"I'm not a villain, I've never hurt anyone. I'm just a tawdry character who explodes now and again"

In this quote, Oliver Reed is trying to explain his character and his actions. He is saying that he is not a bad guy, which he has actually never hurt anybody. He is rather a "tawdry character," which recommends that he is someone who is not particularly admirable or reputable. He also admits that he "takes off every now and then," which indicates that he has a tendency to act impulsively and without thinking. This could be interpreted as a cautioning to those around him that he is not constantly in control of his emotions and actions. In general, this quote suggests that Oliver Reed understands his own defects and is attempting to describe his behavior in a manner that is not overly self-critical.