He is the greatest wizard, the fear of all villains and the support of the weak. Probably, if there hadn't been Dumbledore, Harry Potter would not have had the strength to win the final victory in the fight against evil. Or would it be enough? In the last part of the book series about the wizard boy, the reader learns that the white-bearded magician was not sinless. What kind of hero is he? Is it positive? Was the task of playing Dumbledore difficult? After all, the actor was not alone.
At Hogwarts School
This is the first character to appear on the pages of a book. With a slow and stately gait, he heads toward the house of the Dursleys, the closest relatives of the orphaned Harry Potter. Dumbledore's actions are rational and logical. He calculates the moves ahead, but this is perhaps the only time he made a mistake, believing that Harry would grow better with his family. Dumbledore was mistaken and condemned Harry to 10 painful years, which, however, only benefited the boy, as he grew up kind, reasonable and strong, which years could not have made him in affection and bliss.
At school, Dumbledore met Harry cordially, but most of the time he watched the boy from afar, giving advice and explaining misses from time to time. The director gives the first direct contact and the first task to his student only in the third year of training, when it is necessary to save an innocent person from death. Further, the connection grows stronger, and Dumbledore for Harry is no longer just a teacher, but an older comrade, friend, great mage and almost a native person. At the end of the sixth book, he dies, and this means that the boy is losing his most powerful defender. Potter’s hope and support has been Professor Dumbledore all these years.
Actor of the first and second parts
Richard Harris, who played in the first parts of the Potterians, recalled that the first reading of the role took place with the children. It was approved immediately. Harris was a British actor, the fifth child in the family. He had tuberculosis at an early age. He appeared on television for the first time in 1958, and then went up, played major roles in historical films, received the Golden Globe for the role of King Arthur. He starred a lot in Westerns. Harris even sang and recorded a couple of albums. Being a versatile person, he tried himself as a screenwriter and director. On the role in "Harry Potter" agreed at the insistence of his granddaughter. The girl threatened her grandfather that she would not talk to him if he refused to act in film. According to many critics and just viewers, it was a reference Dumbledore. Actor Richard Harris passed away in October 2002. He played his last role in the film "Apocalypse", where he was John the Theologian.
What should be Dumbledore?
It was difficult to "drop onto the bandwagon of the departing train" and continue such a difficult role after Harris died. The audience managed to get used to the face of the hero, his manners and posture. The new Dumbledore - actor Michael Gambon - has some similarities with Harris, but in essence he is completely different. Albus Harris is more majestic and kind. It resembles a good grandfather, wise and experienced. This is a classic wizard image, similar to Merlin and Gandalf. Despite his solid years, Dumbledore is notable for his lively mind, sense of humor and condescending attitude to life. Up to the seventh book about the past of the great wizard, little is known, and therefore Dumbledore was extremely positive. Actor Michael Gambon was supposed to convey the inner essence of the hero, recall the dark spots in his biography and try to justify some prudence in relation to Severus Snape and Harry Potter. The hero has a difficult childhood and rebellious character. He should not remain smiling and meek on the screen. He is strong, smart and daring, as Gambon should have shown him.
The result is obvious
In the fourth book, the new Dumbledore appeared. A long silver beard was somewhat shortened, the hero began to tie it up and changed the style of clothing. No, he did not refuse mantles, but he preferred gray and faded to bright colors. It was the new Dumbledore - the actor made changes in his character. The director became emotional, impetuous and sometimes even nervous. He breaks even at Harry when he wants to find out if he himself threw his name into the Goblet of Fire. Dumbledore Gambon can show severity and even rigidity. He keeps himself pretty cool with Severus Snape, but gradually gets sympathetic towards him for his feelings for Lilly Potter. The director has almost no friends, but as many fans and admirers as he likes. Fans of the sorcerer boy saga note that Gambon Dumbledore smiles little, while according to the book he encouraged the boy with a good-natured smile through half-glasses.
Summarize
You can not compare the performers of the roles of such a multifaceted and interesting wizard. The director of Hogwarts was a great personality with many pleasing qualities. The actor, who plays Dumbledore at the beginning, embodied the bright side of the image, showed that the hero is kind, calm and smart. Toward the end of the acting, it became clear that he still remains a man, not a god. Dumbledore masterfully calculated the moves of all the players on his “chessboard”, he wielded them like pawns, even after death, but everything was done for the “common good”. Is this approach justified? After all, the result has been achieved. There are different points of view on this subject, but the truth is probably unknown even to the author of books.