BritBox To Drop Harris/O'Toole Documentaries as a Double Feature Release

BritBox is going all in on going behind the scenes with British acting royalty. First, it released An Interview with Brian Cox, timed perfectly to coincide with the actor's exit from HBO's series Succession, which turned him into a 21st-century household name. Now it's dropping both documentary features it picked up in December 2022 on the lives of the late Richard Harris (Harry Potter) and the late Peter O'Toole (The Tudors) on the same day. The result will be a British Actor double feature event on the streaming service as fans get to know the histories behind these actors.

The Ghost of Richard Harris originally debuted at the 2022 Venice Film Festival and features his family and children, who followed in his footsteps to Hollywood, including Jared Harris (The Crown), Jamie Harris (Carnival Row), and director Damian Harris (Brave The Dark), as well as his late wife, Elizabeth Harris. The documentary also has insight from co-stars such as actors Russell Crowe, Vanessa Redgrave, Stephen Rea, Malachy McCourt, and Dick Cavett. Other notable faces include playwright Jim Sheridan, producers Sandy Lieberson and Lelia Doolan, activist Noel Pearson, and musicians Jimmy Webb and Phil Coulter.

Directed by Adrian Sibley, the film was well received by critics when it initially debuted in theaters, and its move to streaming comes at the perfect time. Harris is best known to modern audiences for starring in the first two Harry Potter films, and with renewed interest in the fantasy series, fans should check this one out.

Here’s the documentary’s synopsis:

The Ghost Of Richard Harris tells the story of a once famous actor, poet, lover, and singer whose prodigious career was overshadowed by a reputation for drinking and riotous behavior, earning him the epithet "hell raiser." It is the story of a legendary Irishman, perhaps the greatest actor Ireland has produced, who still lives in the hearts of his countrymen. And it’s the story of a father whose three sons still think about him every day since his unexpected death twenty years ago. They are still in search of and argue about who he really was - a complex, flawed genius.  This is also not a simple biographical documentary. It is a haunting of the people and places that were dear to Richard Harris and told in a unique way through unheard confessional interviews where Harris will again speak to his sons, family, and friends. 

The O’Toole documentary also includes director Jim Sheridan, this time behind the camera, helming Peter O’Toole - Along The Sky Road To Aqaba. The documentary debuted on the film festival circuit in Spain in November 2022. Structured into four acts, the new documentary covers everything about O’Toole, from his self-belief to alcoholism, using his own words to narrate his life. Reviews are scarce, as the film only opened in a limited release ahead of its streaming debut, but those who have seen it give it high marks.

Like The Ghost of Richard Harris, it includes interviews with O’Toole’s family, artists, actors, and directors, including Sir Kenneth Branagh, Stephen Fry, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Sir Derek Jacobi, and Succession’s Brian Cox, bringing the whole thing full circle.

Here's the documentary's official synopsis:

Peter O’Toole - Along The Sky Road To Aqaba centers around the legendary actor Peter O’Toole, who brought a touch of danger to his art and a stroke of madness to his life yet inspired a generation of movie makers. Reflecting Peter O’Toole's theatrical legacy, the film is structured into four acts, each introduced by a quote about O’Toole that encapsulates his life during a specific period. Each act expands into a holistic narrative addressing questions such as his self-belief, his alcoholism, his relationships with women, his belief in socialism, and his selective embrace of Irishness. While O’Toole's words (gleaned from hundreds of hours of archival interviews) act as a narrator of his own journey, director Jim Sheridan further explores the story through interviews with O’Toole’s family, artists, actors, and directors that knew him well. 

The Ghost of Richard Harris and Peter O’Toole - Along The Sky Road To Aqaba both premiere on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, on BritBox.