THE CROOKED ROAD
UK, 1965, 92 minutes, Black and white.
Robert Ryan, Stewart Granger, Nadia Gray, Marius Goring, George Coulouris.
Directed by Don Chaffey.
A film version of one of Morris West's earliest novels, The Big Story. (One of the minor characters, George Harlequin, was to become a major character and title for one of West's seventies' blockbusters.) The film reflects West's interest in journalism, European power struggles, the pressures on honesty and integrity by politics and international finance. He was to develop these in his religious novels as well as Harlequin and Salamander.
The film, however, turns out to be rather B Budget melodrama - the stars are quite effective in their way. There is much advantage taken of black and white Yugoslavian location photography. However, the film is not excitingly written and is a blend of stereotype, melodrama and West's frequent rhetorical big statements about the meaning of life and honesty.
The film was directed by Don Chaffy, a director of a great range of films from Disney family films to prehistoric dramas to horror films. Chaffy worked in Australia with Disney films: Born to Win and Ride a Wild Pony as well as The Fourth Wish. Other films from West's work have been The Shoes of the Fisherman and West's own screenplay for The Devil’s Advocate.
1. An interesting and entertaining melodrama of character, politics and power? The work of Morris West and his interests? His reputation? In comparison with his other work?
2. The conventions of the journalist film, the exposes? How well did the film establish the situation, characters, potential for confrontation, resolution? Did the film rise above the conventional?
3. Yugoslav locations and their use and atmosphere, black and white photography? The atmosphere of affluence? British politicians? American journalists? The way of life of Europe?
4. The plausibility of the plot - in the fifties when the book was written, in the sixties when the film was made? The exposes of the seventies and eighties? Sufficient credibility for plot purposes? The establishment of Ashley and the background of his journalist work and inquiry into the Duke of Orgagno? His former friendship with Cosima? The establishing of the Duke's political power, accusations about embezzlement, his manner of rule? Relationship with Cosima? British interest? The political intrigue and the manipulation of crime? The melodramatic resolution?
5. Robert Ryan as the aging hero? Credible as the middle-aged reporter? His disdain in watching the film about Vittorio? His relationship with his editor, the discussions with the waiter, the deal with Garofano? The encounter with Cosima and her manipulating him? The murder and his implication? Police interrogation and suspicions? Vittorio and his smooth dealing and getting Ashley into his power? The intrigue on the island? the discovery of the truth about Helena, about her father, about Garofano? The guards and their shooting at Ashley, his being poisoned? Suspicions of Cosima and the discovery of the truth? The build-up to the final confrontation and the Duke's seeming to win? The exposition of the truth and Carlo's revenge? The possibility of a future with Cosima? His integrity, pursuit of the truth. personal angers. personal commitment? His decision to tell a lie in glossing over the truth of what happened at the villa? The importance of his decision to lie?
6. Stewart Granger's suave style as the Duke? On the film, in his dealing with the press, the clash with Cosima, the rejection of Helena and yet his hold over her? Carlo doing his dirty work for him? Hiring the gangsters and the murder of Garofano? His manipulation of the police chief? The encounters with Cosima and the growing hostility? The manipulation of Ashley even to poisoning him? The final decision to have him arrested for murder and implicate Cosima? The ironic revelation of the truth and Carlo's sudden stabbing of him? His ironic final comment about the big story? A credible sketch of a member of an aristocratic family, proud of his ancestry, resembling his ancestors in lust and cruelty in the 20th century?
7. Cosima and her relationship to Ashley, her marrying the Duke for security but without passion, later loving him, humiliated by Helena, enjoying the outing with Ashley, afraid about the killing? Under suspicion from Ashley? Her telling of the truth? The future?
8. Helena and her place in the household, her rejection by Vittoria, her fear of him? Carlo and his old-fashioned ideas of protecting his daughter, willing to kill Garofano, to kill Ashley? The violence of his outburst on discovering the truth? Garofano and his place in the household and his being murdered?
9. The police Chief and his interrogation? His being manipulated? His cover-up?
10. The intervention of Harlequin and British interest in the goings-on? Suave manner, communicating of suspicions to Ashley?
11. The minor characters and their contribution - the editor, the waiter and his being bribed, the thugs, the hunters on the island, the escort for Helena and his homosexual background, his being manipulated?
12. Themes of power, politics, international intrigue, finance? Personal integrity and honesty and journalism, communication? Truth and lies?
