A co-production from the BBC and HBO, THE LIFE AND DEATH OF PETER SELLERS is a compelling dramatization of the late comic actor's life. Geoffrey Rush (SHINE) stars as Sellers, delivering a remarkable performance that deftly vacillates between the light and dark sides of Sellers' personality. Diving headlong into his character, Rush portrays Sellers' many cinematic triumphs--including a wonderful turn as bumbling detective Inspector Clouseau--as well as offering a harrowing glimpse into his personal life. Taking his radio work with THE GOON SHOW as a starting point, director Stephen Hopkins traces Sellers descent into the hands of his own personal demons. Illustrating how Sellers' relationship with his mother deeply affected him, Hopkins' film progresses to show how his personal failings began to get the better of him. Known for having an uncontrollable temper and succumbing to many bouts of selfish, and explosively violent, temper-tantrums, Sellers hit some remarkable low points in his life. Talking of "dark nights of the soul" may have become something of a cliche when discussing the private lives of cinematic funnymen, but the beatings that Sellers meted out to several of his wives should be classified as just that.

Ultimately, THE LIFE AND DEATH OF PETER SELLERS is an unflinching portrait of a highly schizophrenic performer who couldn't bring even a modicum of the happiness he gave to millions of people on the cinema screen into his personal life. Despite his talent, it becomes hard, if not impossible, to warm to Sellers, with Hopkins leaving little room for remorse for the late actor, who died from a heart attack in his 54th year.