In another excellent collaboration, revered British actor Dirk Bogarde works under the masterful direction of Joseph Losey, soon after they had created the British film masterpiece ‘The Servant’ together.

Bogarde plays Captain Hargreaves, an army lawyer tasked with defending Private Hamp, portrayed brilliantly by Tom Courtenay of ‘Billy Liar’ and ‘Doctor Zhivago’ fame. Courtenay’s outstanding performance not only earned him the Best Actor award at the 1964 Venice Film Festival but also a much-coveted BAFTA nomination.

Joining this stellar cast were Leo McKern, known for his role as ‘Rumple of the Bailey’ and Barry Foster from Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Frenzy’.

‘King and Country’ transports viewers to the deathly backdrop of World War I, delving deep into the profound impact of war on the human psyche. This project marked the third collaborations between Losey and Bogarde, following the 1954 thriller ‘The Sleeping Tiger’ and the groundbreaking 1963 drama ‘The Servant’. They would pair up again for ‘Accident’ (1967), all of which were available in the Vintage Classics collection.

Crafted from the original camera negative preserved at the BFI, this stunning restoration offers audiences more than just a cinematic experience. It includes a brand-new interview with Tom Courtenay, complemented by an archive interview with the legendary Dirk Bogarde. Additionally, viewers can explore a captivating gallery of ‘Behind the Scenes’ film stills.

The heart of the story revolves around a young soldier, Hamp (Courtenay), who deserts his post during the most harrowing days of World War I. His desperate escape from the relentless barrage of guns and mud was driven by an overwhelming desire to return home. Captain Hargreaves (Bogarde), an aristocratic British Army lawyer, is called upon to defend Hamp before the unforgiving army tribunal. Desertion was a crime that carried the sentence of execution. Hargreaves’s efforts on Hamp’s behalf become increasingly impassioned and sincere.

‘King and Country’ is a gripping and emotionally charged exploration of the human condition in the face of the horrors of war and the brutality of bureaucracy. It is a cinematic masterpiece that continues to resonate with audiences. This restoration ensures that its impact will endure for generations to come.

Pre-order ‘King and Country’ from Studiocanal’s Vintage Classics range.

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The script by Harold Pinter gives audiences some idea of what to expect. Best known as a playwright, Pinter evidences his theatrical background with a screenplay that takes place over very few locations. Most of the action is set inside Tony’s swanky Chelsea apartment. The icy script combines with Joseph Losey’s menacing direction and the crisp, black and white film stock that makes effective use of shadows and darkness. The end result, with a sleazy jazz score by John Dankworth thrown in, is a pressure cooker environment and a claustrophobic, uncomfortable, yet spellbinding viewing experience.

Young aristocrat Tony (James Fox) moves into his London apartment as he plans his future. He hires a manservant, and Barrett (Dirk Bogarde) arrives punctually. Impressed, Tony hires him, and finds Barrett useful, especially for bringing him drinks. Discord descends on the household with the arrival of Tony’s girlfriend Susan (Wendy Craig). In one memorable scene, Susan shows her ignorance in front of Tony’s friends over the definition of ‘poncho’, and she is also rude to Barrett and suspicious of his motives, which offends Tony’s good-mannered sensibilities. However, when Barrett brings his ‘sister’ Vera (Sarah Miles) into the mix, ostensibly as a maid, the traps being laid for Tony to fall into become ever-clearer to the viewer, who in turn begins to understand Susan’s instinctive animosity towards Barrett. Pinter and Losey keep on turning the screw as Barrett forces Tony to become ever-more reliant upon him, as the roles in their destructive relationship steadily invert.

Pinter’s screenplay makes for a clever psychological drama. The character of Barrett is surely one of the most fascinating in cinema history. Brought to life by an actor of the calibre of Dirk Bogarde, Barrett is truly unforgettable. Unusually adopting a Manchester accent, Bogarde creates a unique character in his considerable repertoire, and instils in Barrett a history and a background that feels authentic and credible. It is his signposting of Barrett’s malevolence that is so ingenious, even in his quieter moments during the early sequences. When he first meets Tony, he is standing over him, looking down at him, casting silent judgement on the young man who has fallen asleep in the afternoon after having had too much to drink. It takes a special kind of venomous spirit to prey upon a decent person’s weaknesses and encourage them down a route to destruction. Achieving as much through quiet subtlety is a stunning artistic achievement by Bogarde.

