I had been searching for this movie for over a decade after seeing it on late night TV in the 1980's. I finally had the opportunity to see it again on one of my satellite's movie channels. Although my memory was sketchy, I remembered it as an odd but intriguing commentary on life.
This movie stars Milo O'Shea as Mr. Zero, a man who lives on the periphery of life. Phyllis Diller, in a rare dramatic role, plays his harpy of a wife. Mr. Zero's only distraction from her shrewish tyranny lies in his fascination with the woman of ill repute working in a room across from their bedroom window. When Mrs. Zero finds him spying on her, she forces him to report her to the police. Thus, he is forced to personally cut off his only avenue of escape.
At work, he has spent 25 meaningless years adding columns of numbers, with the aid of Daisy Devore, played by Billie Whitelaw. Zero has been so shrunken by his life that he can't even admit to himself that he is attracted to Daisy.
His boss, who can't remember Zero's name even after being reminded of it, announces that Zero's reward for his years of faithful service is to be replaced by an adding machine. Later that evening, during a dreary gathering of acquaintances in their apartment, Zero is arrested for the murder of his boss.
After his trial and conviction, Zero is executed and finds himself in Heaven. Nothing is as he expects it to be in the afterlife and Zero must now examine his beliefs and his own character. Has he learned anything from his experiences, or will he spend eternity constrained by his own shortcomings?
This movie stars Milo O'Shea as Mr. Zero, a man who lives on the periphery of life. Phyllis Diller, in a rare dramatic role, plays his harpy of a wife. Mr. Zero's only distraction from her shrewish tyranny lies in his fascination with the woman of ill repute working in a room across from their bedroom window. When Mrs. Zero finds him spying on her, she forces him to report her to the police. Thus, he is forced to personally cut off his only avenue of escape.
At work, he has spent 25 meaningless years adding columns of numbers, with the aid of Daisy Devore, played by Billie Whitelaw. Zero has been so shrunken by his life that he can't even admit to himself that he is attracted to Daisy.
His boss, who can't remember Zero's name even after being reminded of it, announces that Zero's reward for his years of faithful service is to be replaced by an adding machine. Later that evening, during a dreary gathering of acquaintances in their apartment, Zero is arrested for the murder of his boss.
After his trial and conviction, Zero is executed and finds himself in Heaven. Nothing is as he expects it to be in the afterlife and Zero must now examine his beliefs and his own character. Has he learned anything from his experiences, or will he spend eternity constrained by his own shortcomings?