JIM LEHRER: Finally tonight, Peter Ustinov, who died yesterday. As an actor, he appeared in 90 movies, but he was also a playwright, screenwriter, novelist, mimic and director of operas, as well as a humanitarian who worked with children's charities. He won two Oscars for his acting as a supporting character, but here's a clip of him as the leading man, the star, in the 1970 comedy called "Viva Max!" Ustinov plays a Mexican general who, for reasons of love for a woman and for Mexico, retakes the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas.
( Music playing )
ACTOR: All right, now. Is anyone wounded?
ACTOR: No.
ACTOR: What happened?
ACTOR: Move back the car. Move back. Move out of the way. Come on you, out of the way.
ACTOR: We cannot talk here.
ACTOR: Si, senior. Nobody is hurt.
ACTOR: I am.
ACTOR: Try to stand up.
ACTOR: I cannot. I sprain my ankle.
ACTOR: It's nearly 5:00. ( Wailing )
ACTOR: We'll have to carry him.
ACTOR: I wasn't doing more than 20.
ACTOR: Nor were we.
ACTOR: Get this old lady out of here. Get her out of here!
ACTOR: The bus. Stop the bus.
ACTOR: Senor, you will take this men to the Alamo.
ACTOR: This ain't no cross-town buddy. You got to go down to the next corner, catch the bus.
ACTOR: I have a badly wounded man here, and it's a matter of life and death that you take this idiot to the Alamo.
ACTOR: I don't go to the Alamo.
ACTOR: You could take him to Island Park and then he could transfer to the number 11.
ACTOR: You see? You could take him to Island Park and transfer to number... what was it?
ACTOR: 11.
ACTOR: It's very kind of you. And if have you any trouble, ask the lady, island park.
ACTOR: Come on, move the horse, will you buddy?
JIM LEHRER: Peter Ustinov was 82 years old. And, in the interests of full disclosure, our selecting a scene from "Viva Max!" was no accident. The movie was based on a novel of mine by that same name.
Feb. 9, 2012
