Why Gambon is a Better Dumbledore Than Harris Was...(yes!)

[Theresa]

Ok, I just have to make a few comments here. First I actually have 
loved both portrayals. I know that sounds fickle but what can I say. 
When I saw PS/SS I thought Richard Harris was perfect. Especially at 
the Halloween feast when he hollars 'silence!'. So after that film I 
was perfectly content. Then I saw him on a talk show where he cough 
quite a bit and seemed to just not be well. Of course he passed away 
not long after. And then CoS came out and I remember thinking as we 
were walking to our car, I thought you didn't notice how fraile DD 
was until GoF so I thought he really must not have been well during 
the filming. I loved Richard Harris in every film I ever saw him in 
but seriously you could tell he was not feeling well in CoS. When I 
heard that Michael Gambon was cast, I set out to find out about him 
because despite my feelings about CoS - I wanted someone who would be 
close to Harris' portrayal. First I was happy they chose another 
Irishman (yes Gambon is also Irish so his accent was not a tribute to 
Harris). Then I watched a few of his films - some I had seen before 
some I had not. And thought well he seems to be an excellent actor, I 
mean the man has acted in a variety of films. He was weird in Toys, a 
snooty rich man in Gosford Park and creepy evil in Open Range (that 
one actual made me nervous about him playing DD). Then I heard the 
trio all saying he was excellent that he was not Harris and he had 
made it his own. So I went to the theater NOT expecting Harris and 
was pleasantly surprised to find I rather liked his portrayal. Yes I 
do still love the way Harris played DD in PS/SS but I really think 
Gambon is the way I pictured DD while reading the books. He is an 
old, wise wizard who is slightly eccentric but you can feel the power 
the man has. The scene after the time turner was great as well. I 
love the mischievous look in his eyes as he says 'did what?' and you 
know he *knows* what they are talking about. Oh and I can better 
picture his DD in the Ministry scenes in OotP. Especially Harry's 
trial. So basically, yes I do like both but I think Gambon is closer 
to *my* Dumbledore than Harris was.

Oh, and I second the comment about Cuaron reading the books. He has 
stated in numerous interviews that he was 'ignorant' of Harry Potter 
until he received the script. He was intrigued after reading the 
script so he read the book and fell in love with the 'universe' so he 
went back and read the rest of the books. This was all before filming 
began. As for Harris, I remember hearing him say he didn't read the 
books and I don't think Gambon has either. But neither has Tom Felton 
and he plays an excellent Draco. He said he might read them when he 
finishes playing Draco. But personally, if I was going to play a 
character, I would read the books first.

Theresa