THE LOVED ONE (Tony RICHARDSON, 1965) Liberace

[@esmeephillips5888]

One of the best ever cameos by a non-actor. Liberace brilliantly adapts and dials down his familiar fulsome schtick to suit the persona of a discreet but determined salesman. From the moment he turns and advances almost obsequiously towards the prospect, he gets the register right. The scene is quite complicated to perform with its combination of dialogue detail and demonstration of the merchandise; L is spot on throughout. He should have done more fictional riffs on his image.

[@ghostwolf1435]

Liberace steals this 🎥

[@MisterSplendy]

This may be one of the most perfectly cast film roles ever.

[@ranchokitty1]

james Coburn as the airport customs agent.

[@tiffsaver]

Who was brilliant enough to think of casting Liberace to be the poncy casket salesman!! This was his crowning performance, for all time. WHAT A MOVIE!!!

[@almishti]

Liberace exudes a strange kind of comic sinisterness here. So perfect.

[@toyman9642]

Liberace steals the scene. Excellent performance. Shows clearly the hypocricy of the funeral industry.

[@toyman9642]

Liberace's performance is perfect.

[@ranchokitty1]

you'll be the death of me yet!

[@paulprocopolis]

Wonderful - such perfect casting!

[@RADIUMGLASS]

Too bad there weren't more movies where he did a cameo like this.

[@miketwocoat]

Liberace is so good in this scene.

[@toyman9642]

Liberace was great in this movie.

[@pabcde.babcde.5741]

A favorite. Author E. Waugh was a wonderful writer. His barbed, British humor translated very well to the screen. He pegged the US funeral industry right.

[@ukrandr]

One of the Mitford sisters wrote a scathing expose of the US funeral industry, I believe even before Waugh's Loved One.

[@jpstenino]

This film gets better and better as time passes

[@drafe007]

like good wine.

[@JL-kd6pi]

This movie threw down a path of roses for Six Feet Under. I saw it as part of a double feature at the Trenton Drive-in pre high school and it forever stuck in my brain. I've attended many a funeral at a cemetery within a mile or two of that entombed drive-in. RIP to all.

[@hopsiepike]

The first season of SFU had fake ads that paid homage to the cheesy manipulative sleaze of the funeral industry and this scene in particular.

[@Hypnagog23]

I can't believe i never seen this Lee is superbly funny and campy in this seance ...LOVE YOU LOTS LEE

[@dinkytankman]

The Loved One was a great satire and a condemnation of the hypocrisy of the funeral industry.

[@jonsampiro]

I swear that the saleswoman we had when my mother died must have used this as a training manual. Tried to upsell us on everything, but without anywhere near as much oily class as Lee has here.

[@clairekeesey1285]

my mother and I saw this together. I was 10 at the time. she loved it and I developed a crush on Robert Morse.

[@niamhryan9677]

Liberace is perfect in this.

[@stellertonybeller1972]

RIP Robert Morse who just passed away at 90

[@cryscharity3474]

Great scene! I had not seen Liberace act before; thank you!

[@jamesdcaldeira]

I loved it seeing I worked in a funeral home at 17..

[@THECLARENCES]

LOVE Liberace SOOO much! xoxo The Clarences

[@jeromehealy421]

It was advertised as "Something to Offend Everybody."

[@toyman9642]

Great movie. A not so subtle satire of the hypocrisy of the American funeral industry.

[@ranchokitty1]

used to see it at a revival movie theater always paired up with Harold and Maude.

[@mohddzulafiqar4665]

Who is here after watching caitlyn doughty JFK video

[@jessiejames7492]

this reminds me of a scene of the golden girls. the guy at the funeral house was showing as above the girls a range of coffins. he said'and this one is so and so and lined in lead'' Dorothy asked how much? we just want something nice , we're not burrying Superman. never mind the lead lined!'' that was so funny

[@parallaxview2143]

I'd have loved to have seen Liberace do more movies. He's very compelling to watch. Also, so interesting how the fantastic actor Andy Robinson sounded so much like him as well as resembling him. He was born to play Liberace.

[@olivelane7903]

He did do more movies l have them in dvd South sea sinner with Shelley winters and sincerely yours and he was in where the boys meet the.girls with Connie Francis band he played the evil twins in batman.omce also he did sketches on TV

[@parallaxview2143]

@@olivelane7903 I'll have to check those out. I love his personality and vivacity. A great entertainer.

