Sir Laurence Olivier as General Douglas MacArthur
Throughout his long and distinguished career, Sir Laurence Olivier directed and/or appeared in numerous classic films and stage productions, but by the end of his career, as is the case with Terence Young’s infamous film Inchon (1982), he was forthright about his priorities for appearing in any film at all, as long as the paycheck was satisfactory. As he told an interviewer during the making of the film,
“People ask me why I’m playing in this picture. The answer is simple. Money, dear boy. I’m like a vintage wine. You have to drink me quickly before I turn sour. I’m almost used up now and I can feel the end coming. That’s why I’m taking money now. I’ve got nothing to leave my family but the money I can make from films. Nothing is beneath me if it pays well. I’ve earned the right to damn well grab whatever I can in the time I’ve got left.”
Indeed.
Tags: Inchon, Sir Laurence Olivier, Terence Young
