Flashy, empty romantic drama-lite has Dirk Bogarde in good form as Sebastian, a brilliant mathematician in London who supervises an all-female staff of cryptologists (or, decoders) to crack complex codes for British Intelligence. The opening scenes featuring job interviews followed by a new group of hires on their first day (including university dropout Susannah York, who has a keen mind for deciphering letters and numbers) are lively and intriguing. Unfortunately, the rather inert affair which develops on the sidelines between Bogarde and a smitten York stops the film's breathless pace in its tracks. It isn't even a romantic affair that we see--neither highly-charged nor a slow-to-blossom union--and it just gets in the way (though it's meant to tie the finish together with a happy ribbon). Another plot, with Sebastian having tendered his resignation but brought back to the fore with a chance to help the Americans decipher a code from a Russian satellite, is just a tease, while the time away from the office (where the heart of the picture really lies) has drained all the effervescence from the narrative. ** from ****
Review of Sebastian
