For a good part of 2010,a family friend would mention to me how when ever he sees an interview with Dustin Hoffman,this film seems to never be mentioned at all,even though it was made during the "Golden Decade" (the 70s")and that it also has a very good cast & crew.So,around November I went looking round for the film as a Christmas present.And though it has sadly not come out in the UK,I was luckily able to find a copy of the film from the states.
When it arrived,I felt that since it had taken a good amount of time to find the film,that it was worth watching to see what it was all about.
The plot:
After having spent the night together,two people (John and Mary,who both don't know each others names)wake up in bed together.When they both go down stairs,so John can cook some breakfast,they both start to think of each other in a very cynical way.This is because they both usually run off right away after having spent the night with someone,which is partly done,because they have had some very disappointing relationships in the past.
As Mary starts to see how much of a "boring" bachelor lifestyle John has (staying inside,cooking and listening to Brass Band music as he looks out of his windows )Whilst she mainly wants to be a very outgoing type of person.Though she stays round at Johns place a lot longer than she would have anticipated (which she decides to use,to ask him about some of his past relationships.)And at the point,where it seems that both of them might like the relationship to keep going and to become more meaningful,Mary suddenly disappears!.
Although John knows what part of the city she lives in (although he has not got the flats number,or address.)Since he did not think of taking a photo of her,or asking what her name is,the only thing that John does know,is that it is going to be a very long night,on his search to meet Mary again.
View on the film:
One of the things that stuck out most to me about the film,was how surprisingly quiet director Peter Yates (who sadly died just two days after I had viewed this great film) had made the film.Yates does very well at showing the slight nervous awkwardness that the two main characters have around each other when they awake,with hints given with the mood of the film,that they both perhaps,would like this to be a deeper relationship.
With the screenplay by John Mortimer (which is based on the book by Mervin Jones) giving John and Mary some excellently cynical lines,especially in the clever narration of the film,which is done so the whole audience knows what they both REALLY think of each other (and oddly,I feel that parts of the narration in the film,may have inspired some scenes of the excellent anti- ROM-com film (500) Days of Summer.)With a good portion of the film being set in one flat,the performances of Dustin Hoffman and Mia Farrow make the small flat,almost feel like a mansion.
Hoffman first shows John as someone who is completely happy with their routine in life,into some one who seems to really be trying to get out of his comfort zone,when it seems that he might be about to lose something special.For her performance,Farrow does really well at showing Marys outgoing personality change,as she starts to realise that she really likes John,and that she does not need to pressurise him in a forceful way.
Final view on the film:
An excellent,"quiet" movie,with some witty lines,two very good leads and great directing from the late Peter Yates.
When it arrived,I felt that since it had taken a good amount of time to find the film,that it was worth watching to see what it was all about.
The plot:
After having spent the night together,two people (John and Mary,who both don't know each others names)wake up in bed together.When they both go down stairs,so John can cook some breakfast,they both start to think of each other in a very cynical way.This is because they both usually run off right away after having spent the night with someone,which is partly done,because they have had some very disappointing relationships in the past.
As Mary starts to see how much of a "boring" bachelor lifestyle John has (staying inside,cooking and listening to Brass Band music as he looks out of his windows )Whilst she mainly wants to be a very outgoing type of person.Though she stays round at Johns place a lot longer than she would have anticipated (which she decides to use,to ask him about some of his past relationships.)And at the point,where it seems that both of them might like the relationship to keep going and to become more meaningful,Mary suddenly disappears!.
Although John knows what part of the city she lives in (although he has not got the flats number,or address.)Since he did not think of taking a photo of her,or asking what her name is,the only thing that John does know,is that it is going to be a very long night,on his search to meet Mary again.
View on the film:
One of the things that stuck out most to me about the film,was how surprisingly quiet director Peter Yates (who sadly died just two days after I had viewed this great film) had made the film.Yates does very well at showing the slight nervous awkwardness that the two main characters have around each other when they awake,with hints given with the mood of the film,that they both perhaps,would like this to be a deeper relationship.
With the screenplay by John Mortimer (which is based on the book by Mervin Jones) giving John and Mary some excellently cynical lines,especially in the clever narration of the film,which is done so the whole audience knows what they both REALLY think of each other (and oddly,I feel that parts of the narration in the film,may have inspired some scenes of the excellent anti- ROM-com film (500) Days of Summer.)With a good portion of the film being set in one flat,the performances of Dustin Hoffman and Mia Farrow make the small flat,almost feel like a mansion.
Hoffman first shows John as someone who is completely happy with their routine in life,into some one who seems to really be trying to get out of his comfort zone,when it seems that he might be about to lose something special.For her performance,Farrow does really well at showing Marys outgoing personality change,as she starts to realise that she really likes John,and that she does not need to pressurise him in a forceful way.
Final view on the film:
An excellent,"quiet" movie,with some witty lines,two very good leads and great directing from the late Peter Yates.