Brideshead Revisited 1981 - Charles and Anthony at lunch.wmv

Hilarious clip from the 1981 miniseries. Anthony Blanche takes Charles Ryder out to lunch.

[@annabelpearce3521]

Such a brilliant actor, I always loved watching him when the series was on all those years ago. So funny, and clever.

[@dutchcountryman1290]

"I think you must be [eye bulge] mesmerizing me, Charles." He stole every scene he was in.

[@peterturley8846]

Absolutely wonderful and beguiling Character portrayal by Nicholas Grace, truly one of THE best characterisations X

[@elletuppen4844]

Antoine is such a delight in Brideshead. Such superb timing, so brilliantly played here. Masterful.

[@rogerstallion815]

" I've got you to myself tonight " - Charles discreetly removes carnation from buttonhole .

[@janecheval4308]

Why does he do that?

[@Shcreamingreen]

@@janecheval4308 Likely not to be overly associated with Anthony's company

[@texasred2702]

@@Shcreamingreen back in the day there was a strong association between carnations and Oscar Wilde. Even 20 years after Wilde's conviction it was still considered a scandal for the ages. Sebastian and his clique sporting carnations was really brazen for the times and only his position and title insulated him but it would have been pretty nasty for him if he was ever caught in flagrante.

[@Shcreamingreen]

@@texasred2702 Good of you to mention Wilde's flowers in this context, however Sebastian's society was not unambigously homosexual and only Anthony Blanche was rather bluntly depicted as such, the rest varying from straightforward heterosexual (as for example Mulcaster) to, well, English - which is how a certain "boarding school curiosity" can be defined. By teh way, are you aware of how far back does the present Oxford tradition of wearing carnations to exams reach? It could be pretty new, but I am not sure.

[@cartersss]

@@janecheval4308 He does it because wearing a carnation back then was a more dressed up, upwardly romantic fashion accessory that you would wear on dates. Charles wearing it out with the drunk effeminate Anthony alone is not the vibe Charles is trying to broadcast to his peers in the bar

[@BelatedCommiseration]

Thats one of the best conversations in the whole series...and possibly would make it into my top ten conversations in english literature. Nikolas Grace and John Gielgud have the best comic scenes and they convey their characters more through looks and actions as well as dialogue...love the little phallic undertone that Nikolas Grace put in there as he languidly fondles the candle whilst talking to charles.

[@71DANDERSON]

God I loved this series.

[@theresebreen7019]

It was riveting, wasn't it? So, so beautiful and touching. It made me end up reading virtually all of Evelyn Waugh's books. Except for "The Loved One" which had been ruined because of mediocre teaching when I studied it at school. If became a phenomenon here in Sydney, and people had Brideshead Revisited parties to watch new episodes, and a smash hit on the radio was a take off of it called Brunswick Heads Revisited.

[@degsbabe]

Nikolas Grace was brilliant in these scenes. Who could'nt fall in love with Anthony Blanche ? Though strictly platonic my dear...

[@jamessheridan4306]

When I first saw this back in '81, I just HAD to look this up: Bubbles, originally titled A Child's World, is an 1886 painting by Sir John Everett Millais that became famous when it was used over many generations in advertisements for Pears soap. During Millais's lifetime it led to widespread debate about the relationship between art and advertising.

[@geraldberliner5260]

"It's when one gets to the parents that a b-bottomless pit opens. My dear, SUCH a pair."

[@julianc007]

Utter class! Fantastic series

[@notdaveschannel9843]

Nikolas Grace is an amazing actor. I saw him on the tube at rush hour once, he's about 46% as camp as Anthony Blanche.

[@johnnewton4461]

“Perhaps he was just being charming through the grille.” Brilliant!

[@leeparsifal672]

Poor Anthony : manhandled by those meaty boys.

[@albertmcmullen2669]

One could easily imagine Nickolas Grace playing the roman emperor Caligula.

[@TomDollard]

After 37 years , still fucking hilarious!

[@dutchcountryman1290]

Nicholas Grace should have won every acting award ever created.

[@redstar7292]

This is hilarious.. " perhaps he was just being charming through the grill.."

[@AlejandraRiveravenusblume0602]

I love how anthony speaks

[@apl175]

As I got older, and re-read (and re-watched) Brideshead Revisited, one comes to realize that Anthony is the "smartest" of all the characters.

[@nordiskkatt]

Right? I recently re-read the book for the first time in decades, and it was shocking to realise the extent to which he is, quite simply, the voice of truth. Such an incisive, observant attitude to the people around him.

[@erichodge567]

This series was delicious.

[@johnvarricchio6856]

Perfection

[@Richard-yd1ws]

They should have parachuted this guy into Succession

[@julieherz8909]

This is literally how many Americans see Europeans

[@DCSIGNR]

Boy Mulcaster was positively scrofulous!

[@texasred2702]

RIP Jeremy Sinden. Died quite young.

[@Scalliescouser]

two for you and two for meeeeeee YUM YUM

[@leonleenaarts6000]

Just absolute perfect acting!

