My Favorite Ralph Fiennes On-Screen Moment

[fiennesite]

Well many who have known me over the years won't be surprised by this one. My favorite onscreen Ralph Fiennes moment is the kiss in Strange Days at the end. All that sexual tension building throughout the movie on Mace's side, and it's like the lightbulb finally goes off for Lenny, and he get's it. Any of us who have had crushes on guy friends that have gone a little farther than friends know this moment...it's a blissful treasure when it works.
LOVE IT!!!

Second favorite (yes we can post more than one)...the scene in Quiz Show where he's eating cake and puts the milk bottle to his face, talking about how we can never get that same feeling we had as kids...etc...and when his father says "not until you have a son...". I always almost boohoo at that part, partly because RF won't ever know that feeling...I know it's a fictional character...but it makes me sad sometimes that in reality Ralph won't ever know that...oh well...

Those are mine! Mary

Duh...I GET IT NOW!!!

[Zsuzsanna]

Dear Liza I returned now from Brussels where we spent together Xmas with my son and his family (three grandchildren) so that's the reason of my belated answer. I'm happy that this news was only a hoax. The whole story seems to me 'blown up'. (Thank you for your sweet comment!)

[Liza]

The only word from Unicef on this matter was that Ralph was still a representative and was appreciated for his work. That came immediately after the incident. Nothing official has ever been said that he's withdrawn or has been removed as a UNICEF representative. I'm certain that was tabloid speculation.

57 years, 2 children & 5 grandchildren! God bless you Zsuzsanna! : )

[Zsuzsanna]

Dear Ladies, life is unforeseeable. I thought as a young girl that I'll never marry , I'll have partners and live alone by myself. Compared to this: I married when was 21 I have two children and we are waiting our 5th grandchild next April and live together with my husband for 57th (!) year.
Ralph is young enough to change his decision if he wants so, or attach to this idea.
What about UNICEF, I read that the organisation withdrew him after the Quantas-scandal but I'm not convinced that it's true.

[Alice]

I hate to harp on the kid issue, but personally I think Ralph is to be warmly commended on his child-free status. I've never had the slightest desire to be a mother and as a result I've been accused of being "selfish", "immature" and "irrational"(!). Which is funny in a way because there seems to be no shortage of selfish, immature and irrational breeders...I don't know if it's relevant but Ralph's mother suffered from mental illness, as did mine, and even if I did want children I certainly wouldn't want to risk passing it on to the next generation. And let's not forget that he's the eldest of SIX children and has probably had enough of kids to last him a lifetime. If he wants the company of children he has his own neices and nephews and his work for UNICEF.

[Liza]

I think Ralph's American accents have all been very believable.

[Yellowdog]

hey
the accent in strange days was authentic by my experience...very nasal southern california
if recent years.......not the only accent around but well chosen for lenny....
i agree that you must see rf in a film numerous times to catch the details and nuances.
And as for Todd Jacksons accent in WC...I remember hearing that accent in real life..older men educated a certain way......a certain type of education/experience and region and it was very correct...............that is my take as a 57 year old american...been around a while and met all kinds of people when i was young....

[trugannini]

Yes, the euthanasia scene was sad, but I was so happy that he would have been out of his
prison of a burned body , moving on towards peace and stillness. The scene that brought me undone was the one when he carried her out into the palace of winds, roaring in agony.........
oh my God...I cried and cried.....

[Dana]

Oh! I forgot this one. Got sidetracked with the "child" issue.
In B&D when Doris is at the piano with her "friend" singing, and he comes into the room and sings along with her. That whole scene is wonderful. His movement is so fluid as he comes in the room.
I'm not fond of his "American accent." It just kept kind of bothering me during The White Countess. Hugh Jackman speaks the same way when he plays an American. I've wondered if they share the same voice coach.

[Dana]

I haven't watched all of his films yet (but I'm working on it), but one of my favorite scenes, as someone mentioned before, was in Bernard and Doris when Bernard is in drag carrying Doris to her birthday dinner. He finally felt he could be who he was -- and Ralph portrayed it so wonderfully, especially with his eyes. He just speaks volumes with his eyes. It's incredible.
About the father issue, he just may not want children. Unfortunately, society places such an importance of people having children almost to the point where if you don't want children, you're looked at as defective or selfish, etc. Maybe he's so fulfilled with his work, he doesn't feel the need to have his own child -- I'm sure he gets lots of time with his siblings' children and maybe that is enough for him. Who knows.

[trugannini]

In B&D, at the end he gave her a tablet, and gently gave her some water to swallow it..then he calmly drew the fluid into the syringe, not a shake or a tremor of his hands, calm and slow, he also tapped the syringe to exclude the air bubble, just like we were taught in nursing school, his gentleness when he said "Here we go" and gave her the injection. "I'm just going to adjust your pillow", gently lifting her to him, he's just about to lay her down again, but he draws her back slowly so that their cheeks are touching again, just for an instant, then slowly lowers her down, patting her hair softly. waits at least 15 seconds, "Goodnight, sleep tight".
He didn't miss a beat....perfection. The Best Actor in the World, ever.