An Approximation of Their Barbarous Manners

Bruce Glover is one of the great actors of our time with roles in over 100 films, including Chinatown and the James Bond classic Diamonds are Forever. He was considered such a fantastic screen presence that an entire production shooting in Tangiers, Morocco, hinged on his appearance in the film. Writer/director Christian Serritiello’s An Approximation of Their Barbarous Manners dramatizes the opening moments on set when it’s discovered that Bruce Glover is missing in Morocco and work that day must be halted.

Serritiello’s twelve-minute short is interesting, to say the least. Presented in black and white, I’d describe An Approximation of Their Barbarous Manners as an experimental art film. Its purpose is to capture a moment in time — the discovery of our missing actor and the impact of that event on various players. The director comes close to a meltdown. One actor chose to be in this production just to perform with Glover. Others almost see delays, along with missing actors, in a production as normal.

“…the opening moments on set when it’s discovered that Bruce Glover is missing in Morocco…”

What makes the short film intriguing is the world of art and acting that Serritiello creates. I’ve worked “normal” jobs and witnessed what happens when someone no-shows, but this is the world of art. When someone didn’t show up, we didn’t start doing acting exercises to pass the time. The film features an audition tape from Glover and a phone call he made regarding the film he was to appear in.

An Approximation of Their Barbarous Manners gives us a quirky arthouse glimpse into the world of acting and makes for an engaging yet odd twelve-minute experience.