Farewell Alan Rickman

Alba Avram Haziran 15, 2021

This year has just started and it's taking all the talent with it. If at the beginning of the week the world was shocked with the news of David Bowie passing away, yesterday we learned that Alan Rickman has died at 69 because of cancer, just like Bowie, same age, same illness. And while many remember him from the 'Harry Potter' movies (i've never seen any of them, not that i think they're bad or anything), he was so much more than that role.

Not many know that Mr. Rickman made his film debut at the age of 42 in 'Die Hard' but where he totally fascinated me and fell in love with him was for his role as Colonel Brandon in 'Sense and Sensibility'. First of all, that movie. One of my favorites, definitely. And well, aside from the marvelous Emma Thompson (who also adapted the screenplay in such a delightful way), Kate Winslet and Hugh Grant, this brilliant Ang Lee adaptation of the Jane Austen novel also had Rickman stealing scenes even when his role was so quiet (but loud), so cold (but so heartfelt) and so sensible (intentional pun) that conquered Marianne and us all. His passion for the young Miss Dashwood (Kate Winslet) and how he suffered in silence, with his heart burning with love even when he saw her falling for another man, is not a performance you could ignore. That scene where he takes her into his arms with the rain falling and after he suffered a fall, that moment.

Anyway, while he was excellent in any role he portrayed, even as the cheating husband of Emma Thompson in 'Love Actually', it's a terrible loss. It's always a loss when an artist dies, of course there's people dying everyday in the world but when it's someone you've been following, listening to their music (in Bowie's case), or seeing them acting in movies or tv roles, you grow fond of them, inevitably. You feel them close so that makes you sad, even more when you know what a generous and kind person Alan Rickman was, as told by his peers. So, as a treat, let's remember Texas' glorious video 'In Demand' where we could see Rickman in his most sensual self, so attractive and powerful, panties were dropping everywhere.