Popularly known as Professor Dumbledore from the Harry Potter franchise, and loved by many, Michael Gambon is one of the most long-serving actors present in Hollywood. He debuted in the 1960s through acting in theaters, and made his professional debut in the Gate Theater’s 1962 production of Othello. Not only that, but he has been praised for his remarkable acting skills, being the recipient of awards like the Laurence Oliver Award for Best Actor in 1987.
With decades of exceptional acting under his belt, Michael Gambon is known for his stellar acting career and his highly respected in the entire industry. To celebrate this career, here are some of the best Michael Gambon Movies, ranked.
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5 Othello (1965)
Warner BrosEagle-Lion Films
Shakespeare’s Othello is a classic tale of love, misunderstandings, and revenge, and it is the one Gambon started his film career with. A young and ambitious actor then, Gambon had a brief, but impressive role as the Senator, made memorable by his scenes with the great Lawrence Oliver. Most young actors would have been too shy to debut with someone so well-known and influential, but Gambon was not one of them. He took on the character, and with just a few scenes and lines, proved himself as a skillful actor; one that could not even be overshadowed by Oliver’s Othello. The film was a critical success that amassed several Oscar nominations and remains a fan favorite of all Shakespeare adaptations.
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4 The King’s Speech (2010)
Paramount PicturesColumbia PicturesSony PicturesThe Weinstein CompanyWild Bunch DistributionMomentum PicturesAlliance Films
Directed by Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech is an award-winning film based on a true story. The movie tells the tale of a young Prince Albert, Duke of York, looking to find treatment for his stammer as he navigates political turmoil and an unexpected ascension to the throne. Benefiting from a star-studded cast of Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter and Michael Gambon, the movie was a masterpiece, which made a staggering $427.4 million at the box office.
Gambon played the supporting character of King George V, whose passing causes political commotion and unrest as the country looks for its new king. While Gambon’s role is brief, his performance is exemplary; so life-like and close to the real king in demeanor and speech, that the audiences are left awe-struck. Michael Gambon portrays the role of a father humiliated and angered by his son’s stammer. The alienation of the father-son relationship is greatly shown through Gambon’s exceptional acting. The scene of King George V roughly expressing his anger towards the young Albert shows Gambon’s greatness and command over the character he’s playing.
3 The Book of Eli (2010)
Warner Bros. Pictures
Directed by the Hughes brothers, The Book of Eli revolves around the life of a nomad (played by Denzel Washington) in a post-apocalypse world. This film marks one of Michael Gambon’s most unconventional roles to date, as he plays a peculiar man named George, who lives with his wife in the post-apocalyptic world. Being “old but resilient”, George and his wife are actually frightening cannibals. The scene plays out with gory details of a shootout as soon as George is about to feast on the protagonist. Michael Gambon’s acting in this scene is not something that fans are used to, and he delivers a satisfying performance, and has the audience engaged until the end. Michael Gambon fans loved seeing this experimental character, which just further justifies his great acting skills. The Book of Eli was yet another one of Gambon’s commercially successful films, as it grossed a modest $157 million at the box office.
2 Churchill’s Secret (2016)
ITV 1Passion DistributionPublic Broadcasting ServiceYleisradio
The three-time Emmy nominee, Charles Sutridge, directed Churchill’s Secret, which is based on a true incident that took place in Winston Churchill’s life. This drama film was based on the life of Churchill after becoming prime minister and falling terribly ill. Michael Gambon, being the dynamic actor he is, took on the role of Winston Churchill. He delivers the character by adding a stubbornness and fragility to Churchill. Gambon played Churchill flawlessly, portraying the private and public life of one of the most important people in British history with great poignancy. Though Gambon physically looked nothing like Churchill, this remains one of his most significant lead roles to date, staying true to the film’s historical background. This television film was broadcast on ITV1 and was well received by critics, who as always, sang praises for Gambon, despite the somewhat controversial subject of the film.
1 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Warner Bros. Home EntertainmentFilmFlexWarner Bros
After all this time? Always. The Harry Potter films are arguably the best film series in history. Based on the fantasy books written by J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, directed by David Yates, marked the death of Professor Dumbledore’s character, played by Gambon. In what is considered his most iconic role to date, the film features a now-old Dumbledore, well aware of what Voldemort and his enemies plan against him and Hogwarts. Dumbledore teaches Harry not just how to destroy a Horcrux, but in a spine-chilling performance, Gambon teaches an older Harry, new secrets. Gambon delivers his final moment as Dumbledore in the most Dumbledore way of protecting Harry, bringing fans to tears. The wielder of the Elder Wand, Dumbledore is killed by Snape in a scene full of emotion, that had taken six movies to build toward.
This is one of Gambon’s best performances because of how raw and emotional the scenes are. While his casting as the character had gained significant outcry from fans, no one could dispute after this final performance that anyone except Gambon could have done justice to such a beloved character.
