ALAN RICKMAN AND THE MISERY OF BEING FAMOUS:

Rickman comes across as the ultimate champagne socialist, proud of his left-wing views but also liable to be distracted by the perks and privileges of a millionaire actor’s life. (“Car to Piccadilly Circus for the anti-cuts march… at Park Lane the sight of the Dorchester proved too much…[we] went in and had tea, sandwiches and cakes like good socialists everywhere might do at 4 p.m.”) The best-known role he was associated with in the last decades of his life was Professor Snape in the Harry Potter films, something he appears deeply lukewarm about (“the deal is finally done [for the last two films] and people are all carefully left in possession of genitalia.”) Smaller projects, whether in theater or film, are discussed with greater affection, undercut with Eeyore-like moaning about a lack of public appreciation for them.

The abiding impression of Madly, Deeply is that it is miserable to be an actor in demand. There is endless complaining about long plane journeys, interminable times spent in make-up or waiting to go on set, meetings with ignorant financiers and rapacious agents, and co-stars who do not meet Rickman’s exacting professional standards. (Bizarrely, his best friend was the garrulous American comedian Ruby Wax, whom he appeared to adore.) Rickman goes to the movies a lot, and often despises the films he sees, dissecting them afterwards over an expensive meal at one of London’s most exclusive restaurants.

He seems a deeply unhappy, stressed man, forever busy and exhausted by a punitive work rate. One is left wondering to what extent his premature death was caused by dedication to a craft that seemed to bring him enormous professional respect but little personal joy. In any case, we’ll always have Hans Gruber, the Sheriff of Nottingham and — if we must — Professor Snape to appreciate, whatever the grouchy man behind the mask might have said.

In the charming 2008 comedy about the birth of the Napa Valley wine industry, Bottle Shock (currently free to watch for Amazon Prime Video subscribers), Bill Pullman’s character asks Rickman’s character, “Why don’t I like you?” To which Rickman replies, “Because you think I’m an arsehole. And I’m not, really. I’m just British and, well… you’re not.”