Last call for the classy craftsmanship of British director Carol Reed is piffle, but no disgrace. Expanding from his own one-act play, Peter Shaffer (of AMADEUS/’84 and EQUUS/’77 fame) stretches his little idea beyond its limits with circular dialogue as buttoned-up British tax advisor Michael Jayston hires a quiet private detective to check up on free-spirited American wife Mia Farrow, only to wind up with Topol’s eccentrically enthusiastic gumshoe on the job. Turns out, Farrow isn’t having an affair, but is starting a life-affirming flirtation with a mysterious, irrepressible, if non-verbal, man in a white trench coat who always seems to be following her. Guess who. Fortunately, these three make for such an odd triangle, initial awkwardness starts to spark surprising emotional ricochets, if you can wait for the third act to kick in. Unexpectedly boyish and off-beat handsome, Topol is so much younger than expected after aging up to play Tevye in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF/’71, he has a gauche quality that explodes Shaffer’s format in a goofy, appealing way. Not really much to this one, but a lovely London look from Christopher Challis and an unusually blissed out score from John Barry. No one went to see it, and Reed never worked again, but in spite of its stagy talk, talk, talk, it’s a rather pleasant lark.
SCREWY THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Much like George Cukor, whose late-career Oscar for MY FAIR LADY/’64 seemed to stall rather than start projects; so too with Reed, whose well-deserved comeback & awards on OLIVER!/’68 led to nothing but Anthony Quinn in FLAP/’70 (not seen here) and this.
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