Archie: A brutal depiction of a bold, broken, and boisterous man
"Debonair" is the word that first pops to mind when thinking of Cary Grant, arguably the most memorable persona from the Golden Age of Hollywood. He carried himself with a lot of suave and aloof charm through the range of characters he portrayed on-screen. From employing his tongue as a whip in His Girl Friday to becoming a magnetic personality in Indiscreet, Cary Grant did it all. However, his greatest role did not belong on the silver screen. Rather, it was the one he donned throughout his adult life, playing the character of Cary Grant.
Archie attempts to strip away Archibald Leach, the name that Grant was born with, from the persona he chose to adopt upon entering Hollywood. We begin in a poverty-ridden, tragic household in Bristol where the relationship between his parents is tense. The subsequent institutionalisation of his mother ends up evoking more resentment towards both his parents. From there, Archie brashly joins a vaudeville group and decides to stay back in New York while touring with them. Oaklee Pendergast showcases the teenaged Archie's juxtaposition of hatred for home and yearning to start afresh.
In what is certainly a very jarring move, the series touches on the beginning of the character Cary Grant, and then entirely glosses over the events of the two decades when Grant was at the height of his career. It picks up again in the middle of his relationship with Dyan Cannon – his fourth wife – who was thirty-three years younger than he was. Laura Aikman takes to the role of Cannon with near perfection, bringing a blend of youthful innocence and witty strength to the character.
It makes sense why the series decides to employ this time-skip. The idea of Cary Grant had already been established, and it assumes the viewer is somewhat familiar with the Hollywood persona. Instead of needlessly droning on about the accomplishments of the actor, it chooses to focus on the failures of the man.
Jason Isaacs does a brilliant job of portraying an ageing Grant. Overcome by a life of pretence, it shows him trying to reconcile the differences between Archibald Leach and Cary Grant. However, his internal struggles begin affecting his interpersonal relationships as he starts to become more possessive and overbearing towards Cannon. Their relationship is tumultuous and abusive, and it unravels the cripplingly insecure man behind the debonair personality.
However, the series doesn't conclude with crumbling the audience's perception of Grant. Instead, it picks up in the 1980s when Grant finally decides to open up about struggling with discovering who he truly is in front of his fans. The ending alludes to his redemption following the birth of his only child and his separation from Cannon. Isaac adds an undercurrent to Grant's personality – one that explores his inner child still hurting from family dynamics. And, with the arrival of his child, we see him reconciling with his inner child and finding peace. The finale feels serene, circular, and complete.
Archie doesn't have the production value of other bio-pics like Blonde or Spencer; the sound design and soundtrack leave much to be desired, as does the casting of certain characters like Hitchcock. However, what it lacks in budget, it makes up for in the honest performances of its leading actors and its touching story about a beloved icon.
Adrita Zaima Islam is an A level student.