Letters: The ranting, genial, unpredictable Michael Winner

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2013/jan/22/michael-winner

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<strong>Quentin Falk writes: </strong>Although he was always polite to the point of being obsequious with his stars, Michael Winner could be a bully when it came to minor actors and humble craftsmen on his film sets. While researching my biography of Anthony Hopkins, I witnessed at first-hand, during the filming of A Chorus of Disapproval (1989) in Scarborough, Winner's verbal assault on a young actor who was required to knee Hopkins in the groin and who was understandably nervous about about how he should weigh the blow.

"You're not a bloody ballet dancer," Winner screamed at him after a few duff takes. Hopkins, who relished racing to the rescue of fellow thesps threatened by despotic directors, bellowed back: "Don't get after him, Michael. He's doing the best he can." Winner giggled nervously and drew back. On the next take, the young actor went for it with a vengeance, leaving his saviour Hopkins in some distress, curled foetally on the floor.

<strong>David Rintoul writes: </strong>Michael Winner had the reputation of being a bit of a tricky customer. When I was about to leave Rada in the early 1970s I wrote about 200 letters to people in theatre, film and television. My efforts produced 12 pro forma replies and a longish, encouraging, handwritten letter from Winner. We never met but I saw him across a crowded room at a charity do recently and wanted to thank him for his kindness of 40 years ago. By the time I got round to it he had gone, so I suppose that's what I'm doing now.