A TOUCH OF LARCENY
UK, 1959, 93 minutes, Black and white.
James Mason, George Sanders, Vera Miles, Robert Flemyng, Duncan Lamont, Harry Andrews.
Directed by Guy Hamilton.
A Touch of Larceny is a caper film – serious with a touch of humour. James Mason portrays a commander who has had a very successful career but is in need of finance. When he meets a young woman, Vera Miles, he begins a plan to fake his disappearance – and then return to sue for libel those who had attacked him. The film also stars George Sanders in the sardonic role of Sir Charles Holland.
The film is an enjoyable star vehicle for James Mason in a suave role. Vera Miles is always an attractive heroine in films of this period (next year she was to appear in Psycho).
The film was directed by Guy Hamilton who directed a number of small-budget British films in the 1950s as well as An Inspector Calls and The Colditz Story. During the 1960s he was to direct the James Bond film Goldfinger as well as the Len Deighton, Harry Palmer film Funeral in Berlin. Amongst his other credits were Battle of Britain and other Bond films, Diamonds Are Forever, Live and Let Die, The Man with the Golden Gun. He also directed the adaptations of Agatha Christie’s The Mirror Crack’d and Evil Under the Sun.
I. The indications of the title: irony, wit, style, humour? Did the film correspond to its title? How?
2. How successful a comedy was this? Humour and the light touch? Comedy of British manners? Comedy of crime, communicating of values?
3. How successful was the plan and its execution? Did the film prepare this well? Did it spend too much time building up to the plan and leaving its execution till a bit Late?
4. Where was audience sympathy meant to be? How sympathetic was Max from the start? Was his meeting with Charles and Virginia too contrived? His style too contrived? (Or did this prepare us for a man who would execute such a confidence trick plan?)
5. What kind of man was Max in himself? His war heroism and his national repute? His dissatisfaction with post-war desk work? His heroic and daring nature? His subtlety and flirting? His old-boy style with Charles? All his ploys to insinuate himself to Virginia? The daring of his plan? the execution of his plan? His enjoyment of his stay on their island? the irony of his being shipwrecked after all? His luck in having made an alliance with Virginia? The fact that her manoeuvred all difficulties and succeeded in the and? Were you sorry? Why?
6. How did Max react with Virginia? How did you learn about Max from Virginia? What kind of woman was she? How did she counter all Max’s ploys? Why did she find him attractive and charming? Why did she want to marry Charles? Why did they clash?
7. Was Charles a typical Briton or was he a caricature? His friendship with Max? His turning against him on behalf of honesty and patriotism?
8. How enjoyable were the deceits of Max’s plans at the Russian party, losing the book at the office, the Karl Marx at Liverpool? Why was this enjoyable? Did we want him to succeed?
9. How humorous a film was this about Britons? the types in the public service?
10. What comment on newspapers and their sensationalism did the film make? What they could be sued for Liability?
11. Were you glad that Charles was defeated? Why?
12. The film ended happily ever after. Was this fair and just? Why?
13. What did the film have to say about truth and values, honesty, subtlety and sincerity? Enjoying life?