The rest of the cast are equal to Bogarde’s masterclass in insidious villainy. James Fox was a newcomer to the big screen at the time, let alone to leading performances, but he is the perfect marriage of stuffy yet vulnerable and naive. Just as Bogarde very carefully carves out turning points in his character’s development, so too does Fox, and the last moment we see him in the film is so far removed from the ambitious young man who employs Barrett in the first place that he really takes the audience on quite the journey with him. It was the start of a long and successful film career for Fox.

Although they have less screen time than the two men, the leading women make a strong impression too. Wendy Craig’s Susan is arguably the character audiences change their view of the most as the events of the film unfold. Her initial reserve and stiffness, we later learn, is a cover for her insecurity and her concern for Tony’s well-being. In not always giving Tony what he wants, she loves him truly. Sarah Miles plays Vera, undoubtedly the most intriguing character, and someone whose background and true identity we are never quite allowed to glimpse. Yet Miles creates an intriguing seductress, prettily packaged in a pretence of innocence. Is she ultimately setting out to destroy two men? The unresolved enigma of Vera creates the talking points for audiences after seeing the movie. Losey gets the best out of his remarkably talented and mostly young cast. Blacklisted from Hollywood, Losey was their loss and the British film industry’s gain.

Ultimately, ‘The Servant’ is a close-up examination of a poisonous male relationship, and the catastrophic influence manipulative people can hold over those too weak and naive to see clearly what’s right in front of them. ‘The Servant’ makes for deeply unsettling viewing, so much so that it’s one of those films you have to be in the right mood to watch. It takes you to some dark places. Nevertheless, it’s undoubtedly an exceptionally fine cinematic achievement, and this loving restoration is testament to the esteem it holds and reputation is has rightly earned.

Now restored to 4K, ‘The Servant’ looks more stunning than ever before. The level of detail is such that it’s possible to make out the titles on Tony’s bookcases. One is a dustcover copy of Vladimir Nabokov’s ‘Pale Fire’ that’s probably a detail missed on lower resolutions. That level of visual clarity also accentuates the subtlety of the masterful performances, especially in close-ups.

There are some great new extra features that will satisfy devoted film buffs available on the 4K collector’s edition Blu-ray. I especially enjoyed Adam Scovell’s location guide, tracing almost all of the places in London where the movie was made. Tony’s salubrious Chelsea apartment is much-unchanged in the sixty years since the film was shot. Matthew Sweet and Phuong Le provide a video essay, and there are interviews with surviving cast members Wendy Craig, James Fox and Sarah Miles. Bogarde’s biographer John Coldstream talks about the celebrated late actor. Impressively, the discs have the option of watching the feature in either 1.66 or 1.77 aspect ratio.

‘The Servant’ is currently enjoying a limited theatrical release, and is available on 4K UHD Blu-ray, DVD and digital from 20th September.

Cast: Dirk Bogarde, James Fox, Wendy Craig, Sarah Miles Director: Joseph Losey Writer: Harold Pinter Certificate: 12 Duration: 114 mins Released by: StudioCanal Release date: 20th September 2021 Buy ‘The Servant’

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The multi BAFTA award-winning film, which has been meticulously restored as part of STUDIOCANAL’s ‘Vintage Classics’ collection, will premiere at Edinburgh International Film Festival on 19th August, followed by a cinema release on 10th September and a 4K UHD collector’s edition Blu-Ray, DVD & Digital release on 20th September.

Based on the screenplay by revered playwright Harold Pinter (‘The Homecoming’, ‘The Birthday Party’), ‘The Servant’ stars celebrated British actor Sir Dirk Bogarde. The former matinee idol later became a cinema art house icon (appearing in masterpieces of European film including ‘The Night Porter’ and ‘Death in Venice’). In ‘The Servant’, he appears alongside a fresh-faced James Fox (‘A Passage to India’) of the Fox dynasty of actors, Sarah Miles (‘Ryan’s Daughter’) and Wendy Craig (‘The Mind Benders’ and situation comedy ‘Butterflies’).

