Sunday, July 27, 2014

Dvd/150: MORGAN - A SUITABLE CASE FOR TREATMENT (Karel Reisz, 1966)


MORGAN is easy to admire but harder to love.  I find the irreverent and anarchic tone now dated and David Mercer's character of Morgan (in keeping with the 'heroes' of the early 60s British film renaissance) a whinger who needs a hard, dry slap.


Morgan cannot accept that his wife Leonie has divorced him and continues to mooch about their home even though she is now dating art dealer Charles.  Leonie is torn between the chance for a secure life and still loving the infuriating but loving Morgan.

 
Morgan's attempts to sabotage Leonie and Charles' life together leave Leonie bemused, Charles furious and his left-wing mum annoyed as she accuses him of being a class traitor for marrying the upper-class Leonie.


Fine performances from David Warner, Vanessa Redgrave (Cannes Best Actress Award), Robert Stephens and Irene Handl survive Reisz's insistent freeze-frames, jump-cuts and speeded-up footage.


Shelf or charity shop?  Shelf.

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