Did Alec Guiness say anything positive about SW before the phenomenon, before the crazed fans?

I've read in many places how Alec Guiness grew increasingly regretful of his role in the Star Wars films as they became more and more an international phenomenon, when he came to the realization that his portrayal of Obi Wan had overshadowed the hard work he put into his many previous films, and when the nutty fans began lurking about (which must have been most unsettling). And unfortunately, most or all of his comments from that time until his death reflect his apparent disgust.

So I'm wondering, what positive things did he have to say about his contribution to SW, about Lucas, about his co-stars, etc., before all that regret set in?

 

He got very interested in the story as he was reading the script -- it conquered his initial prejudice of it being a sci-fi flick.

After shooting finished, he sent Lucas a gift of antique glasses with a note "This is a token to express how much I have enjoyed working with you".

He got irritated at the idea of his character being killed off and sucked out of the movie earlier than expected.


Rick McCallum loves you!

 

Sir Alec added so much to the original film its a shame that he grew to regret his involvement. If you've never seen
"The Bridge over the River Kwai",I highly reccommend it for a classic performance.

 

I saw that movie it was great. Though admittedly I excalimed "Hey its Obi-Wan!", but i have an excuse: I was 8.

IJG

 

It was kind of irked me the way Guiness treated STAR WARS later on. I read a story once that said whenever he got a fan letter mentioning SW, he would throw it right in the garbage can without reading it any further. That's just wrong. Rather you hate the film you were in or not, I think the list you could do is be respectful of the fans.

I mean, if I was in something like a FRIDAY THE 13th movie (the guy who gets killed with a meat grinder or something), I may be embarrased as hell to have been in it, but at least I would still respect the fans who did like me in it and answer their letters or whatever.

 

Its easy to say that spacehunter.

 

I don't think Alec Guiness disliked Star Wars, he just never got used to its..."unique", brand of fan. He's an old time british actor, he never had to deal with people who are obsseive as we can be. He probably never understood it. And when people would overlook other movies and preformances that may have been much more proud of, in favor of Star Wars, it probably annoyed him. He's won oscars and starred in some of the best movies ever made, and when people see him, they go to Obi-Wan first. That could annoy me.

 

The guy just got a little bitter in his old age, that his role in Star Wars got all the attention and not the other films he'd done in previous decades.

Sir Guiness did like Star Wars at the time, and agreed to cameo in ESB and ROTJ free of charge due to his fondness for both Lucas and Hamill. He just got worn down by fans asking him only about SW and in the end it turned his mentality against the film. He grew to resent it.

It is a shame more people haven't appreciated his work before SW. But I never take his criticisms of SW to heart much, he was just kinda emotionally lashing out at it in the last decade or so of his life.

 

From Time Magazine Janurary 2, 1978:

Even the unflappable knight of the Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi--otherwise known as Sir Alec Guinness-is amazed and a little perplexed by the Star Wars phenomenon. People who have seen the film in the u.S. are making him a cult figure, he says, and reminding him of his duties as the last of a great line of warriors: "it's a fun movie, but some spooky stuff has crept in. People are taking it too seriously, and I wouldn't encourage tht altogether." Adds the Catholic convert" "I'm an alleged Christian, so to that extent, yes, I do believe that something liek the force. exists. But not as expressed in Star Wars."
Actually, Gunness almost turned the pricture down when he saw a science-fiction label on it. He read the first few pages, however, and found himself still turning, a sure sign ofa good script. Guinness usually takes more complex roles, like....
The part of Obi-Wan had no such psychological depth, he notes, but he enjoyed it nonetheless. "It had a touch of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings," he says. "it was a rather simple outline of a good man who had some magical powers. I tried to make him uncomplicated. I'm cunning enough now to know that to be simple carries a lot of weight."
There is one gesture of Obi-Wan's, however, that he still regrets. When the planet Alderaan blows up, Obi-Wan reels backward and clutches his forehead, and unpadonable cliche in Guiness's opinion. "I still go hot and cold when I think of that scene," he confesses. During those awkward moments, he has at least one consolation: hi 2 1/4% of the film's profits.

 

Yes he worked hard and may be he did not want to be known just for Star Wars which is absurd, however wouldn't he be happy for it making him more popular?

Sir Alec added so much to the original film its a shame that he grew to regret his involvement. If you've never seen
"The Bridge over the River Kwai",I highly reccommend it for a classic performance

I have seen this film three times, it is great. A great WWII film along with Sands of Iwo Jima and The Longest Day.

I would be grateful to be a person walking by in SW.

 

But there is a difference from walking by in a SW movie to being a main character in a SW movie. I can't blame him for being cynical about SW after being typecast as Ben Kenobi, after his successful acting career. If I was a already established actor, I would want to be remembered for many films (good and bad) instead of one film.

 

I read somewhere that the decision to "kill off" Obi-wan was made by Lucas during the filming of ANH because Sir Alec complained so much. Lucas knew he wouldn't be able to get him to play a large role in later movies.