Pffft. If it was such a “great” movie, how come there was no “Bridge Over the River Kwai II”?
Hah? How come?
I love movies. I work in the business and I consume as much as possible about them in my free time (through watching, reading, listening, etc.). And I’ve probably seen more Alec Guinness movies than anyone in this thread (at least until lissener shows up).
But for me to presume that someone not familiar with his Ealing or Lean work (or the other stuff in between) is “culturally illiterate” just makes me sound like a grade-A asshole.
So even though the OP may know fuck-all when he says idiotic shit like:
he’s still right that in a thread about the single biggest hit of an artist (which Star Wars unquestionably was, in AG’s case), to bring up an arbitrary benchmark of who may or may not be a cultureless dumbass is a perfect example of snobbery. I think it’s safe to say that more people worldwide have seen that film than any others in his CV. To say it is his best-remembered role by most people (particularly for anyone 40 years old or younger) is merely stating a fact, not an invitation to show off how goddamned smart-and-indignant you can be.
And sorry, eleanorrigby, but as much as I adore KH&C, it is far from a household name. Maybe not obscure-obscure, but one many smart, well-read, unquestionably cultured people wouldn’t necessarily know.
Or a prequel–answer that! No “Building the river kwai bridge”. Some “Classic”. Huh.
PS–Archiveguy: I know it’s obscure; I was being facetious. It just hurts to see it called that, ya know? It’s a great movie (KH&C).
Well, Bridge Over the River Kwai was about building the bridge.
The prequel would be Ferry Across the River Kwai.
Mo no NO you silly person!
Monocles are really really fast and go vroom vroom. Harley Davidson makes them.
I grew up, watching him in the Hammer Film Dracula movies. Tall, aristocratic, and vicious.
Christopher Lee WAS Count Dracula.
Mine too.
“Sir, have these children never heard of Jesus?”
“Himself the son of a virgin, impregnated, I believe, by a ghost?”
Possibly the best comeback of all time. And you gotta love a lord of a pagan sex-worshipping island who wears a tweed blazer with a yellow turtleneck sweater underneath it.
Lord Summerisle’s scene in that same film wearing the kilt, playing the piano and singing is also just classic. He has one of the best voices of all time.
That was the joke…
I’ll not quit my day job.
Jokes aside, tens of thousands of Allied POWs and civilians died building the Thai-Burma Railway (including the Bridge On The River Kwai); it’s still a touchy subject in some places.
In relation to the topic at hand, I there are a number of actors whose “other” work people should be aware of, even if they haven’t seen it. So, in the case of Sir Alec, I think a reasonable person should also be assumed to know that, besides being Obi-Wan, he was also in Lawrence of Arabia, Bridge On The River Kwai, numerous Ealing Comedies, and had his start as a Stage actor.
Never, you BASTARD!
The original statement was absolutely correct - Alec Guinness is known for Star Wars more than anything else. Overwhelmingly, I would imagine. I can’t see how that statement is at all incorrect. You might not like the implications of that statement, but that’s your issue.
As far as culture goes, depends on your definition of culture, as has been pointed out. I dare you to name one Guinness movie that is more culturally signficant or culturally influential than Star Wars. There are better movies (or not - it’s subjective), but the purpose of the original thread wasn’t “name the Alec Guinness movie you feel you must point out to get that trademarked SDMB superior tingle” and the original snobbish response about cultural illilteracy was textbook threadshitting.
Sigh, no, you culturally illiterate slob. 
In the book Claire uses the English pronunciation, which is Beech-um.
No. That’s Alec Baldwin. Alec Guinness hosts Jeopardy.
But, did he ever do a wine Commercial? by some schmoe named Orson The Aliens are ATTACKING!!! & Rosebud Killed Dumbledore. Wells.
I read this as *Christopher Lee WAS Count Chocula *.
Film?
According to what definition of “culture”? Because I’m pretty sure #1 is language and #2 is how we raise our children. And those might actually be flip-flopped. Either way, #3 would probably be food. Number 4, architecture. At 5+, we might start getting into arts and entertainment.
Would that be a certain rich, full-bodied wine, sensibly priced at $1 a jug? 
I also like to scandalise dinner guests by informing them that the frozen peas comprising part of their meal are full of Country Goodness and Green Pea-Ness, too.
Jeremy’s Iron?
Le sihg. :o
CMC fnord!
Ooh, blowjob smiley can be yawny smiley too!
This thread has Genuine Class.