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Truly Dreadful Film

Don't Believe the Hype

Funny, strange, confrontational and subversive, this is one of the most interesting experiences you'll have at the cinema this year.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

Okay, let's get the American arrogance out of the way right at the start. Canadian movies used to suck. They don't now. Or, at least, the ratio of suckage to non-sucky is acceptable.And this coming from a citizen of a country that produces some of the great suck-fests in film and financial history.Now, let's proceed with saying that I had no idea, when I watched The Silent Partner on HBO almost 40 years ago, that it would be one of the better-crafted crime drama/suspensers I've had the pleasure to see. The cast is strong, the story intriguing, and, well, it has Susannah York, so what can I say?The story of a bank teller who gets wind that a robbery is about to take place, and spirits a lot of cash away beforehand, has a nice, unique feel. Elliot Gould is the teller, and Christopher Plummer is the robber, a very bad man who doesn't react well when he discovers that Gould has ripped him off. I saw The Silent Partner again in the late 80s, and I liked it just as well as the first time. Considering my tastes, my ability to analyze, my understanding of human nature that grew from 20 to 30 made me wary of a movie I liked so well a decade or so before. Yet, I thought the movie was stronger the second time around. So, if, by some chance, you can find the movie uncut (it earns its R-rating, folks), be sure to watch and savor The Silent Partner.

A caper flick was the only impression I had walking into "The Silent Partner", but that's just scratching the surface. This is a very precise weaving together of psychological thriller, can-n-mouse, heist movie with two very well-cast leads. Elliott Gould is the ideal choice for the cunning thief everyone underestimates, and his double-dealings keep you hooked. But Christopher Plummer . . . man, that guy is malice incarnate. He may show up to rob a bank dressed as Santa Claus, but he is thoroughly nasty business.This is currently available in a bare-bones DVD with a very "Ocean's Eleven" cover, and that's is serious misrepresentation. Plot twists are what fuel this thing (that and some acts of surprising brutality). In any case, it's a clockwork piece of film - everybody's playing everybody else, nothing's at face value and you're always guessing.Great movie.8/10

This rather ingenious movie, based on the novel "Think of a Number" by Anders Bodelsen, has a story, complete with fun twists and turns, that really keeps the viewer watching. Elliott Gould stars as bank teller Miles Cullen, held up by psychotic criminal Harry Reikle (Christopher Plummer). Unfortunately for Reikle, he doesn't obtain his entire potential take because Miles has already figured out a clever way to steal from the bank himself. When the robber realizes he was screwed, he's enraged and the two characters indulge in a battle of wits, with each man making moves that surprise the other. It's this whole interplay between these characters that provides this movie with some real meat, and it just goes to show that some people can't be taken at face value, are capable of daring actions, and may be far more crafty than we believe. On location shooting in Toronto is an asset (it's quite clear this takes place in Canada from the get go), as well as a cracking pace and a number of riveting scenes. Gould is nicely understated, as the unlikely thief, and Plummer, in one of his more interesting roles (it's cool to actually hear him curse out Gould), is damn convincing. Miles' bravado extends to his aggressively pursuing both Julie Carver (Susannah York), a co-worker and the mistress of his boss (Michael Kirby), and Elaine (Celine Lomez, an exquisite lady who even does some full frontal nudity), who's not what she initially appears to be. While the occasional bursts of brutal violence are indeed a little jarring, they do go a long way in showing the utter depravity and ruthlessness of the Reikle character. The screenplay is by Curtis Hanson, who also takes an associate producer credit, and the taut direction is by Daryl Duke ("Payday"). It's also fun to see a young John Candy in one of his earliest film roles; although he never gets to do much here, that inherent likability of his still comes through. The story here is a truly entertaining one, from its chilling robbery sequence wherein Reikle makes for an intimidating Santa Claus to his ugly confrontation with Elaine. This movie is a true sleeper that definitely deserves to be better known. Eight out of 10.

While "The Silent Partner" is an excellent twisty thriller, the shocking violence could have been toned down, which in my opinion would have gained the film greater acceptance. Unlike others, I think the casting was terrific, with Elliot Gould being underestimated, Susana York being confused, and Christopher Plummer being vicious. The plot twists and turns, always maintaining logic, with a very satisfying conclusion. My only problem is an audience that is enjoying a good bank robbery thriller is suddenly jolted into recoil by Christopher Plummer's over the top dispatch of his ex girlfriend. Great movie, only slightly flawed, and recommended. - MERK