THE BEST OF BRITISH: ACCIDENT (1967 PG)

Welcome to a "Best of British" double bill. Shortly, on itv gold 1, a young Barbara Windsor even sings the theme song in a rare British gem, "Sparrows Can't Sing" (1963). Whilst here on itv gold 2, four key ingredients are quaranteed to make a good movie: a screenplay by Harold Pinter; direction by Joseph Losey: and stars Dirk Bogarde and Stanley Baker, coming together in "Accident" from 1967. Here's the storyline: "Stephen is a married Oxford professor experiencing the pangs of a mid-life crisis as he begins to bristle at the stifling emotional repression of the society in which he lives. Things begin to change for him when he meets Anna (Jacqueline Sassard), a beautiful student who is engaged to William, another of Stephen's students. Though he begins to feel alive again in her presence, Stephen's feelings for Anna can only end in tragedy for them and those around them..." The movie also features a young Michael York and Vivien Merchant and there's even a cameo from Pinter himself as TV Producer, Bell.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Accident
• Harold
• Pinter
• Joseph
• Losey
• Dirk
• Bogarde
• Stanley
• Baker
• Drama
• Crime
• Professor
• Oxford
• Attraction
• Author
• Cameo
• Rugby

[jabberwock359]

20:42 At last... she speaks!

[orson54]

Superb film, great performances. Losey a master of subtle tension & suspense.

[FaerieCrone]

Bunch of piss artists by the looks of them.

[shanghaibenny2]

17:03. This is why I find philosophy so fascinating.

[monk22yrs]

@Hendrikdevuile I can enjoy some slow movies, especially most Michalengelo Antonioni movies, but Joseph Losey isn't as stylish. ACCIDENT certainly isn't a flop, but maybe it's just natural for me to be disappointed, after reading about it years earlier.

[Hendrikdevuile]

@monk22yrs You can't expect a psychological movie like this to be fast-moving, especially when set in an ancient university town where the cast play cricket (a game slightly faster than chess). I see you are interested in Thomas Mann, Kafka, and Camus: Der Zauberg or Der Tod in Venedig, Der Prozess or die Verwandlung, and L'Étranger are also all deeply psychological and develop understandably at a snail's pace. Accident had an indelibly disturbing effect on me and I never questioned its pacing.

[monk22yrs]

after reading about this movie over the decades, and the dvd being way too expensive, thanks for showing, and such a pristine print, too.

but, man, is this movie slow, even for the 1960s; no wonder audiences, including brits, went crazy over james bond. pinter from plays and losey no action director; the cast is a lot better than the material and director.

[ElcycinuGER]

Well done your advertising! I am going to follow your movies... and will tell others! Best wishes from Germany!

[miguelucho20008]

Vivien Merchant was also in "Alfie" with the great Michael Cain. And it is sad to see what became of Michael York's career after "Cabaret"

[JaliscoDeOjosHazel]

49:58 ¿How can she hold herself back when he's rubbing her earlobe in that way...? ¡Gawd...!