THE SILENT PARTNER
Canada, 1978, 106 minutes, Colour.
Elliott Gould, Christopher Plummer, Susannah York, Ken Pogue, John Candy.
Directed by Daryl Duke.
The Silent Partner is an interesting thriller. Elliott Gould is a bank teller who gets information that the bank is about to be robbed – and puts a lot of the money in his own personal account. The robber, finding that he hasn’t gained as much money as anticipated, is angry and pursues the teller. The film concentrates on the battle of wits between the two. With Gould as the teller, Christopher Plummer is the robber. Susannah York and John Candy are also in the cast.
The film was directed by Daryl Duke, Canadian director of films and television including I Heard the Owl Call My Name as well as the series of The Thorn Birds. The film was co-written by Curtis Hanson who later became much more famous with such films as The Bedroom Window, The River Wild and his Oscar-winning LA Confidential. The film is an adaptation and remake of a Danish film whose English title is Think About the Number.
1. The appeal of crime thrillers? Interest in robberies, criminals, action, identification with the basic situation? The prevalence of such robberies in the seventies? The conventions of this kind of thriller ? how well presented here?
2. Canadian production, atmosphere, Toronto?
3. The title and its significance? The interrelationship of Myles with Reikle? Julie being Myles’s silent partner at the end?
4. The importance of the initial Christmas set-up, the presentation of the bank, the shopping mall? Santa Claus and his writing, a note? His sinister presence and the way that he treated the children? The growing suspicions and Santa Claus watching the bank and Myles watching him? The irony of Myles's knowing the Santa Claus's intention? The
Build-up to the robbery and its effect?
5. The irony of Myles’ having the note, doing the planning, hiding the money? His execution of the plan? The importance of the revelation of the truth for Reikle? The tension then for Myles as Reikle would pursue him? plan to outwit Reikle?
6. Myles' character and Elliot Gould's appearance and performance? Seeing him in detail at home, taking Julie out and being uninteresting on a date, the talk about the fish? His shrewdness in hiding the money and putting it in the bank vault? Everybody underestimating him at every turn? The irony of the difficulties - the housekeeper cleaning out the refrigerator, the garbage truck? His schemes to recover his losses? The build-up in outwitting Reikle? The entry of Elaine into the picture, his suspicions, bond with her, sexuality, love? Her loyalty to him? His outwitting Reikle with following him home, getting him arrested and put in prison, getting the loyalty of Elaine, hiding her body, outwitting him with the money at the end? Audiences being on side with Myles’ ingenuity?
7. How well did Elliot Gould communicate the nuances of his character - when he was alone and his shyness, the up and down relationship with Julie? The reactions on the television and his nervousness at the bank afterwards? The telephone calls and his reaction? His reaction to violence and the pursuit of Reikle? His activity in getting Reikle into prison and the identification line? His grief at Elaine's death? His being shot at the end? A credible bank teller? A credible character?
8. The film's presentation of the bank and its personnel, the ordinary bank, Julie and her work, Charles and his relationship with Julie, the fat teller and his attraction towards Louise, the man with the sexual design on Louise, Louise herself? The Christmas parties and the detail of interactions and tensions, affairs, Louise’s marriage and the celebration, lunch hours etc.?
9. Christopher Plummer's style as Reikle? As Santa Claus, in the robbery, his brutality to the girl during the massage, his phone calls and menace towards Myles, breaking into his room, his being outwitted and followed homo, on the line-up and his going to prison, the visits from Elaine in prison and his hold over her, the final confrontation with her and the brutality of his murdering her, his following Myles at the foundation site of the building, the build-up to the final robbery and his death? An effective portrait of a criminal?
10. Susannah York as Julie, presence in the bank, available type, her puzzle with the dates with Myles, his taking her home, the advances and then the break-off, her resentment, her fascination, the fact that she looked inside the bag and would share his dream?
11. The background theme of Myles’ father, his visit to him during the Christmas Carols? The funeral sequence? Elaine and her presence, her story, her turning up? The visit to the night club? Her work there? The bond between the two and her decision to double-cross Reikle? Her loyalty to Myles at the end? Audience expecting her to die, reaction to her death?
12. How well did the film present an atmosphere of menace, mutual stalking, outwitting people? Quick thinking? The humour of the ending and Myles winning out against Reikle?
13. The amorality of the ending? The jolt to conventional values? Audience sympathy for the characters, for the crime? Myles appearing less criminal In comparison with Reikle and being allowed to keep the money?
