Who Is The Better Dumbledore? Richard Harris or Michael Gambon

[AidensDaddy]

Sorry, but I'm skipping reading any of the above posts until I watch Prince this Sunday, so I don't accidentally read anything I don't want to. But after three films, my feelings are pretty strong against Michael Gambon's take as Dumbledore. There was a moment in Goblet of Fire, after Harry's name is comes out of the goblet and Dumbledore in his office virtually attacks Harry, asking him if he'd put his name into the goblet, that my patience for his portrayal of Dumbledore disappeared. Now I just tolerate his performance. Richard Harris's Dumbledore shows much more affection and grace towards Harry in the first two films, just the way I felt it should be when I read the books.

I've still got "hope" that maybe Gambon's work in Prince might change my mind finally. I'll find out after I see it this Sunday morning.

There's nothing above that gives anything away for the new movie.

[AidensDaddy]

Picard over Kirk.

[LukeSkyWalker]

harris! harris!

[SummerInFL]

Picard over Kirk.

I think he was referring to the analogy of comparing apples to oranges but instead used the Star Trek reference. But with sediment sometimes I just never know. LOL

[aimster]

Show how much attention I pay to the credits. Ever since the 2nd movie came out I thought it was Ian McKellan playing Dumbledore.

[LuvsLilo]

I voted for Richard Harris. He's how I pictured Dumbledore when I'm reading the books.

[sir clinksalot]

As a non-reader of the books, I put my vote for Richard Harriss. Now... I don't know how Dumbledore is intended to be in the books. All i have is what was on screen and I just feel that Richard Harriss had that wonderful mysterious charm about him. And I think it's not fair to say he coudln't do the dramatic scenes.. he never had the chance to prove it.

I agree, and I REALLY wish Harris would have had a chance to show us what he could have done with the more "meaty" material.

We are starting to watch the movies again today and hopefully will see the new movie tomorrow or sometime this weekend.

[twinmom]

My biggest complaint with Gambon was in book 4 when Harry's name is drawn. He was angry which was wrong; in the book, he was worried and concerned, not pissed off.

I thought Gambon did a great job in 6.

[mycroft16]

Both are excellent at Dumbledore for different reasons. Richard Harris played the grandfatherly, caring, twinkle in the eye side of Dumbledore much better. Michael Gambon plays the action, severe, worried with the weight of the world on his shoulders side of Dumbledore better. It's really unfair to compare them though as neither really had to play the others side very much. Though Michael Gambon did a great job being more grandfatherly in this movie than he has previously.

As for Ian McKellan, there is a scene in Half Blood Prince, at the locket, where Michael Gambon was the spitting image of Gandalf. I did a double take there for a sec.

[tonyrr1]

But with sediment sometimes I just never know. LOL

Are you referring to "sentiment" or to the fact that both actors may well be older than dirt..?

(sorry... couldn't resist that...)

As for me, not having read the books and only having seen HP movies 1 and most-recent from beginning to end, I must cast my vote for the late Richard Harris. I'm afraid the quality of his acting is a bit more nuanced than Mr. Gambon, which is not to say that the latter is an inferior actor - just not quite on the same parallel with Mr. Harris.

[NeverNeverland]

Harris!
There is ZERO chemistry between gambon and radcliffe. gambon plays is very uptight and straight and seems less caring and fatherly toward harry.

Who knowswhat harris could have done - hence the ACTING part of the job - but he was a thousnad tiems better actor than gambon is.

[lilclerk]

For people who complain about the scene in GoF where Gambon plays Dumbles as angry towards Harry, you gotta remember there's a director there telling him how to act as well. I totally agree that the scene was all wrong in terms of how Dumbledore would react, but don't place all the blame on Gambon.

That being said, I loved him in HPB. I thought he did a tremendous job with such a difficult story/script. The other three movies... eh... but I didn't like Harris as much either (as Dumbles, not as an actor.) I would have preferred Patrick Stewart, but that's just me =)

[sediment]

I think he was referring to the analogy of comparing apples to oranges but instead used the Star Trek reference. But with sediment sometimes I just never know. LOL

My humor is rarely appreciated. Thank you for indulging.

Sirius answer: Harris would have made a great Dumbledore 20 years ago. After watching the earlier movies last weekend, it was clear that Harris was not going to be up to any more physically than what he did. There would be a lot more stand-in scenes from afar.

Oh, and there's no way Harris could do the last four movies, being dead and all.

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

Sediment was not being rude, just dorky.

[Zorro825]

To me Richard Harris WAS Dumbledore. He captured the spirit of the character very well. After watching the first movie I would always picture him in my head as I read Dumbledore's lines in the book.
That being said, Michael Gambon has gotten better as the series progressed. I did not like him at all in "Azkaban" but I felt he did a really good job in the new film.

For those of you wondering about Ian McKellan/Richard Harris here is a link I found
No Regrets For McKellen In Turning Down Harry Potter | Airlock Alpha

Also I have read that Richard Harris' family was hoping Peter O'Toole would take over the role of Dumbledore because Harris and O'Toole were very good friends. Now that wouldve been interesting.