Oliver! (Reed)

This is a still of Oliver Reed from "The Three Musketeers" (1973), which is, I believe, the first movie I saw him in.  One of my best friends in high school had a huge crush on Michael York, and she wanted me to see this movie with her, so she could show me what a hunk he was.  I'm always up for a movie, so I agreed to go along.  She was poking me and whispering, "There he is!  There he is!", as soon as the movie started.  Yes, he was really a hunk, and, as I continued watching, I was delighted to see other actors I loved, Richard Chamberlain and Charlton Heston.  However, I left this first viewing with an admiration for Faye Dunaway, and a solid infatuation for Oliver Reed.

A side effect of seeing the film, for me, was a desire to read the book, by Alexandre Dumas.  Athos, Oliver Reed's character, had already become my favorite Musketeer, and the book just solidified that.  I loved the book so much, that I sought out other novels by Dumas, and read "The Count of Monte Cristo" and "The Man in the Iron Mask".  Then, I was first in line to see any movie adaptations of any Alexandre Dumas story.  There were several "Three Musketeers" movies before and after the 1973 version, but the 1973 version remains my favorite, and Oliver Reed's performance remains my favorite Athos.

Back in the 1970s, there was no Internet or social media, so being obsessed with a celebrity only went as far as plastering photos all over a bedroom wall and watching every movie and TV appearance of the object of obsession.  The entertainment media was also quite tame, so any information about a celebrity's personal life was limited to what the celebrity's press agent wanted you to know.  Sure, some scandals occasionally leaked out, but most celebrities were presented in a positive light.  So, it wasn't until after he died that I learned about Oliver Reed's storied life.

He was incredibly outspoken and had a voracious appetite for alcohol and fighting.  In order to make a sort of comeback with "Gladiator", he remained sober during the majority of filming.  However, he decided to go on a binge, shortly before filming concluded, and died of a heart attack.  It is said, the night he died, he drank three bottles of Captain Morgan's Jamaican rum, eight bottles of German beer, numerous doubles of Famous Grouse whiskey and Hennessy cognac, and beat five much younger Royal Navy sailors at arm-wrestling.  WOW!

His personal quotes are candid and to the point.  Throughout November, I will be sharing a quote a day on my Facebook group page, which is open for anyone to join.  Here's the link:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/classicmovieblog/

And here's a list of Oliver Reed movies I highly recommend:

I'll Never Forget What's'isname (1967), the first movie to use the "F" word
Oliver! (1968), the best performance of Bill Sikes
Women in Love (1969), first mainstream movie with full frontal male nudity
The Three Musketeers (1973)
The Four Musketeers: Milady's Revenge (1974)
Tommy (1975), in which he sings(!)
Burnt Offerings (1976)
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988)
The House of Usher (1989)
The Return of the Musketeers (1989)
Gladiator (2000)