[@shampoovta]

"Look, just because we're bereaved, that doesn't make us saps!" Walter Sobchak

[@sclogse1]

Imagine, if you will, a double bill. This, and Dr. Strangelove. What an evening.

[@harridan.]

my 2 favourites!

[@toyman9642]

Check out green burials. No embalming. No expensive casket. Gravesites are actually lovely meadows.

[@artheemisia]

Starker and Barlow! Stephen King must love that movie!

[@denniscahill734]

Too funny Liberace is fantastic

[@cathrinrehder6652]

"The Silent Night Special" 😂 ...

[@danl4238]

Rest in Peace Robert Morse -- 4.20.22

[@zillsburyy1]

WAYYYYYYY ahead of its time. LOL!!!!

[@dinkytankman]

A very funny movie. Great satire.

[@toyman9642]

The top three bottom feeders? Lawyers, politicians and funeral directors.

[@johncitizen5377]

The lady was really into Liberace.

[@ricko3k]

Thr inspiration for Morton Slumber perhaps?

[@NewMJ]

It's like watching Garak from Star Trek Deep Space Nine but with less flirting.

[@RADIUMGLASS]

He was 45-46 here.

[@johnzeszut3170]

Boy the whole movie was a hum-dinger. Enjoy the lady "counselor" who keeps smiling each time our victim spends more and more money. And "Oh Mr. Barlow you'll be the death of me yet.".

[@IguanaLuvr]

Where can I see the whole movie?

[@goshlikkrudbahr5109]

Rayon chafes, you know…

[@tjjones2907]

I personally find it quite abrasive...

[@greenonions5296]

So funny.

[@goshlikkrudbahr5109]

Propane burns bluer…

[@TheFirstManticore]

Rayon does not chafe! I can say that and I am still alive.

[@RZ393]

I don’t think any trained actor in the world could have pulled off as well as he did.

[@toyman9642]

A body will decay eventually.

[@alexmuenster2102]

"Well, then you'll be interested in our special double-valved Royal Compensator model! The small, self-activated release valve opens to automatically allow the gases of decomposition to escape into the atmosphere. Very discrete!"

[@rcobb5081]

OMG DID BILLY CRYSTAL STEAL THIS TAG LINE FROM LIBERACE?... MARVELOUS, SIMPLY MARVELOUS.

[@booksteer7057]

No, Billy was impersonating Fernando Lamas and various other Latin lover types. He said, "You look mahvelous." :-)

[@rcobb5081]

@@booksteer7057 yes, thanks

[@iVenge]

I find all of this gruesome. Just put me in the cooker and fee me da.

[@MrBBJane]

@JubalCalif : A very funny and biting movie, really effective, even today. Tony Richardson caused many issues to the producers, and the film was a commercial failure. It's actually considered as a Camp classic. Great performances by John Gielgud and Rod Steiger, too.

[@toyman9642]

None of this b.s. for me. Direct cremation through an independent company. $2,000 for everything. I am seeing a trend where more and more people are foregoing traditional funerals and choosing instead direct cremation.

[@RADIUMGLASS]

1:00 all of our units are waterproof 😂😂😂 BTW I was a grave digger 🪦😅🤣😂

[@TheButterZone]

Anjanette Comer?

[@major600]

This was a brilliant send up of one of the sleaziest businesses in America. Some monks in Louisiana are making cheap coffins for poor people, and the funeral lobby is applying pressure to shut them down. In many places, it's illegal to buy less expensive coffins online, all in the name of protecting the grieving consumer. They should be forced to buy $10,000 coffins.

[@vinilla901]

fucking weird......i love it

[@toyman9642]

This movie showed perfectly what low life, greedy, bottom feeding leeches funeral directors really are.

[@fritzidler3480]

The most offensive thing about the book was how boring it was. Glad I wasn't forced to see the movie. Though I admit, the trailer was very lively. Crude and stupid, but lively.

[@nowkentapplegate5315]

The movie was definitely not boring.

[@offrampt]

The foot curls a bit when rigmo sets in.

[@maydom04]

laughd so hard, never heard that short form for rigor mortis before, and Lee is perfect in this scene.