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RIP a great actor and in a profession full of narcissists, a decent genuinely modest man to boot.
I find it rather sad that the media response, particularly in the UK, has been relatively muted (there has been an excellent tribute by Stephen Fry put out late at night on the BBC and that's about it). I think Mills was a greater actor than Olivier but because he didn't go round the place telling everyone how good he was, he has tended to be overlooked.
I think Mills was at his best portraying flawed people. Unlike lesser actors, you didn't get the 'look at me - I'm ACTING' when he was playing someone with physical or mental problems. What you saw first and foremost was the person. Mills didn't ask you to pity, mock, or hate the person, but just to observe and make your own mind up. That can only be done by someone not only with great acting skills but also a fundamental modesty and humanity.
If you want to see Mills at his peak, try Hobson's Choice, which is considered by many within the acting profession to be one of the greatest performances ever put on film. The performance appears so effortless and lightweight that it takes a couple of viewings to appreciate the sheer genius of Mill's portrayal of Willy Mossop.
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