Richard Harris vs Michael Gambon; who is the best Dumbledore?

Who is the best?

Ok so to begin with, I’m going to be copying a couple of posts from another one of my blogs into this one as their Harry Potter related, so it’s only natural that they should posted here as well. This particular post is to discuss my opinion on the best portrayal of the ‘greatest wizard of our age’.  To me, Richard Harris always was, and always will be ‘the’ Dumbledore.

‘The Greatest Wizard of our age’

Richard Harris brought that certain kind of magic to the first two Harry Potter films which the character of Dumbledore brought to the books. The well known British actor played the character with that exact gentility which makes everyone trust and love the mad but intelligent headmaster. Even his voice was perfect because even from the books, we knew the professor had a kind and quiet voice, speaking very softly but with a kind of sharpness which would make everyone listen whenever he spoke. Richard Harris had this technique to a tee and whenever I read the books now, I always imagine him because he brought the character to life. His death back in 2002 saddened everyone and a good majority of the films’ audiences knew that he could not be replaced.

Not the same

Handing over the role of Dumbledore to Michael Gambon was probably one of the worst decisions that the Harry Potter crew could have ever done. I appologise to those who may love his portrayal of Dumbledore, but to me he lacks everything Richarad Harris gave to that character. Obviously he wanted to make the character his own knowing that he probably couldn’t live up to what Richard Harris had done, but Richarad Harris kept how the actual character was described, he did not. The main aspect which annoys me about Gambon’s Dumbledore is his constant shouting like a football hooligan, what is that about? Goblet of Fire is a fine example of this, when he out of the blue yells at Harry asking whether he “put his name into the Goblet of Fire” and shakes him half to death. This is physical abuse! Dumbledore would never, ever do something like this to any of his pupils, especially Harry. Even in the books there are only about two moments in the whole series where Dumbledore shouts: At Cornellius Fudge outside the hospital wind in Goblet of Fire (if I remember correctly) and at Harry in his office, when he is saying that love is more stronger than anything that Voldemort has in Half Blood Prince. Why the hell has the screenwriters decided that this was the best route in which to portray the films’ second Dumbledore?

And what is with all the awkward scenes in Half Blood Prince where he tells Harry he needs a shave & where he stares at a huge billboard of a model on the train station? May I remind you that Dumbledore is gayer than a Christmas tree. These flaws, along with many others, make my opinion of Michael Gambon a negative one, he ruined what would be one of the greatest and powerful characters that should have been played on screen.

Again sorry to all those Gambon portrayal fans, but Richard Harris will always be the perfect Dumbledore and will always be remembered for doing so.

*Pictures are not mine, thank the wonderful world of Google for them*

---