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Ralph Touchett was the rich, but sickly cousin of Isabel Archer suffering with Consumption, a terminal condition, which caused him to take a back seat in life as a spectator. Determined to meet the requirements of his imagination, he invested in his cousin Isabel, giving her half of his vast inheritance. This investment came with the complete freedom, to pursue her mysterious purposes, and fulfill her unconventional desires. Ralph's faith was challenged, when she made a disasterous choice in a husband, who married her for the money she inherited. Ralph's physical suffering, was trivial compared to the pain he felt, when his spirited cousin no longer soared, but sank into a deep unhappiness.
by Judy Crocker
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Ralph Touchett, most lovingly captures on the canvas of his gentle and generous heart, a most poignant and inspirational, Portrait Of A Lady. This challenging, captivating role was one of Richard Chamberlain's first and finest performances. Give him a character named Ralph, and he seems to become MAGNIFICENT! This film is a wonderful British Mini-Series, based on the powerful book by Henry James. Richard Chamberlain was absolutely astounding as the complex, but charming Ralph Touchett. His performance was so noteworthy, it captured the attention of Peter Dews, who cast him in Hamlet, where he gave an outstanding performance, on the Birmingham stage, to the amazement of the British critics. Later, he was cast as composer Peter Tchaikovsky, by the controversial Ken Russell, in his visually stimulating masterpiece, The Music Lovers. This early pivotal performance, has long remained my favorite of Richard Chamberlain's entire repertoire. Portrait Of A Lady opened a door, through which the sweet Dr Kildare exited, and Richard Chamberlain, the acclaimed classical stage and film actor, emerged!
In the final scenes of this wonderful film, Richard Chamberlain delivers some of the most memorable lines of his career. Isabel confesses her mistake to her sensitive and gentle cousin. Ralph, now on his deathbed, compassionately conveys to his shattered, but cherished cousin, that he always understood, she needed to look at life for herself. He offers assurance, the generous mistake would only hurt for awhile, for if she has been hated, she has also been adored. In his best-selling book, Shattered Love, this beloved actor, shares how he spent most of his life, fearing he would be hated......when all the while......he has been ADORED!