I just finished watching The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, a film about the life of the actor best known for his roles in the Pink Panther movies and Dr. Strangelove. It showed a side of Sellers I was unfamiliar with, that of a man who was emotionally stunted to a severe degree. Like millions I was captivated by Seller’s performances, as he always seemed like a bomb ready to go off. Apparently there was good reason.
Geoffrey Rush plays Sellers and does an absolutely fantastic job of it. It isn’t easy to slip into roles you so closely associate with another actor but Rush wins the audience over into believing he is Sellers. Charlize Theron is also great as his suffering second wife. And John Lithgow plays Blake Edwards masterfully.
Sellers didn’t live a happy life, at least from what this film shows, but he was a brilliant comic. Watching Sellers’ life in this film isn’t always easy, but it is fascinating look at a talented but troubled man.