Glasses: Yes
Doing an Accent?: No
Accent for whole film?: N/A
Hair: Yes, and No. Sort of.
Does he point at someone?: Yes
Best line: "What if...............?" (said to a table of general bafflement and confusion)
The Romantic Englishwoman...........a cold Euro cinema feel pervades this film, with its opulent scenes, Yves Saint Laurent styling and general air of chilliness. Great fans of Joesph Losey here at Fortress Mickelwhite, but this one isn't at the top of our favourites. Maybe it needs more Dirk Bogarde? Who knows?
A film of marital distrust and "did she?/didn't she?/is he?/isn't he?", played out over time and with lots of acerbic comments on people who have everything but seemingly still aren't content with what they have and desire change from comfort. The appalling poster displayed up top sort of says it all really.
Caine plays a writer who is quite successful, a homemaker by the look of it, seeing as his wife desperate for adventure and takes herself off on a weekend to Baden Baden (looking wonderful here, I must say) where she meets, briefly, a younger man (Helmut Berger) who claims to be a poet...........but is really a drifter/heroin smuggler/toy boy.
She returns to London, leaving Caine simmering with suspicion about what she's been up to (and her checking that he's not been substituting with the au pair in the meantime. Caine 100% has his eye on her!) and he writes the story into his next narrative being produced.
After an incident causes the "poet" to turn up in Weybridge, he installs himself in their spare room and the mind games really start cranking up.
Eventually, we end up with a flee to the south of France, a gang showdown and a rather open ending.
I dunno. Theres motifs I like about this film (the locales, Losey, the way its all about observing and watching, shabby 70s glamour), but having seen it a number of times now it doesn't quite hang together - apparently a sentiment shared by The Guvnor himself "’The film was not only very convoluted it was also downright grim"
Now, I wouldn't say it was grim, but I certainly wouldn't put this on as a casual watch. Some good elements in there and our boy aquits himself very well - mainly seeing as he does nothing but drink, simmer, type and occasionally explode.
"Cold", sort of sums it up really. Worth watching if you are in the mood for something along these lines and have seen the Night Porter recently, so can't give that another spin you watched it only the other week.
Minutae:
1. A rather magnificent rant. I think, probably the most full on that we've seen Mike give. Did he not have a decent lunch or something, because he's properly savage in this.
Been trying to work.....too much noise.......can't they see I'm attempting to work up here.......'er bloody mates arrived............
2. A mix up sees Glenda returning home to an empty house, rather than the delighted welcome she'd hoped for
"Wheres Mr Fielding?................"
Off killing crooks in Tyneside, by the look of it.
3. Turtleneck overload. Pick a favourite.
4. No wonder she's desperate for adventure, look at his bloody bedside reading material......
5. HELMUT BERGER IN A TESCO.
6. Loving this mini. Oh yes, I'd be having a car of that colour. Its only the fact my wife threatened to flee to Baden Baden "for the waters" that held me back.
7. Magnificent architectural mise en scene. Can't get enough of this shit, personally.
8. Finally, and rather unkindly, the victims of Bergers lifestyle are only credited as "First Mealticket" and "Second Mealticket".
Oh, the indignity!
Outfit of the film. Hmmm, we can't have the turtlenecks alone. So it has to be this rather smart grey tweed two piece, paired with a brown shirt and cream tie. Very nice.
