Albus Dumbledore: Actor and Character

He is the greatest wizard, the fear of all villains and the support of the weak. Probably, if there was not Dumbledore, Harry Potter would not have had the strength to win the final victory in the fight against evil. Or would it be enough? In the last part of the book series about the wizard boy, the reader learns that the white-bearded magician was not sinless. What kind of a hero is he? Is it positive? Was it difficult to play Dumbledore? The actor was not alone.

At Hogwarts School

This is the first character that appears on the pages of the book. A slow and majestic gait, he goes to the house of the Dursleys, the closest relatives of the orphaned Harry Potter. Dumbledore's actions are rational and logical. He calculates moves ahead, but this is perhaps the only time he made a mistake, believing that Harry will grow better with his own people. Dumbledore made a mistake and told Harry for 10 painful years, which, incidentally, only went to the boy's benefit, as he grew up kind, judicious and strong, which could not have been done for years in affection and bliss.

At school, Dumbledore met Harry cordially, but most of the time he watched the boy from afar, giving advice from time to time and explaining mistakes. The first direct contact and the first task the director gives his pupil only for the third year of training, when it is necessary to save an innocent person from death. Further communication grows stronger, and Dumbledore for Harry is no longer just a teacher, but an older friend, a great magician and almost a native person. At the end of the sixth book, he perishes, and this means that the boy loses his most powerful defender. The hope and support of Potter was all these years Professor Dumbledore.

Actor of the first and second parts

Richard Harris, who played in the first part of the Potters, recalled that the first reading of the role took place with the children. It was approved immediately. Harris was a British actor, the fifth child in the family. At an early age, he suffered from tuberculosis. On television appeared for the first time in 1958, and then went up, played major roles in historical films, received the Golden Globe for the role of King Arthur. A lot of filming in westerns. Harris even sang and recorded a couple of albums. Being a versatile person, he auditioned as a screenwriter and director. For the role in "Harry Potter" agreed at the insistence of his granddaughter. The girl threatened her grandfather that he would not talk to him if he refused to act. According to many critics and just viewers, it was the reference Dumbledore. Actor Richard Harris died in October 2002. His last role he played in the film "Apocalypse", where he was John the Theologian.

What should be Dumbledore?

It was difficult to "drop in on the bandwagon of a departing train" and continue such a heavy role after Harris died. Spectators had time to get used to the face of the hero, his manners and posture. The new Dumbledore - the actor Michael Gambon - has some resemblance to Harris, but in fact he is completely different. Albus Harris is more majestic and kind. He reminds of a kind grandfather, wise and experienced. This is a classic image of a wizard, similar to Marilyn and Gandalf. Despite the solid years, Dumbledore is distinguished by a lively mind, a sense of humor and an indulgent attitude towards life. Up to the seventh book about the past of the great wizard little is known, and therefore extremely positive was Dumbledore. Actor Michael Gambon had to convey the inner essence of the hero, remember the dark spots in his biography and try to justify some prudence in relation to Severus Snape and Harry Potter. The hero has a difficult childhood and rebellious character. He should not remain smiling and meek on the screen. He is strong, smart and daring, as Gambon was supposed to be.

The result is obvious

In the fourth book, a new Dumbledore appeared. The long silvery beard was shortened somewhat, the hero began to tie it up and changed the style of clothing. No, he did not refuse the robes, but he preferred gray and faded colors. It was the new Dumbledore - the actor made a difference in his character. The director became emotional, impetuous and sometimes even nervous. He breaks even at Harry, when he wants to know if he himself threw his name into the Cup of Fire. Dumbledore Gambon can show severity and even stiffness. He is rather coldly holding himself to Severus Snape, but gradually gets sympathetic to him for his feelings for Lilly Potter. The director has almost no friends, but there are as many admirers and admirers. Fans of the saga of the wizard boy remark that Dumbledore smiles a little at Gambon, while in the book he encouraged the boy with a good-natured smile through half-glasses.

Let's summarize

You can not compare the performers of the role of so many-sided and interesting wizard. The director of Hogwarts was a great person with a lot of nice qualities. The actor who played Dumbledore at the beginning, embodied the bright side of the image, showed that the hero is kind, calm and intelligent. Closer to the end of the acting game it became clear that he was still a man, not a god. Dumbledore skillfully calculated the moves of all players on his "chessboard", he wielded them as pawns, even after death, but everything was done for the sake of "common good". Is this approach justified? After all, the result was achieved. There are different points of view on this score, and the truth is unknown, probably even to the author of the books.