I firmly believe Paul Anderson, aka Arthur Shelby, is the only Peaky Blinders character who overdid his role (& still absolutely nailed it)

'By the Order of Peaky Blinders!' Steven Knight's BBC crime drama series not only ruled our hearts for six seasons, but Paul Anderson delivered this iconic line perfectly as Arthur Shelby.

Despite being the eldest Shelby brother, Arthur is neither the wisest nor the leader of the titular gang. In fact, he is the maddest and the most violent Shelby, who even teeters on the edge of self-destruction.

While Anderson was spot on in his portrayal of the character, I feel that his performance was sometimes too over-the-top and even bordered on caricature. But that works in favor of the character, and he remains the best performance on Peaky Blinders, coming only second to Cillian Murphy's Tommy.

Paul Anderson's understanding of his character's psyche, the world he inhabits, and the world he came from was so thoroughly conveyed on-screen that you cannot help but feel pity for him, even when he is violently shouting at the top of his lungs.

More on Anderson's portrayal of Arthur Shelby in Peaky Blinders in our story.

*Disclaimer- This article is based on the author's opinion. Reader discretion is advised.*

Arthur Shelby's vulnerability cracks through his aggression in Peaky Blinders

No wonder that Anderson's Arthur is everybody's favorite Shelby because the actor managed to bring all the layers of a disturbed soldier who returned as a gangster, in his character.

It was interesting to see two real brothers, both soldiers who fought in France and returned to a life of violence, handle their past traumas so differently. While Tommy was good at masking his vulnerabilities with alcohol and violence, Arthur was more prone to rage episodes.

As seen in Peaky Blinders Season 1, John informs Tommy about Arthur's Flanders Blues (a term for PTSD), and Anderson takes the viewers on a journey with his character, perfectly depicting a veteran who returned home with war trauma.

Initially, I believed Arthur Shelby was too overdramatic and sometimes overtly aggressive, but as the show progressed, it aligned perfectly with his character. Unlike Tommy, who was stoic most of the time, Arthur was expressive to a fault. His screaming and violent episodes were a cry for help, and his condition worsened throughout the seasons.

In an interview with Den of Geek, Anderson discussed his intention and his thought process while playing Arthur in Peaky Blinders:

''There’s a sort of vulnerability to him...If I’m going to play a violent man, I’m not going to do just out-and-out unforgiving brutality. I’m going to play it with a little bit of vulnerability, some emotional conscience. Because it’s not interesting just to be violent or brutal for the sake of it with no moral compass.''

Anderson accurately overdid his portrayal of Arthur because the story demanded that. It not only highlighted how trauma has different effects on individuals but also suggested that every person has their own coping mechanism.

While Tommy became an acute pessimist, teetering on the edge of nihilism, Arthur embraced his pain and loss through overt aggression. Anderson further added:

''I tried to give Arthur that sort of emotion and depth of feeling. He does these things but there is some remorse. Maybe people see that in him?''

While Arthur was overtly aggressive in the initial seasons of Peaky Blinders, we see a shift in his character after Season 3. Having met Linda and becoming a father, he tries his best to control his violent and aggressive urges, but it is only time that they start to appear in his character again.

Even after constant support from Tommy and Aunt Polly, he remained on the verge of self-destruction and even battled suicidal thoughts. While his end in the series' finale was ambiguous, it was tragic nevertheless.

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