Guest Essays
Page 14 of 14

THOUGHTS ON PATRICK MACNEE
by Jonathan Woods

One of the nice opportunities afforded by watching Honor Blackman's Avengers episodes is getting to see just how good an actor Patrick Macnee really is. Although he is quick to downplay his own versatility ("I'm just a television actor..."), he consistently shines under the difficult conditions of a live taping schedule. Doing essentially a stage play and trying to make it look like television—with multiple locations and sudden leaps in time—is a challenge not easily met by many otherwise gifted actors. In "Concerto," Nigel Stock (obviously respected enough to be asked back for "A Sense of History") forgets his lines during his drinking scene with Macnee in the hotel room. They pour another round of drinks, someone audibly feeds Stock his cue, and they go right on. You would never know that there was any problem looking at Macnee, who consistently performs under these shifting conditions episode after episode. While the same can be said for the outstanding Honor Blackman (whom I agree steals her scenes just by her presence), it is Steed who anchors each episode, and Macnee is up to the challenge every time.

While Macnee maintains that he simply is Steed, season three showcases a different Steed than seasons four, five and six. The decision to toughen him up is evident yet not out of character. Macnee not only plays Steed—he amplifies and adapts his characterization with conviction and authority while avoiding the pitfalls of creating a whole new character altogether. In "The Little Wonders," Macnee convincingly plays one of the toughs while dressed as a clergyman. Later, his famous kiss with Blackman is maturely and bravely executed as not romantic—he confidently sees the scene through without having "won her over" in the manner of James Bond. He walks away from the kiss with his masculinity intact even though Cathy is professionally distant. Not many actors could pull this off—or would want to—but Macnee, with depth, is in great command of his craft.

I love Emma Peel and find Rigg to be irreplaceable, but she never had to do the shows that Blackman and Macnee did—without the benefit of editing and higher production values. Much is made altogether of how wonderful Blackman and Rigg are—and I am in no disagreement—but less is said about Macnee, aside from the brief praise and the honest assessment that he has always been the center of the show. I understand this phenomenon—anchoring a show and stealing it are often two different things. Under the glow of his stellar co-stars, Macnee always proves to be a first rate professional and fun to watch.

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Page last modified: 5 May 2017.

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