We kind of regret over-using the phrase ‘starting as he meant to go on’ in these entries, because what have we got left to describe a man who made his British film debut as Napoleon? From then on, whether shooting his nose off in the Pink Panther films or refusing to bash his head against a concrete post in Phantom of the Opera, the world’s least bouncing Czech elevated many a supporting role above its second-best status with a tempting blend of eloquence and shiftiness.
FINEST HOUR: Demonstrating this point to perfection, while the rest of The Ladykillers turned in performances with capital ‘p’s, Lom, in the words of director Alexander Mackendrick, acted ‘as if he didn’t know he was funny’, which sums up the man’s unique craft as well as anything.
