The Servant (1963)

Upper-class Tony hires servant Hugo Barrett, who turns out to have a hidden agenda.

Director:

Joseph Losey

Writers:

Harold Pinter (screenplay), Robin Maugham (novel)

Stars:

Dirk Bogarde, Sarah Miles, Wendy Craig

Won 3 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 5 wins & 9 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dirk Bogarde	...	Barrett
Sarah Miles	...	Vera
Wendy Craig	...	Susan
James Fox	...	Tony
Catherine Lacey	...	Lady Mounset
Richard Vernon	...	Lord Mounset
Ann Firbank	...	People in restaurant: Society Woman
Doris Nolan	...	People in restaurant: Older Woman (as Doris Knox)
Patrick Magee	...	People in restaurant: Bishop
Jill Melford	...	People in restaurant: Younger Woman
Alun Owen	...	People in restaurant: Curate
Harold Pinter	...	People in restaurant: Society Man
Derek Tansley	...	People in restaurant: Head Waiter
Brian Phelan	...	Man in Pub
Hazel Terry	...	Woman in Bedroom

Storyline

The aristocratic Tony (James Fox) moves to London and hires the servant Hugo Barrett (Sir Dirk Bogarde) for all services at home. Barrett seems to be a loyal and competent employee, but Tony's girlfriend Susan (Wendy Craig) does not like him, and asks Tony to send him away. When Barrett brings his sister Vera (Sarah Miles) to work and live in the house, Tony has a brief hidden affair with her. After travelling with Susan and spending a couple of days in a friend's house outside London, the couple unexpectedly returns and finds Barrett and Vera, who are actually lovers, in Tony's room. They are fired and Susan breaks with Tony. Later, Tony meets Barrett alone in a pub and hires him back, and Barrett imposes his real dark intentions in the house, turning the table and switching position with his master.

---

Plot Keywords:

homoeroticism | decadence | repressed homosexual | sexual repression | homoerotic subtext | 

---

Taglines:

A Terrifyingly Beautiful Motion Picture!

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Certificate:

Unrated

Did You Know?

Trivia

This movie was made on a budget of one hundred thirty-five thousand pounds sterling. It was a big box-office hit. Producer and Director Joseph Losey later claimed it was the only movie upon which he'd had a percentage of the profits actually to make him some money.

---

Goofs

When Tony and Barrett play in the stair, Tony hits a vase with the ball and it falls down and breaks on the floor. The next shot shows the bottom of the wrecked vase on the shelf where it had been in the first place (the rest of the vase is on the stairs).

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Hugo Barrett: Excuse me, sir. My name is Barrett, sir.
Tony: Oh God, of course. I'm so sorry. I fell asleep. We've got an appointment.
Hugo Barrett: Yes, sir.
Tony: What time?
Hugo Barrett: 3'o clock, sir.
Tony: And what time is now?
Hugo Barrett: 3'o clock, sir.
Tony: Uh, it was too many beers at lunch, that's what it is. Do you drink beer?
Hugo Barrett: No. No, I don't sir.
[...]

---

Connections

Featured in Hollywood U.K.: A Very British Picture (1993)

---

Soundtracks

All Gone
Cleo Laine sings
Music by John Dankworth (uncredited)
Lyrics by Harold Pinter (uncredited)

User Reviews

Disturbing but fascinating psychological drama

Back in the late 1960's or early 70's I discovered this creepy psychological drama on local late-night TV. Once seen, it's never quite forgotten, and it's fascinating to see it once again beautifully restored and uncut in its new DVD release. Aspects of it stick with you years later, most especially the dark, moody torch song with some bizarre lyrics which is played repeatedly throughout the story on Mr. Tony's record player, seeming more sinister with each successive playing. By the time of its final hearing near the end of the movie, its effect is so oppressive that it's a relief when the record player is violently shoved off the table. One telling detail is in the scene where Mr. Tony is left alone after Barrett and Vera are expelled from the house, and his fiancee Susan also disappointedly leaves him. He dejectedly goes to an upstairs bedroom, and on the wall above the bed we see pictures of male body-builders.

The cast is uniformly excellent. This was apparently James Fox's film debut, as his credit indicates `Introducing James Fox.' He was obviously an experienced actor, though. In contrast, four years later he was affecting an American accent, singing and dancing, and amazingly, looking even younger in `Thoroughly Modern Millie.'

This is the sort of role that I always associate Dirk Bogarde with. The way Barrett's malevolent character is gradually revealed, not just through the script, but through Bogarde's facial expressions and body language, is a credit to this great actor's skill. This is one dangerous guy.

`The Servant' is a real gem of early 60's British film.

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 March 1964 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Servant

Filming Locations:

30 Royal Avenue, Chelsea, London, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,859, 28 July 2013

Gross USA:

$36,463

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$36,463

Company Credits

Production Co:

Springbok Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1