Quite the obscure film this Circle of Two but just because it's obscure doesn't deem it unworthy of a serious look. Quite contrary. Based on the long out of print novel, A Lesson In Love by Marie-Teresa Baird. The premise of the story was kept nicely intact by the very well done screenplay by Thomas Hedley. In one of the last few roles before his passing in 1984, Richard Burton is perfect as Ashley Sinclair, a 60-year-old once famous artist who for 10 years has been idle with no creative spark. By chance he meets 16 year-old aspiring writer, Sarah Norton who is played by a young and impressive Tatum O'Neal who put her child- actor image in the past at this pivotal time in her career.
Their first meeting happens at a soft-porn theater where she goes on a dare by a school friend. (There's no image of pornography, only a soundtrack to suggest what is happening) and while walking out, Sarah accidentally hits a slumped over and asleep in his seat, Ashley, in the head with her back-pack. They exchange a few words in a awkward moment and leave separately. Then days later at a café where she publicly dumps her boyfriend their paths cross again. Future meetings take place and soon after they form an emotional bond. Note: Emotional bond. The late, great film director, Jules Dassin expertly handled the sensitive subject matter to avoid the obvious pitfalls. So, if you're thinking Lolita or some soft-core smut fest, this film is neither and prouder for it.
For Ashley, Sarah reconnects him to life and he's inspired to start painting again with a newly found passion. For Sarah, she experiences love for the first time in her life with this older and worldly man. The time they share together opens a whole new world for them both. Its love in the purest way. Inevitably, their secret relationship is discovered not only by his on-again-off-again girlfriend, Claudia (played by Nuala Fitzgerald) who senses something when she comes for a visit but what shatters their world is due to an incident involving the authorities brought on by Sarah's jealous ex-boyfriend, Paul (Michael Wincott) while he spies on Sarah and Ashley one afternoon at his home.
Soon after, their relationship is clearly on course to its demise due to Sarah's parents (played by Robin Gammell and Patricia Collins) who interfere with strict grounding and no less a house visit by a psychiatrist (the late, Kate Reid) who sympathizes with Sarah and sees her for what she really is, a maturing young woman very much in love. There's a touching final scene during which Sarah has finally tracked down Ashley and confronts him about why he left town on her birthday and gave no information on his whereabouts. The gentle girl with the broken heart forces him to explain himself.
Not a great film but a damn good one with its unique portrayal of both innocence and wisdom and how these two share an affinity but with the unfortunate span of years between them, their love must always be less than perfect and unconsummated. It's a bittersweet love story that really touches the heart. In this day and age movies like this can no longer be made and Circle of Two is a story that you won't soon forget.
Their first meeting happens at a soft-porn theater where she goes on a dare by a school friend. (There's no image of pornography, only a soundtrack to suggest what is happening) and while walking out, Sarah accidentally hits a slumped over and asleep in his seat, Ashley, in the head with her back-pack. They exchange a few words in a awkward moment and leave separately. Then days later at a café where she publicly dumps her boyfriend their paths cross again. Future meetings take place and soon after they form an emotional bond. Note: Emotional bond. The late, great film director, Jules Dassin expertly handled the sensitive subject matter to avoid the obvious pitfalls. So, if you're thinking Lolita or some soft-core smut fest, this film is neither and prouder for it.
For Ashley, Sarah reconnects him to life and he's inspired to start painting again with a newly found passion. For Sarah, she experiences love for the first time in her life with this older and worldly man. The time they share together opens a whole new world for them both. Its love in the purest way. Inevitably, their secret relationship is discovered not only by his on-again-off-again girlfriend, Claudia (played by Nuala Fitzgerald) who senses something when she comes for a visit but what shatters their world is due to an incident involving the authorities brought on by Sarah's jealous ex-boyfriend, Paul (Michael Wincott) while he spies on Sarah and Ashley one afternoon at his home.
Soon after, their relationship is clearly on course to its demise due to Sarah's parents (played by Robin Gammell and Patricia Collins) who interfere with strict grounding and no less a house visit by a psychiatrist (the late, Kate Reid) who sympathizes with Sarah and sees her for what she really is, a maturing young woman very much in love. There's a touching final scene during which Sarah has finally tracked down Ashley and confronts him about why he left town on her birthday and gave no information on his whereabouts. The gentle girl with the broken heart forces him to explain himself.
Not a great film but a damn good one with its unique portrayal of both innocence and wisdom and how these two share an affinity but with the unfortunate span of years between them, their love must always be less than perfect and unconsummated. It's a bittersweet love story that really touches the heart. In this day and age movies like this can no longer be made and Circle of Two is a story that you won't soon forget.