The Walking Stick (1970)

A young woman's highly ordered and structured life is turned upside-down when she meets a handsome stranger at a party. Friendship soon develops into romance and for the first time in her ... See full summary »

Director:

Eric Till

Writers:

Winston Graham (novel), George Bluestone (screenplay)

Stars:

David Hemmings, Samantha Eggar, Emlyn Williams

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
David Hemmings	...	Leigh Hartley
Samantha Eggar	...	Deborah Dainton
Emlyn Williams	...	Jack Foil
Phyllis Calvert	...	Erica Dainton
Ferdy Mayne	...	Douglas Dainton
Francesca Annis	...	Arabella Dainton
Bridget Turner	...	Sarah Dainton
Dudley Sutton	...	Ted Sandymount
John Woodvine	...	Bertie Irons
David Savile	...	David Talbot
Derek Cox	...	Guard #1
Harvey Sambrook	...	Guard #2
Gwen Cherrell	...	Mrs. Hartley
Walter Horsbrugh	...	Mr. Maitland (as Walter Horsburgh)
Basil Henson	...	Insp. Malcolm

Storyline

A young woman's highly ordered and structured life is turned upside-down when she meets a handsome stranger at a party. Friendship soon develops into romance and for the first time in her life she is truly happy. This happiness is short lived, however, as little by little she discovers her partner has been lying to her about his past. It is soon revealed that he and his friends have been planning to rob the auction house that she works for and they require her inside knowledge in order to pull off the crime.

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Plot Keywords:

polio | based on novel

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Taglines:

Some men will ask anything.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

GP

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 June 1970 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Beni niye seçtin

Filming Locations:

National Film Theatre, South Bank Centre, South Bank, Lambeth, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Jerry Gershwin-Elliott Kastner, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Winkast Film Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first film to feature Stanley Myers' "Cavatina" theme (later re-used to more famous advantage in 'The Deer Hunter').

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Quotes

Deborah: Of course you can. What's love!? love is sex, hate, ambitious, selfishness, you name it.

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Connections

Referenced in American Sexual Revolution (1971)

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Soundtracks

"Cavatina"
Composed by Stanley Myers

User Reviews

Quietly provocative drama about the consequences of blind love...

Pretty but man-shy art-appraiser in London, alienated from the opposite sex due to one leg affected by childhood polio, is courted by a struggling artist and falls in love; soon after moving in with him, however, he demands her help in a burglary, leaving her unsure whether he ever loved her or perhaps was simply using her. Flawlessly acted, rather brilliantly assembled adaptation of Winston Graham's book is a bit slow, yet incredibly assured. Director Eric Till shows a deft touch in weaving sequences together, keeping a fluid pace, and he's helped by wonderful editing and cinematography. The film examines deeply the issues of trust and love...and the consequences of those emotions when they are blind to reality. A real sleeper, with Samantha Eggar giving one of her finest performances. *** from ****