Despite also being directed by Carol Reed, this doesn't come close to the brilliance of his Third Man, but regardless, there are certainly worse ways to pass a couple of hours. I'd never seen this film before and always wanted to, if only because of Noel Coward's appearance as Hawthorne. The scenes between him and Ralph Richardson are delicious - especially a moment towards the end when Coward is trying not to insert vacuum cleaner puns into the conversation. And I always enjoy Alec Guiness in whatever movie he appears in. Graham Greene wrote the screenplay, based of course on his novel. Good fun.
2 comments:
I have just watched this too having received two boxed sets of dvds this Christmas - one of Graham Greene films and one of Alec Guiness films. I enjoyed this, though it is not a patch on the book, but my husband, who hasn't read the book, thought it a bit weak. What was a revealation though was the Heart of the Matter with a lovely turn by Trevor Howard as the mixed up Scobie. It was a wonderful, atmospheric film - a bit powell and pressburger like.
Oh, I love Trevor Howard - have had a cinematic crush on him ever since Brief Encounter. I must find a copy of Heart of the Matter. Thanks for this!
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