Denholm Elliott: At Your Service

The Curator’s run in recently with appalling customer service at a major, national retail store chain has inspired a recurring loop of angry thoughts. Not the least among them is how hard it is to find good help these days. Harder still, to find it on the Curator’s shelves in any film dated post-1992, the sad year a true gent of the stage and screen departed the living for that great hospitality service industry in the sky. Denholm Elliott was a graceful, congenial co-star and servant to many a great actor including but not limited to, Harrison Ford, Sean Astin, Lou Gossett, Jr. and Dan Aykroyd. A moment of gratitude then for Denhold Elliott, a jolly good fellow, far in advance of next year’s National Service Professional Appreciation Day.

Trading Places (1983)

Denholm co-stars as Coleman, a bit of an unscrupulous, opportunistic butler. His boss Louis Winthrope is in a bit of a jam. Seems he’s being screwed in a hilarious twist of fate, when his bosses, the wickedly rich Dukes brothers, decide to fuck with his life and make him a poor, transplanting a homeless Eddie Murphy in his high society place. Denholm, caught in the middle as his paycheck does come from the Dukes, at first gleefully plays his role, shutting Dan out in the cold. But, as his desire to serve can not help but spring forth, Denny eventually comes around to serving both Masters well, and even comes out financially on top in the end.

*Fun Curator Fact! This is first movie the Curator saw that prominently featured full-frontal boobies.

**Fun Curator Aside! This was at some sort of over-night party in which the host’s dad’s video collection was raided. Host’s parents were not pleased, and host was subsequently grounded for 2 weeks.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

In his most prominent Indiana Jones franchise role, Denholm actually gets to accompany Indy on an adventure into the spiritual unknown. He not only offers comic relief, story point and biblical explanations for us, the uneducated viewer, but he participates in driving the plot along by getting kidnapped, and with his misadventures in the Nazi tank. Basically, he acts as a surrogate “you.” You bumble, get lost, don’t get the girl, and you don’t get the treasure. You do get a good story though. Denny entertains us and delights us as he keeps up with the Joneses.

Toy Soldiers (1991)

Denny really takes the back seat here, this time to a young, surprisingly buff, Sean Astin. Denholm is the Headmaster at a sleep-away school for rich young punks well-versed in various misbehaviors. As far as plot lines go, that’s usually enough. In this case however, the school is attacked… by Terrorists! As this film was made in 1991, back before Osama bin Laden was invented, these terrorists hail from Columbia, where all evil used to originate from. All that really is of inconsequence; what really matters is these bad boys are the last stand between terrorism and the downfall of America. And who’s there to cheer them on, believe in them even though the rest of the world may have given up on them and maybe even read them a couple bed time stories while on lock-down? Denholm of course, serving in all his capability to the last.

P.S. There is no National Service Professional Appreciation Day.