Cited by Bong Joon Ho as one of five films that influenced his masterpiece ‘Parasite’, ‘The Servant’ is considered ahead of its time for its ambitious cinematography and its exploration of class and sexual politics in 1960s Britain. It boasts stunning cinematography from Ealing Comedies’ Douglas Slocombe, a fantastic soundtrack by composer John Dankworth (‘Darling’) and is considered by many to be one of the greatest British films of the last century.

Available to own on 20th September, or via pre-order now the special UHD collector’s edition Blu-ray presented in both 1.66 and 1.77 aspect ratios, the new release offers exciting bonus content including a brand-new video essay with Matthew Sweet and Phuong Le, a new location featurette with Adam Scovell, a Richard Ayoade interview with James Fox, plus interviews and commentaries with cast, crew and industry experts.

Pre-order Joesph Losey’s ‘The Servant‘.

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The classic British movie The Go-Between, starring Julie Christie and Alan Bates, has enjoyed a fresh release on DVD and Blu-ray. The 1971 film is an adaptation of LP Hartley’s classic novel, adapted for screen by Harold Pinter with direction by Joseph Losey.

An illicit adult love affair is seen through the eyes of a thirteen year-old child. Leo (Dominic Guard) is invited to stay at his rich friend’s country estate for a summer at the turn of the Twentieth Century. When his mate becomes bed-bound with measles, Leo instead befriends the older sister Marian (Julie Christie), for whom he develops a childish crush. Without fully comprehending the nature of the affair, but keen to please Marian, Leo agrees to convey messages between her and Ted Burgess (Alan Bates), a local farmer.

Naturally, for a British story, there is a strong theme of class division. Leo himself is roundly mocked by his friend’s much wealthier family for the relative poverty of his clothing. But the most savage gulf in class is between Marian and Ted. Her family expects her to marry the aristocratic Viscount Trimingham (Edward Fox), and her affair with a common labourer would cause scandal if exposed.

Joseph Losey’s film beautifully captures an important summer in the life of an adolescent boy. The house and gardens are perpetually bathed in a golden, almost autumnal light. It is a moving portrayal of the end of innocence, as childhood is crushed under the weight of adult lust.

There are meticulously-observed performances to enjoy. Julie Christie, at the peak of her powers and beauty, is as spellbinding as she was throughout that decade (Don’t Look Now was just around the corner). Alan Bates is suitably rugged and handsome as Ted, though there are moments of sophistication that play against the gruff nature of his character. Michael Gough is effortlessly sublime as Marian’s father, and Edward Fox is as louche and charming as you’d expect.

Credit must also go to Dominic Guard, who gives a terrific central performance as Leo. Losey certainly gets the best out of his juvenile lead. Sadly, the same cannot be said for some of the other younger actors, who can be a touch over-the-top. Look out for a young Roger Lloyd-Pack: he would rarely play aristocrats, so his role here plays against expectations. Fans of Michael Redgrave will enjoy his cameo as the older Leo – exuding quiet dignity and suppressed trauma.

Overall, The Go-Between is a touch ponderous, taking two hours to tell a fairly repetitive and unsurprising story, though the pay-off is rewarding. The other problem is that, Leo aside, there is an absence of sympathetic characters. Knowing that Leo is being manipulated and used by adults to aid them in conducting a sordid affair makes it difficult to like Marian and Ted, or wish for their liaison to survive.

The 4k restoration is very good, though there are some moments where the frame rate is a touch off. But since Losey ensures everything looks so pretty, The Go-Between is a good film to enjoy in high definition. There is a charming recently-filmed interview with Dominic Guard (who worked consistently as an actor until leaving the profession in the early 2000s). He reflects with admirable detail on his time making what would become considered to be a classic of British cinema.

Cast: Julie Christie, Alan Bates, Dominic Guard, Michael Gough, Roger Lloyd Pack, Michael Redgrave Director: Joseph Losey Writer: Harold Pinter Certificate: PG Duration: 116 mins Released by: Studiocanal Release date: 16th September 2019 Buy The Go-Between

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