards.
"Heaven Can Wait"
Comedy fantasy melodrama was released in 1978, directed by Warren Beatty. An interesting plot and a brilliant acting game ensured the film's success. In the story, the aging famous football player Joe dies as a result of an accident on the road, and his soul is under the supervision of a very "diligent" angel. However, in heaven it turns out that his time has not come yet, and his body was already cremated. A new earth shell is being selected for Joe - the body of a wealthy businessman whose death is being prepared by his wife and his secretary. D. Mason in the film got the role of the Most High and the nomination for the Saturn Prize.
"Verdict"
A film shot by Sydney Lumet, based on the novel of the same name by Barry Reed. According to the plot, a successful lawyer, now drunk and almost without work, performed by Paul Newman receives a completely ordinary and unpromising case. However, the experienced professional look finds a lot of interesting things in him. A lawyer, driven by personal motives and a desire to restore justice, decides to bring the process to court. “Verdict” - a film noted by critics and accepted by the public - received several nominations for an Oscar, including for Best Supporting Actor in the performance of D. Mason.