Space Pawdyssey

Some critics in 1951 praised Peck`s performance as Captain Horatio Hornblower, with Bob Thomas of the Associated Press claiming that Peck had “the right shot and authenticity as a remarkable nineteenth-century skipper” [185] and Variety wrote: “Peck stands out as a skilled artist who captures the spirit of the character and atmosphere of the time. Whether it`s as a ruthless captain ordering a flogging for a young officer or tenderly breastfeeding a woman with yellow fever, he never fails to reflect the character of a ranger. [186] In the twenty-first century, criticism of Peck`s performance ranges from something negative to very positive. [as] Richard Gilliam of AllMovie says it`s “an excellent performance by Gregory Peck,” who states that “Peck brings his usual aura of intelligence and moral authority to the role,”[189] but David Parkinson of RadioTimes states, “Gregory Peck plays Hornblower as a stuffple high principle T-shirt, confusing director Raoul Walsh`s efforts to speed up a bit.” [190] Reviews of the film after its release were good to very good, with Variety giving the most positive rating, saying it was “a spectacular success” and “bubbling entertainment with action along the way. It is an incisive study of a man without passion, distant and isolated, but often capable of finer feelings. The large action sequences were done with great skill. [192] Today, critical opinion ranges from evaluation as average to excellent, with some critics claiming that elements of romantic or psychological studies divert attention from well-filmed adventure components. [to] Mr. Peck has also served as the National President of the American Cancer Society`s Crusade and has been a long-time board member of the Motion Picture and Television Relief Fund and its Country House and Hospital for Retired Actors. He supported black artists as co-founder and main benefactor of the Los Angeles Cultural Center. Peck decided to follow a few other actors in the film production sector and in 1956 organized Melville Productions and then Brentwood Productions. [293] Over the next seven years, these companies produced five films with Peck in the lead role,[293] including Pork Chop Hill, for which Peck was executive producer. [294] These and other films, in which Peck starred, were observed by some as more political, sometimes with a pacifist message, with some calling them preachy,[30] although Peck said he tried to avoid any open sermons. [162] Gregory Peck is buried in the mausoleum of The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles….