Why Roger Moore's Post Office advert makes me cry

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/filmblog ... ertisement" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Sir Roger is a terrifically good sport about sending up his image in the promo, but for me, it's heart wrenchingly sad

Recently I have come out of the closet, revealing myself to be one of the millions of males who are openly crying at the devastatingly sad bit at the beginning of Up, the new Pixar-Disney animation. I am a terrible cryer at films, TV, books – anything. But the latest thing I have started to cry at is, incredibly, the new TV advertisement for the Post Office, starring Sir Roger Moore.

It's very funny and Sir Roger is a terrifically good sport about sending up his image. He always has been. Yet it is also desperately, heartwrenchingly sad. For decades, pretty much ever since I have been aware of him, Moore has been compared unflatteringly with Sean Connery. Whatever he might have felt about that in private, he has always been cheerful, unpretentious and uncomplaining, grateful for his good luck in the business. Why has he done the Post Office ad, though? Surely it can't be that he needs the money. Maybe he just thinks, quite rightly, that the Post Office is a good thing and needs supporting.

Can it really be true that Sir Roger Moore is 82 years old? Of course, like many actors of a certain vintage, the sleek Moore for years played younger than he actually was, so it was a shock when he finally got out of the business and his actual age suddenly caught up with us. Yet there he is, 82.

I have grown up with Roger Moore. It's not just 007 and The Persuaders, I am old enough to remember him as The Saint on TV, looking heavenwards in black-and-white to see the halo above his head before the title sequence, with its catchy theme tune and his Volvo convertible. I realise that I saw him in Live and Let Die at the Hendon Odeon on the corner of Brent Street and Church Road in London NW4, which no longer exists, and I further realise I have become one of those people who talk about cinemas that no longer exist. I remember seeing him on television in Basil Dearden's 1970 thriller The Man Who Haunted Himself – a very decent film.

At the risk of repeating my blogs, can I once again ask you to watch his sublime moment, introducing the best actor award at the 1973 Oscars, surreally paired with Liv Ullmann, when it went to Marlon Brando.

For the next few weeks, going to the Post Office and waiting in the queue while they play this ad is going to be a bit of a melancholy experience.
Peter Bradshaw Posted by Peter Bradshaw Wednesday 28 October 2009 10.28 GMT guardian.co.uk

[swoosta]

Makes me cry too - because it's s***

[F0zziebear]

Awful advert.

Two things:

1. Why do the PostOffice continue to advertise on TV when struggling financially (ROI is not great) and why do they continue to use expensive celebrities to advertise simple products.

2. Why on earth do the Post Office need to re-brand at this time. The Red & Green was fine. It is not the colours above the door that are important but the look and feel of the place. It is so frustrating to see them spending money in this way

[oscarmacca]

What's sadder is that I remember Roger Moore playing Ivanhoe, in glorious black and white in the late 50s on ITV.

Hi ho.

[sevenandseven]

Tend to watch the adverts with the sound down. Was he going into the Post Office to collect his pension?

[F0zziebear]

It just reminded me of the Elton John days, you'd think they had learn't their lesson.

Maybe they know something about their customers we do not. Possibly the demographic who are interested in Post Office products respond to this approach. This can be my only supportive comment as it clearly does not appeal to me and if anything switches me off from their products

[dvbuk55]

It just reminded me of the Elton John days, you'd think they had learn't their lesson.

Maybe they know something about their customers we do not. Possibly the demographic who are interested in Post Office products respond to this approach. This can be my only supportive comment as it clearly does not appeal to me and if anything switches me off from their products

Hey Roger Moores not gay is he?

[Stormproof]

Why do RM/PO have such crap adverts, the PO ones are really cheap and tacky its about time they done another for RM Letters http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbVFuydEFSQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[dvbuk55]

Why do RM/PO have such crap adverts, the PO ones are really cheap and tacky its about time they done another for RM Letters http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbVFuydEFSQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think Lady Gaga would do a good job

[k979aaa]

The decision too hire ROGER MOORE may raise some eyebrows while i do not attack any working man for doing his job it is those who do not work yet receive millions for their no show yet veto attitude which irks the most to all who work for royalmail!. :cfo :mfo

[rhino49]

Why do RM/PO have such crap adverts, the PO ones are really cheap and tacky its about time they done another for RM Letters http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbVFuydEFSQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think Lady Gaga would do a good job

You are a very naughty boy dvbuk55

[dvbuk55]

Why do RM/PO have such crap adverts, the PO ones are really cheap and tacky its about time they done another for RM Letters http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbVFuydEFSQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think Lady Gaga would do a good job

You are a very naughty boy dvbuk55

Hey and I bet she would make a good Post Office advert too