Monday 22 October 2018

A Severed Head (1970 Dick Clement)

Iris Murdoch's 1961 novel, as written for the stage by her and J.B. Priestley, is adapted here by Frederic Raphael. Ian Holm finds out his wife Lee Remick is a serial adulterer, having slept with her analyst Dickie Attenborough. Meanwhile he's sleeping with Jennie Linden, but shifts his attention to Dickie's half-sister Claire Bloom. Clive Revill, a sculptor, is also involved in messy, shifting proceedings, very much of its time.

There's a great moment where Holm, fed up with the course of proceedings, punches Dickie, then immediately asks 'Are you alright?' - ends up having to borrow five shillings from him. It's a witty and wry script. The most Raphaely bit is Linden - "I absolutely refuse to meet her." CUT TO - "How nice to meet you."

The music's by Stanley Myers, was shot by Austin Dempster in Eastmancolor at several posh London locations.

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