Not for the first time and very probably not for the last it would appear that the majority of viewers who have posted reports on this film watched a different movie to the one I watched. For one thing I was unable to detect any chemistry between Bogarde and Simmons whilst several posters praised the superabundance. This brings us to the plot; Simmons arrives in Paris with brother David Tomlinson. Having registered at their hotel albeit Tomlinson conveniently omits to sign the register, they spend a day at the Exposition, which is the main reason they have come to Paris. This means that we, the audience, have been watching Tomlinson for a little over one reel, so when the next morning not only Tomlinson but also his very hotel room have completely vanished and the hotel staff swear to a man that Simmons arrived alone, we know very well this is a lie. The plot thus falls at the first hurdle. How much more effective if we ourselves never actually see Tomlinson but see Simmons talking to an offscreen brother so that we find it much easier to doubt Simmons sanity. The denoument is equally risible as rather than denying his existence to the authorities the hotel owner wuld be conspiring with the authorities in order to avoid panic.
Review of So Long at the Fair
