Hitchcoc Another sleeper that became one of my favorite films. Eliott Gould plays a bank teller who anticipates a robbery. He tricks the actual bank robber and takes the money for himself. Two things happen. Someone else is blamed and the bad guy (Christopher Plummer) is not going to rest until he gets his money. He also is sadistic enough to want Gould's head. What transpires is parry and thrust between Gould and Plummer with the latter being a really big threat. The way this plays out shows how incredible plotting can make a good movie great. This is the way movies should be made. Gould was a kind of icon of this era. The conclusion is so very satisfying, not clichéd or contrived like so many are.

Leofwine_draca THE SILENT PARTNER is one of those neat little twists-all-over-the-place thrillers that slip in under the radar and remain undiscovered by the public at large until somebody brings them out on budget DVD or decides to show them on late-night television. This one escaped from Canada in the late '70s, and first appears to be a television movie, until the viewer is drowned in a world of nudity and sadistic violence.It's a quiet, mild-mannered film with a couple of shocking moments that earned it an 'X' certificate when it was released in Britain. Essentially it's a two-hander between a corrupt bank teller and the vicious bank robber, although you'll never guess the outcome, thanks to the literate script which goes all over the place – thanks, Curtis Hanson – and the little touches, like the keys in the jam jar, which really add to the experience.Elliott Gould headlines the cast with a likable, laid back performance, and he's utterly convincing as an 'ordinary' guy who decides to do something a little 'extra' ordinary. Christopher Plummer is better known as a character actor but here he makes for a totally convincing villain, a truly sadistic criminal whose fish-tank scene remains clear-as-day in my head as one of cinema's most disturbing moments. There are plenty of other good performances too, from the likes of Susannah York and a young, unknown John Candy, and special mention has to be made of the very lovely Celine Lomez. After a barnstorming opening, the film suffers from a 'sagging middle' in which nothing much seems to happen for about half an hour, and the pacing grinds down to a virtual halt; however, the action picks up for a good ending which ties up the loose ends rather nicely.

lathe-of-heaven Oh yes, this one is quite good. Very low key at first, but cleverly done. I'm impressed mainly because I usually do NOT like films from this period, unless they are all out Crime-Thriller / Grindhouse movies. Usually, during this time period the acting, and especially the writing is horribly dated, not to mention the extremely painful visual style of the time. BUT... I must admit that SOMEHOW this director had enough sense and forward vision to keep the aesthetics and tone of the actors and the film tightly engaging and powerfully gripping! I just watched a lovely HD print of the film and it looks VERY good, especially for it's age. The first few shots are kinda grainy and rough, but then the rest of the film looks great!I don't even usually care for Elliot Gould's super bland style, but his performance here really does suit his character and fits well with the overall theme and tone of the film.WAY more clever, tightly paced, believable, and MUCH, MUCH more satisfying than most films of this type made at this time. But, don't let the low key mood fool you; there are indeed some shocking jolts along the way. Christopher Plummer is quite a chilling and effective bad guy...If you like caper films and cat & mouse intrigue, you should very much enjoy this movie. But... Do NOT expect the 'OCEAN'S 11' type of playful style at all. Nor is it even like the edgier 'CONFIDENCE' No, no... This one is deadly serious. But, with just the slightest touch of jet black humour in one or two places.Most enjoyable and satisfying; highly recommended!

Seltzer If you want to watch Christopher Plummer beat up and kill women, then this is the film for you. There are a couple of interesting plot twists, but they can't make up for the lackluster acting of Elliott Gould and Susannah York. He's completely unbelievable as the clerk who is more devious than he seems to be--he's just walking through the role. And it's ridiculous that these gorgeous women would be falling all over him. Susannah York says she's unhappy with her life but you'd never know it from her flat affect and flat delivery. In fact, everyone in this film seems to be on Valium except Christopher Plummer's character, who should be force-fed large amounts of it. A nasty little film. I'm sorry I watched it.