Easterhay said:

imperialscum said:

Anakin was an extremely annoying unlikable jerk.

you've decided to picture Anakin as the way you want him to be. There's nothing in the OT to suggest he was beyond reproach apart from Obi-wan, an old man who was telling it how he saw it and had a hidden agenda anyway - why would he tell Luke his father was an arse if he wanted Luke to honour his death and kill the man apparently responsible?

We know Anakin was a great guy because Alec Guinness can actually act. When he says "and a good friend" it is said with such a glowing genuine warmth and wistful nostalgia, it simply couldn't have been any other way. On the other hand when Guinness replys to Luke's question of "How did my father die" with a deep intake of breath and roll of the eyes, we know we aren't gonna get the whole story.... again this is acting beyond what is on the page. The OT didn't just have a great script it had amazing actors reading it out... unlike the PT which had neither (Also having a good editor who knows a great performance helps too).