The Servant (1963)

Réalisateur:

Joseph Losey

Scénaristes:

Robin Maugham (novel)
Harold Pinter (writer)

Date de sortie:

16 mars 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Drame

Intrigue:

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

Récompenses:

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

Avis des utilisateurs:

Power Plays

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
Philippa Hare	...	Girl in Bedroom
Dorothy Bromiley	...	Girl in Phone Box
Alison Seebohm	...	Girl in Pub
Chris Williams	...	Cashier in Coffee Bar
Gerry Duggan	...	Waiter
reste de la distribution par ordre alphabétique:
John Dankworth	...	Jazz Band Leader (uncredited)
Harriet Devine	...	Girl (uncredited)
Davy Graham	...	Guitarist (uncredited)
Colette Martin	...	Girl (uncredited)
Joanna Wake	...	Girl (uncredited)
Bruce Wells	...	Sidewalk Painter (uncredited)

Réalisé par
Joseph Losey

Scénaristes (dans l'ordre alphabétique)
Robin Maugham		novel "The Servant"
Harold Pinter		writer

Produit par
Joseph Losey	....	producer
Norman Priggen	....	producer

Musique originale
John Dankworth

Image
Douglas Slocombe

Montage
Reginald Mills

Création des décors
Richard Macdonald

Décorateur de plateau
Ted Clements

Création des costumes
Beatrice Dawson

Maquillage
Joyce James	....	hair stylist
Bob Lawrance	....	makeup artist

Directeur de production
Teresa Bolland	....	production manager

Assistant réalisateur
Roy Stevens	....	assistant director

Technicien du son
Buster Ambler	....	sound recordist
John Cox	....	sound supervisor
Gerry Hambling	....	sound editor

Caméra et Département Electrique
Frank Howard	....	camera grip
Chic Waterson	....	camera operator

Département Musique
David Lindup	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Divers
Pamela Davies	....	continuity
Geoff Freeman	....	unit publicist (uncredited)

Companies de production

• Springbok Productions

Distributeurs

• Elstree Distributors (1963) (UK) (theatrical)
• Landau Releasing Organization (LRO) (1964) (USA) (theatrical)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (1977) (USA) (TV) (network premiere)

Durée:

112 min

Pays:

UK

Langue:

Anglais

Couleur:

Noir et Blanc

Rapport de forme:

1,66 : 1

Son:

Mono

Classification:

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

Lieux de tournage:

30 Royal Avenue, Chelsea, London, England, UK

Société:

Springbok Productions

Anecdotes:

When Joseph Losey was hospitalized for two weeks during this shoot, Dirk Bogarde continued filming assisted by minute, daily instructions over the phone from Losey's hospital bed. When Losey returned to the set he did not re-shoot any of the script, much to the relief of cast and crew.

Goofs:

Continuité: when the two main characters play in the stair, the servant shots a vase with the ball, it falls down and breaks on the floor. The next shot, you can see the bottom of the wrecked vase on the shelf it was on the first place (the rest of the vase is downstairs).

Bande son:

All Gone

Power Plays

About midpoint Tony's girlfriend Susan asks servant Hugo, "What do you want from this house?" It's a direct and pointed question that's ambiguously answered ("I'm just the servant, mum.")

That ambiguity carries the dramatic tension along its murky but intriguing path, as a strange play of power and manipulation unfolds. Yet after a series of quirkly developments transpire and the tables of manservant and master are reversed, what's the real gain?

What was there in the house in the first place that was worth all the fuss and bother to acquire? Satisfaction of taking over the master role?

Whatever the goal, it all seems a tawdry victory. After the shoe's on the other foot and a few points are scored in this cheesy power game, where's the spoil?

What does drive this drama is Pinter's genius for inventing small talk that gives the illusion of grandeur Losey's direction is right on the mark, and the production design, score, photography--and the acting--are all top drawer.

As in his subversive play, "The Homecoming," Pinter manages to hold the attention with his unique pregnant pauses and hypnotic ambiance, which are actually illusionary. It could be a play about something very important or about nothing.

One thing is for certain: once "The Servant" is seen, one never quite forgets it.

This remains Dirk Bogarde's defining cinematic role.