This film is a quaint work from Losey. First, he did not choose to identify it as his work, when he was the actual director and Snowden the actual producer. Second, the original name "Finger of Guilt" was replaced by "The Intimate Stranger," when the first title would be more appropriate.
The film does belong to Basehart (The clown of "La Strada") and Murphy (the love interest of Brando in "The Wild One") who carry the film. And, of course, the writer and screenplay writer Howard Koch, who along with Losey was blacklisted for their left-wing views. Like most works of Losey, the class differences do play a role. Evelyn is a small time starlet, Reggie is the rich film director. Reggie, like Losey, is running away from Hollywood (for different reasons). Koch brings out the intrigues within the studio. But that fact that a machine gun in a studio would have blanks is known to most viewers, but in the film a person who has worked long in the studios seem to forget that--now that is totally unrealistic!
The end of the film has a lovely twist when Evelyn asks Reggie to light her cigarette. That one detail will convince an astute viewer the appropriateness of the title "Finger of Guilt." Reminds one of the ending of "Basic Instinct."
The film does belong to Basehart (The clown of "La Strada") and Murphy (the love interest of Brando in "The Wild One") who carry the film. And, of course, the writer and screenplay writer Howard Koch, who along with Losey was blacklisted for their left-wing views. Like most works of Losey, the class differences do play a role. Evelyn is a small time starlet, Reggie is the rich film director. Reggie, like Losey, is running away from Hollywood (for different reasons). Koch brings out the intrigues within the studio. But that fact that a machine gun in a studio would have blanks is known to most viewers, but in the film a person who has worked long in the studios seem to forget that--now that is totally unrealistic!
The end of the film has a lovely twist when Evelyn asks Reggie to light her cigarette. That one detail will convince an astute viewer the appropriateness of the title "Finger of Guilt." Reminds one of the ending of "Basic Instinct."