I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Rollicking, bittersweet portrayal of an indigent artist in postwar London. Alec Guinness is Gulley Jimson, curmudgeon and would-be lothario who curses his vocation with the same passion he pours into his paintings. The film follows Guinness on a madcap quest to regain some lost artwork, leading to antics worthy of the Marx Brothers. He is joined in his adventures by Kay Walsh as Dee Coker, Gulley's caustic barkeep gadfly who helps him look for the artwork in order to collect a debt. Mike Morgan is Nosey, the starstruck youth who follows Gulley everywhere to learn his painting secrets. Ernest Thesinger (Dr. Pretorius in Bride of Frankenstein) is the long-time benefactor of Gulley who is harassed by crank phone calls from the artist. Renee Houston steals the movie right out from under Guinness' nose in the role of Sara Monday, Gulley's ex-wife who still is sweet on him. Screenplay adapted by Guinness from a book by Joyce Cary, directed by Ronald Neame."Why doesn't it fit...like it does in the mind?"

Alec Guinness plays obsessed artist Gulley Jimson in "The Horse's Mouth," a 1958 film written by Guinness. Gulley is a grizzly-voiced, unkempt, grouchy artist who will paint his vision at all costs. We first see him being released from jail, and then, annoyed by a young man, Nosey (Mike Morgan), who wants to learn at his feet, he attempts to get back into prison.Since the prison doesn't want him, Gulley then returns to what got him into prison in the first place - harassing phone calls to a wealthy man, Hickson (Ernest Thesiger), who was given 18 canvasses by Gulley's ex-wife (Renee Houston) in payment of Gulley's debts to him. Gulley wants the canvasses back because he has a letter from another wealthy man who wants to buy one. But upon going to Hickson's house, Hickson's servant calls the police, and Gulley and his some time friend Dee (Kay Walsh) to whom he owes money have to escape via the kitchen and hijack a cab.Gulley goes to the elegant apartment of the couple (Robert Coote and Veronica Turleigh) who want to buy his painting - a small one, it turns out, for their summer home -- and what does he see but an enormous blank wall. Yes, he decides, that is what I must have for my painting of the raising of Lazurus. The couple leave for Jamaica, and Gulley stays on, commandeering a key from the superintendent. He then starts selling their things in order to buy supplies. The laugh out loud scenes come here, when Michael Gough, a sculptor, arrives and moves in his block of material. Absolutely hilarious.There is a serious undertone to all of this - Gulley Jimson is a man who has given up everything and lives on a houseboat in order to paint. His ideas are unlimited, and throughout the film, he is, in a sense, framing his next canvas."The Horse's Mouth" could be made today, it's just as fresh as it was in 1958. Guinness is sheer perfection as Gulley - nasty, contemptuous of commercialism, completely zeroed in on his vision and his art while he trashes the world around him. And for all that, a serious artist with something to say. The paintings by John Bratby are quirky and look as if someone like Gulley could have done them.It's so sad that the young man who played Nosey died of meningitis during the filming - he was delightful, as is the rest of the cast. Ronald Neame's directing is first-rate.This film is a total triumph.

Highly original and entertaining, this film explores the bizarre world of artist Gulley Jimson (Alec Guinness) whom we meet as he is released from jail. He's a scammer and a reprobate, but he's also a great artist who doesn't believe in art. Yet he is compelled to paint.With the help of maybe girl friend (Kay Walsh) they try to track down the paintings sold on the cheap to pay off the debts of his former wife (Renee Houston). The art dealer (Ernest Thesiger) is a crook and has cheated everyone by telling them the paintings are worthless. So Gulley tries to find an art patron who will support him. He finds an older couple of patrons but after they go on holiday, he moves into their apartment and trashes it while he paints a mural.Gulley is always looking for "a big wall" on which to paint his big paintings and finally finds the side of a building about to be demolished. His compulsion is so great, he MUST paint on this wall but has no money, so he "sells" sections of the wall to amateurs who combine to create a fabulous urban mural (to his design). This project seems to assuage his compulsions, but after the wall's destruction he's off to find a new horizon... or is he? This is one of Guinness' great performances. In a comic role with serious undertones, few actors were ever better than Guinness, and he grabs onto this quirky role with great gusto. Indeed, Guinness even wrote the script (based on a novel by Joyce Cary). At age 44, he's totally believable as the grizzled 60-ish artist. The great and underrated Kay Walsh turns in a ferociously funny turn as the friend he owes money to. Walsh's character lives in fury that she has been cheated and short-changed by life. Together, Walsh and Guinness burn up the screen with their acting talent.Co-stars add just the right touch. Houston and Thesiger are old pros. Michael Gough plays the obsessed sculptor. Veronica Turleigh and Robert Coote are fun as the art patrons. Gillian Vaughan is a hoot as the model. May Hallatt is funny as the scrub woman.A special word must be said for Mike Morgan who plays Nosey, the adoring and gangling young man who follows Gulley everywhere. Morgan is just terrific here with just the right blend of awkward youth and that special British eccentric comedic touch. In his late 20s, Morgan died suddenly of meningitis before the film was finished, and several of his scenes were dubbed by another actor.This is a great film.

This movie showcases the talents of a great actor and should be studied by acting students keen to learn how to adapt a character.Alec Guiness becomes this rather disreputable artist and gives him many saving qualities. Supported by a good cast and free to create one of his better though less known performances Guiness holds you spellbound Joyce Cary wrote the screenplay and the artist Gulley Jimson really comes to life using the talents of Alec Guiness ,Joyce Carey and the expert direction of Robert Neame who possibly had an easy time with this movie simply letting Carey and Guiness do what they do best. That is exercise their Godgiven talents to give the devolving public a Classic movie to remember with great affection.