Archie: The Man Who Became Cary Grant (2023)

Peter McGinn December 23, 2023

★ 5/10

Perhaps it is best not to know too much about the real people behind the performers you love. This drama miniseries is well done enough, I suppose, though I must admit I am tired of the well-travelled path screenplays follow in having the story flash forward and backward constantly, as well as the gimmick with the lead character imagining they see their younger selves or loved ones in front of them. There must be simpler but still more powerful ways to make these rather obvious observations or character shadings. It was interesting to have Cary Grant say on his one-person stage show that he had always been described as playing himself like he wasn’t acting, but in reality Archie Leach had created this Cary Grant character and played him on screen and off. This made it tough on his relationships, for his Cary Grant persona could charm nearly any woman, but the controlling, selfish…