The Servant (1963)

Note des utilisateurs:

7.9/10   

Réalisateur:

Joseph Losey

Writers:

Robin Maugham (novel)
Harold Pinter (writer)

Release Date:

16 mars 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Drame

Plot:

The aristocratic Tony moves to London and hires the servant Hugo Barrett for all services at home. Barrett seems to be a loyal and competent employee...

Plot Keywords:

Manservant | Lover | Bachelor | Valet | Decadence

Awards:

Won 3 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 5 wins & 6 nominations

Avis des utilisateurs:

Subtleties

Ensemble

Dirk Bogarde	...	Hugo Barrett
Sarah Miles	...	Vera
Wendy Craig	...	Susan
James Fox	...	Tony
Catherine Lacey	...	Lady Mounset
Richard Vernon	...	Lord Mounset
Ann Firbank	...	Society Woman
Doris Knox	...	Older Woman
Patrick Magee	...	Bishop
Jill Melford	...	Younger Woman
Alun Owen	...	Curate
Harold Pinter	...	Society Man
Derek Tansley	...	Head Waiter
Brian Phelan	...	Man in Pub
Hazel Terry	...	Woman in Bedroom

Autre(s) titre(s):

Le domestique (Belgium: French title) [fr]

Durée:

112 min

Pays:

UK

Langue:

Anglais

Couleur:

Noir et Blanc

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Son:

Mono

Classification:

Iceland:12 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Unrated

Emplacements De Pelliculage:

30 Royal Avenue, Chelsea, London, England, UK

Company:

Springbok Productions

Anecdotes:

Wendy Craig replaced Vanessa Redgrave who was to make her feature debut but had to drop out because she was pregnant with her elder child (Natasha Richardson).

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Barrett is bringing Susan and Tony their meal, the cameraman's reflection can be briefly seen in the shiny silver lid on the tray.

Soundtrack:

All Gone

Subtleties

If you watch closely you will find that not only does the internal decoration of the house change (in ways not included in the plot) to become gradually darker as Tony is gradually undermined and seduced by Barrett but also the excellent (but very much of its time) soundtrack by Johnny Dankworth & (surely - or is my recollection wrong?) Cleo Laine - though the same LP is put on the turntable many times, the arrangement of the same theme is different. (I did not notice this at first but found it pointed out in a special issue of the Oxford University magazine Isis at the time the film was released that was entirely devoted to it.) The film has recently reappeared in England as a stage work: Play without Words, seen at the National Theatre, is (was, I guess, is more accurate) a superb piece of dance theatre in which the ambiguities of the characters' motivations, or the discrepancies between their thoughts and actions, are portrayed by having more than one dancer per character. Sometimes only one is seen, sometimes they move in unison, sometimes in separate ways. It is extremely effective.