THE PUBLIC EYE
UK, 1972, 95 minutes, Colour.
Mia Farrow, Topol, Michael Jayston, Annette Crosbie.
Directed by Carol Reed.
The Public Eye is an adaptation of a short play by Peter Shaffer (Royal Hunt of the Sun, Equus, Amadeus). It was part of a double bill with The Private Ear (filmed in 1966 as The Pad (And How to Use It)) directed by Brian G. Hutton.
The film has a great deal of charm, especially with Mia Farrow's sympathetic performance. She is in contrast with the straight up and down severe manner of her husband, played by Michael Jayston. Topol enjoys himself as an eccentric detective from Rhodes. The film was directed by Carol Reed at the end of his career - he won an Oscar for Oliver but is best known for such films as The Third Man and Fallen Idol.
The film is an entertaining look at marriage, suspicions, refinding love.
1.Entertaining love story? Love and marriage?
2.The adaptation of a stage play, opened out? The work of Peter Shaffer? The cast?
3.The London settings, the use of the city? Musical score? Theme song?
4.Structure of the film: the focus on Charles Sidley, his suspicions of his wife, the hiring of the private detective, filling in Julian about the marriage (and the flashbacks), accosting Belinda, her flashbacks and the explanation of her attraction towards Julian? The confrontation, the search for Belinda, the happy ending?
5.Charles Sidley as prim and proper, an accountant, clipped English manner, iceberg language? His concern about his wife? His behaviour towards people in the office, towards Julian, ousting him? The interrogation? His explanation about himself, confirmed bachelor, meeting Belinda, the meals and the restaurant, charmed by her, explaining music, paintings? Educating her? The marriage, his mother's disdain? The change after the marriage, socials and Belinda feeling out of place? His growing severity? Her going out, being late for theatre, for meals? His suspicions, hiring the detective? Hearing that she was seeing someone else?
6.Audience sympathy for Belinda, her story about going to India, coming back to London, working in the restaurant, the accident with the meal? Out with Charles? Her response, asking ignorant questions about culture? Learning? Their enjoyment of each other's company? Her relaxing him, her learning? The marriage, feeling out of it, the socials and her absenting herself? Staying away late, coming home and apologising? Charles's severity with her? The true story of what happened, her noticing Julian, going to the pictures, the parks and gardens, the dolphins? Their encounters but never speaking? In the street, on the bike, in the bus? His bringing her to life?
7.Julian and his arrival at the office, eccentric manner, his stories about his many jobs? Being thrown out? His explanation of himself and his work, the interrogation by Charles? The irony that Belinda had been attracted to him - and his enjoyment of the encounter?
8.Charles and the confrontation with Belinda, ringing Julian, accosting him, Belinda following and discovering the truth? Her disappearance? Charles's concern, asking Julian to find her? Julian and his search, their encounter, reflecting on what the encounter had meant? Doing the deal, the severity with Charles, his refusal to accept the contract? Julian's persuasion? His decision to follow Belinda - and the repetition of her experience with Julian? The possibility of a happy marriage in shared love, listening...?
9.The humour of Julian taking over at the office?
10.The sketch of English society, Charles's friends and their expectations, his secretary, his mother and her criticisms, social guests?
11.An entertaining look at the battle of the sexes?