[@lsdmadman]

yay the Blanchage of the whole thang

[@dajvebikinus861]

my dear charles....you're not going to have sherry

[@justinneill5003]

“Pfft!” Anthony blows out the candle leaving them both in darkness. “Shall we go now Anthony?” Charles was understandably getting nervous.

[@Vesnicie]

I'm not sure I'd call this conversation hilarious. Anthony Blanche hides what are often stinging and often true observations behind his effete mannerisms (which can admittedly be amusing). At any rate, I'll be sure to order a brandy alexander next time I'm at my local just to see the look on the bartender's face.

[@zatarawood3588]

make sure you down several of them in one go like Anthony :)

[@Marcel_Audubon]

why so provincial? it's a drink all bartenders know how to make

[@HerbDregs]

When Anthony and Charles are reunited years later, Charles says to Julia: "Oh, it’s been a nightmare of a day - crowds, critics, and the Clarence’s, ending up with half an hour’s well-reasoned abuse about my pictures in a pansy bar..."

[@LEIFanevret]

Awesome acting!

[@chel3SEY]

Pppppositively ddddddelightful.

[@29trent]

Anyone catch the echo of Blanche's "yum, yum" in a line by the character Copley-Barnes in the episode "Trove" from series 2 of Endeavour?

[@sammysouth8372]

yes yes we know jeremy irons and nicholas grace are both very underrated

[@gayham]

I wish I spoke like Anthony - without the stammer.

[@wiseonwords]

Each to his own I guess!

[@TennesseeGock]

I actually love the stammer! 😄 Amazing performance by Anthony Blanche! 🥰

[@mehranmos]

incredible scene at 3:12, amazing acting...spot on

[@suzycreamcheesez4371]

Nikolas Grace is amazing!

[@mikegalvin9801]

Anthony was based on two of Waugh's classmates - Harold Acton and Robert Byron. Both over the top gay when that was needless to say not done. Acton was rich and cosmopolitan, American and Anglo Argentine, and the stepson of Lord Curzon, Viceroy of India and very much the model of the straight laced Establishment figure. He grew up to be a well known artist, writer and critic and his villa near Florence is I believe a museum. Byron, whose origins were mysterious, was believed (incorrectly) to be Jewish which also was not done in the bad old days. He had great promise, was considered one of the smartest students of his generation but became a noisy, rather mean alcoholic - very mad bad and dangerous to know.

[@grainnegowen5758]

Never to be bettered

[@BattleAxe1345]

This guy is Sir Percy Blakeney on overdrive

[@peterlloyd5285]

A tour de force from Nikolas Grace.

[@mel2000]

I thought Nikolas Grace's performance was somewhat hammy in spots.

[@javiergarciaflorez2103]

Suducion.

[@mel2000]

What exactly was their relationship? Jeremy Irons' character comes across as a kept boy.

[@theresebreen7019]

Brideshead had so many wonderful actors in supporting roles, and additionally, I thought Anthony Andrews was wonderful. Sebastian had so many things in his favour, yet made such a mess of his life that you should've felt like slapping him, but Anthony Andrews manage to make you feel such sympathy for poor Sebastian. Off topic, I have seen Brideshead Revisited several times, I have never thought before that Anthony Grace looks like the early 1930s Fred Astaire.

[@ck-wg2hm]

Why on earth nobody noticed that Nikolas Grace looks exactly like Rocco Siffredi ..

[@thomasvinciguerra9459]

A wonderful scene, but it's dinner. Not lunch.

[@flannerymonaghan-morrs4740]

Nickolas grace is like a young British effeminate Paul giamatti, anyone else agree?

[@elinakabakchieva4003]

Chartreuse green

[@JPKnapp-ro6xm]

It’s dinner, not lunch.

[@chel3SEY]

Charles Ryder, as depicted by Jeremy Irons, is so dull. Why would anyone, least of all Anthony Blanche, want to spend time with such a bore? Lust, I presume.

[@zatarawood3588]

here's my take on it ... the characters of Sebastian and Anthony were so narcissistic that they dont actually want a conversation, they just want to listed to themselves speak and have a fawning admirer hanging onto their every word in Charles. Charles' whole character is one of a man who admires great wealth and position so he just nods along to anything these other characters say. At 5mins in Anthony even says this 'I brought you here to talk of no-one but myself ..." lol. Of course Charles is Evelyn Waugh in his younger days. He projects positive qualities onto him which he sees himself having. From what Ive read though EW was a terrible snob and sycophant of the aristocrats he ingratiated himself with.

[@rogerstallion815]

Because he draws like a young Ingres .

[@justinneill5003]

My reading of this is that Anthony invited Charles for lunch to sound out the competition, and his withering assessment of Sebastien was borne either of jealous indignation at his friendship with Charles, or to undermine their friendship by belittling him intellectually in Charles’s eyes.

[@simonebutler7123]

chel3SEY He was an Innocent to the rest of them.

[@degsbabe]

Think you've got it .

[@yingpiccola]

The actor interpreted Anthony is really annoying . . . . . .

[@deadsouls72]

_Before;_ Afro-Islamic conquest.

[@tefilobraga]

But dagos were around already...

[@bingola45]

@@tefilobraga Only educated ones.

[@HerbDregs]

That would be a different variety of romantic friendship.