Well, this film may not appeal to the legions of folk who consider drivel like The Sixth Sense to be great drama/thriller material, but to those of us who adore movies and respect the great ones, this one is a gem.
This great-granddad to later works like "Dead Calm" or even "The Talented Mr. Ripley" manages to deliver the goods on this wickedly smart little tale about a young middle class couple who pick up a hitchhiker who manages to turn their life around in the course of one day.
What sets this film apart from others is it's place in movie history and it's polished (no pun intended) directorial style.
This early hit by future great director Roman Polanski manages to make you believe in these three people without questioning the typically silly things that people do in thrillers. Of course most of us would not invite a strange hitchhiker onto their private boat for an evening, especially when the hitchhiker carries with them a huge hunting knife and an attitude.
Just throw your disbelief to the wind, and sit back and enjoy this little gem. I loved the juxtaposition of the vast open air and beautiful water vistas with the claustrophobic atmosphere aboard the little "yacht". The terrific moment when the couple dares the young man to hang over the edge of the boat and he begins to "run" on water alongside. Even the inevitable seduction rings true due to the circumstances. I won't reveal anymore scenes.
This film is to be enjoyed by all! The only complaint is while I saw this film at the normally wonderful Film Forum in NYC, the grossly outdated and shabby looking subtitles positively cry out for a restoration!!
This great-granddad to later works like "Dead Calm" or even "The Talented Mr. Ripley" manages to deliver the goods on this wickedly smart little tale about a young middle class couple who pick up a hitchhiker who manages to turn their life around in the course of one day.
What sets this film apart from others is it's place in movie history and it's polished (no pun intended) directorial style.
This early hit by future great director Roman Polanski manages to make you believe in these three people without questioning the typically silly things that people do in thrillers. Of course most of us would not invite a strange hitchhiker onto their private boat for an evening, especially when the hitchhiker carries with them a huge hunting knife and an attitude.
Just throw your disbelief to the wind, and sit back and enjoy this little gem. I loved the juxtaposition of the vast open air and beautiful water vistas with the claustrophobic atmosphere aboard the little "yacht". The terrific moment when the couple dares the young man to hang over the edge of the boat and he begins to "run" on water alongside. Even the inevitable seduction rings true due to the circumstances. I won't reveal anymore scenes.
This film is to be enjoyed by all! The only complaint is while I saw this film at the normally wonderful Film Forum in NYC, the grossly outdated and shabby looking subtitles positively cry out for a restoration!!