The smoldering sexuality of Dirk Bogarde is the underpinning of this powerful
film The Servant. He holds all in his thrall including Sarah Miles, Wendy Craig,
and his employer Edward Fox who gets an 'introducing' credit in this film.
The film is based on a screenplay by British playwright Harold Pinter who adopted Robin Maugham's novel and it's impeccably directed by Joseph Losey. What a talent the American cinema lost when Losey exiled himself to the United Kingdom after blacklisting in Hollywood.
The true characters of the protagonists slowly unravel in this film. Edward Fox to put it bluntly is an upper class twit who talks occasionally about doing great things, but reverts to a congenital laziness inevitably. He's in need of a man servant, a live in one to take care of the apartment. Into his life walks Bogarde, who is too good to be true.
Bogarde really gets the place ship shape but gradually he insinuates himself in every aspect of Fox's life including seducing his fiance Wendy Craig who initially finds him repugnant and not knowing his place. He also passes off his tramp girlfriend Sarah Miles as his sister and puts her to work also at Fox's place.
Fox embodies what Maugham is saying about the decline of the British upper classes. Hard to believe folks like Fox once created an empire on which the sun never set. His futile attempts at trying to assert himself contain some of the best acting in Edward Fox's career.
Bogarde however is fascinating and there is a gay undercurrent in the relationship that's hard to miss.
The Servant is like a dark version of what P.G. Wodehouse was writing when he wrote those Bertie Wooster and Jeeves stories. Jeeves sure never treated Wooster like Bogarde treats Fox.
Imagine if somewhere there's a dark version Wodehouse wrote that remains undiscovered.
The Servant is a product of some outstanding talents, novelist, screenwriter, director and a quartet of some fine players.
The film is based on a screenplay by British playwright Harold Pinter who adopted Robin Maugham's novel and it's impeccably directed by Joseph Losey. What a talent the American cinema lost when Losey exiled himself to the United Kingdom after blacklisting in Hollywood.
The true characters of the protagonists slowly unravel in this film. Edward Fox to put it bluntly is an upper class twit who talks occasionally about doing great things, but reverts to a congenital laziness inevitably. He's in need of a man servant, a live in one to take care of the apartment. Into his life walks Bogarde, who is too good to be true.
Bogarde really gets the place ship shape but gradually he insinuates himself in every aspect of Fox's life including seducing his fiance Wendy Craig who initially finds him repugnant and not knowing his place. He also passes off his tramp girlfriend Sarah Miles as his sister and puts her to work also at Fox's place.
Fox embodies what Maugham is saying about the decline of the British upper classes. Hard to believe folks like Fox once created an empire on which the sun never set. His futile attempts at trying to assert himself contain some of the best acting in Edward Fox's career.
Bogarde however is fascinating and there is a gay undercurrent in the relationship that's hard to miss.
The Servant is like a dark version of what P.G. Wodehouse was writing when he wrote those Bertie Wooster and Jeeves stories. Jeeves sure never treated Wooster like Bogarde treats Fox.
Imagine if somewhere there's a dark version Wodehouse wrote that remains undiscovered.
The Servant is a product of some outstanding talents, novelist, screenwriter, director and a quartet of some fine players.