DUFFY

UK, 1968, 102 minutes, Colour.
James Coburn, James Mason, James Fox, Susannah York, John Alderton, Tutte Lemkow, Marne Maitland, Andre Maranne.
Directed by Robert Parrish.

Duffy was considered at the time a caper film of the swinging 60s. Adjectives to describe it include hip and cool.

James Coburn, at the height of his star power, plays an expatriate American on the North African coast who gets lured into the theft of money from a ship on the Mediterranean. James Mason is the patriarch and his two sons get involved, James Fox and John Alderton. Susannah York is there for some glamour.

The film is entertaining in its style as well as in its content, the type of caper movie where people try to get away with everything.

The film was directed by American Robert Parrish who had won an Oscar for best editor for Robert Rossen’s Body and Soul in 1947 and had been nominated again for Rossen’s All the King’s Men in 1949. He began directing at that period with Cry Danger, making some more upmarket films in the mid-1950s including The Purple Plain, Lucy Gallant with Jane Wyman and Charlton Heston and Fire Down Below. He had less success in the 1960s but directed Up From the Beach and In the French Style.

1. How interesting this adventure entertainment? How appealing? The critics were very hostile? Why? Did the film merit hostility?

2. The film as representing the styles, interests of the sixties? Its impact as modern then? Its impact now? The ‘pop’ style, op-art, the robbery genre? How dated does the film seem in its issues, language, treatment? Were the 'sixties really like this?

3. The film placed a lot of emphasis on its style, look, manners, opulence, colour. How effective were these? Why are audiences interested in these and respond well to them? The variety of clothes, locations, rich backgrounds, wealthy people etc.? The corresponding camera techniques of angles and editing? Were they appropriate? What if the screenplay had been filmed in a very straightforward manner? What would have been the effect?

4. The joke in the credits sequences? How effective? Leading into the wealthy Calverts? The significance of the initial dart game with the bets, the relationships within the family, the father and his two sons, the offhanded attitude towards wealth? Were audiences meant to like these people? How well did they get to know them? involved? Stephane and his self-absorption, his wanting to be an artist and a showman? His younger brother as being naïve, subservient, yet participating effectively in the robbery? The contrast with James Mason’s style as the father, a suave controller?

5. How attractive was Susannah York as the heroine, did she contribute much to the plot, the decorative aspect for the screenplay? Her growing contribution, her relationship with Duffy, the declaration of their love for each other (at a distance), her double cross, her link with Calvert? The pathos of her final confrontation with Duffy in getting the money from him? Could they possibly live happily ever after? Did this matter for the film?

6. How credible a character was Duffy? James Coburn’s particular style? His behaviour, manner, drop-out, middle aged hippie? The strengths and weaknesses of his character? His wealth and his idle way of life? All the various things in his apartment? His being persuaded to join the enterprise, his contribution of the plan, his contribution to its execution? His being double crossed, his finally gaining the upper hand? What kind of heroic antihero of the 'sixties was he?

7. How interesting was the plan, its motivation, the people participating, the attention to detail, the preparation? How much suspense and humour was there in its execution, for example dressing as Greek priests, the safe number the same as the girl's measurements etc.?

8. The sense of achievement with the success turning to irony? How interesting and effective the various double-crosses? How did the film involve the audience in the swindle? Whom did the audience want to win?

9. How satisfying were the final confrontations, the gentlemanly keeping of the peace, the various achievements by all those participating? How much of the film was mere style, how much of value?