Talents in cinema as versatile as Charlize Theron come once in a generation. Theron’s range is staggering—from the exhausted, no-nonsense mom in Tully to the fearless warrior freeing enslaved women in Mad Max: Fury Road to the haunting transformation into real-life serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Monster, which earned her a well-deserved Oscar. She’s even lent her voice to a grumpy monkey in Kubo and the Two Strings. And in The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, she transforms into Britt Ekland—the young Swedish actress who fell for the brilliant, yet self-destructive, British comedy legend (played by Geoffrey Rush).
However, Ekland didn’t stay in Sellers’ shadow—she carved her own path, landing parts like the Bond girl Mary Goodnight in The Man with the Golden Gun. More than a glitzy Hollywood love story, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers is a witty biopic adapted from Roger Lewis’ book of the same title that delves into the lustrous and erratic life of the superstar. For her supporting character, Theron doesn’t even show up until halfway through the film when she joins the fray as Sellers’ second wife, but she makes her stint worthwhile, elevating the understated and sometimes misunderstood avant-garde 2004 movie directed by Stephen Hopkins.
‘The Life and Death of Peter Sellers’ Paints a Complicated Portrait of its Iconic Protagonist
Before he became a Hollywood enigma, Peter Sellers was a BBC radio star cracking jokes across the airwaves in the 1960s. Initially known for his program The Goon Show, Sellers rose to international prominence with film roles such as the hilariously inept Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther movies and his astonishing Oscar-nominated triple performance in Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove. His portrayal of a political insider from obscurity in Being There was another remarkable performance that earned him another Academy nod. While his life glistened on the screen, off-screen, the picture was different. His private life was a paradox, filled with complicated relationships with those closest to him. The Life and Death of Peter Sellers attempts to paint this picture for the big screen in a witty and darkly humorous take.
Theron’s Britt Ekland is Sellers’ second wife after his divorce from Anne Howe, played by Emily Watson. The film delves into Sellers’ professional work as an actor and his private life, including two (of his four) wives. We are introduced to a determined but doubtful Sellers trying to break the gatekeeper barriers of transitioning from radio to film. His overbearing mother Peg (Miriam Margolyes)—with whom he shares an almost uncomfortably close bond—refuses to hear any excuses from him, deeming them weaknesses. When Sellers finally steps in front of the camera, the charm between his on-set persona and behind-the-scenes suddenly feels worlds apart—he snaps at his young children and treats his wives with cold cruelty.
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers dramatizes the big dipper romance between Sellers and Theron’s Britt, from how they meet to their explosive breakup. Hopkins’ lens captures intricate details like Sellers’ generous and compensatory gifting that intersperses their toxic interactions marred by abuse—physical, emotional, and an obsessive urge to assert control. The film also snaps Sellers’ profession by diving into the making of some of his famous movies—from negotiating deals to his collaborations with directors like Kubrick (Stanley Tucci). Sellers is portrayed as a natural genius who could embody anyone but himself—”I have no personality of my own,” he says.
Charlize Theron “Reprises” Her Bond Girl Role in the Playful ‘The Life and Death of Peter Sellers’
One of the most distinct attributes of the real-life Peter Sellers was how he optimally employed satire for maximum comedic effect. The Life and Death of Peter Sellers pays homage to this. Sellers mimics many characters, some of whom are from the film itself, like his father Bill (Peter Vaughan), who thinks Sellers has been spoiled by his beloved mother. Others are pop culture icons, like James Bond, whom Sellers parodied in Casino Royale. As James Bond, Sellers is filmed introducing himself to a new girl, played by Theron’s Britt Ekland (a parody of her Bond girl in The Man with the Golden Gun), in what works both as a romantic roleplay for the main plot as well as fitting into the film-within-film stylistic device. “Who are you? How did you get past my guys?” Theron’s Bond girl asks. “Good evening, and my name is Bond. James Bond,” Sellers replies with the famous 007 line. When the director shows dissatisfaction with his performance, he explains that he would like to play the role with the straightness of Cary Grant, in reference to the British actor who could have been the first James Bond had he not turned down the role, paving the way for Sean Connery to claim the pioneering role in Dr. No. Though it’s a small scene in the film, it encapsulates the two actor-characters’ lives—Peter Sellers as a self-confident talent who could hilariously portray anyone he wanted and Britt Ekland as the ultimate sex symbol of her generation.
Theron brings depth to Britt—she’s more than the glamorous wife. She’s a woman trying to hold her ground against a man who’s both a comic genius and his own worst enemy. Meanwhile, Geoffrey Rush disappears into Sellers with eerie ease. Stephen Hopkins’ direction imbues The Life and Death of Peter Sellers with an experiential playfulness that makes use of fourth-wall breaks, leans into uncanny performances, and uses a dark comic bite to present a wild and stylish portrayal of a man who could become anyone but himself. Theron’s dedicated performance makes sure that Britt isn’t there just for the ride.
The Life And Death Of Peter Sellers
- Release Date
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October 1, 2004
- Runtime
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122 minutes
- Director
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Stephen Hopkins
- Writers
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Christopher Markus
- Producers
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Charles Pattinson, David M. Thompson, Freddy DeMann, George Faber
