Harold Pinter's The Collection (1976 TV) part 6 of 6

Laurence Olivier... Harry
Helen Mirren... Stella
Alan Bates... James
Malcolm McDowell... Bill


Director: Michael Apted

Writer: Harold Pinter (adapted his play for television)

Produced by Derek Granger and Laurence Olivier




Costume Design by Beatrice Dawson




John Russell Taylor on "The Collection" and "The Lover":

No longer is there any question of 'failure' of communication; in both plays the characters are educated and articulate, they are capable of expressing to each other whatever they want to express. If they want to tell the truth about themselves they have at their disposal the means of doing so, but of course they don't want to, and it remains highly doubtful whether even if they did they could. What each wants to know about the other, and what we want to know about them, is essentially unknowable, perhaps does not even exist--it is the one face behind the faces....when Stella's husband James sets out to meet and question Bill he does not seem to be looking for the truth about that. She has told him it happened, and apparently he believes her. No, the truth he wants to find is the truth about her; he will know more about her if he get to know the man she has found attractive enough to go to bed with at first meeting. He doesn't, of course: the more contradictory accounts emerge, the more
lies, equivocaton,and halftruths pile up, the less anyone knows about anyone. The defense mechanisms of human beings are too well-ordered for them to do anything else but go smoothly into action at the mere hint from an outsider that given half a chance he will find out the whole truth, pin one down, and categorize one forever.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• performing
• arts
• Harold
• Pinter
• Laurence
• Olivier
• Helen
• Mirren
• Alan
• Bates
• Malcolm
• McDowell

[Zatwa]

My God. I wanted it to last forever. Thank you so much for allowing me to discover this wonderfulness.

[Cruncher81]

Thanks ever so much for posting these.

Much appreciated.

[Seakyr]

Sordid stories told by a slimy slum-slug.......

[Seakyr]

3:07 "He's a slum-slug."

[TheLeakaChannel]

really enjoyed...thanks for posting...

[uranrising]

Marvellous stuff.

The very thing missing from British TV these days - PLAYS!!

And how predictable most tv films are compared to this.

EXCELLENT

Thanks, of course.

[hurtreliefhurt]

McDowell is amazing!

[mischavandullemen]

putrid slum slug!

[CultureJudge]

What a treat. Not only amazing writing and acting, as has been said, but gorgeous composing of the frame, with those huge zoomed-in over-the shoulder close-ups. The styling of Bates' hair is just monumental. An amazing head at all times, Bates, but with that hair, and supported by that collar... stupendous stuff, simply one of the most magnificent bonces in all God's creation, photographed to just stunning effect here.

[semacomer]

zajebiste! awesome

[NikiRed6138]

I think its pretty hilarious how the cat changes sots o her at the end....pretty good show though

[virgistob]

I'm working on it in class. It helps to watch it instead of just reading. Thanks for posting it.