The Public Eye

I remember seeing this movie in Bombay, India almost 25 years ago and could never forget this sensitive movie, If anyone has any info about getting this movie please let me know Thanks.D

From time to time I like checking IMDb on some of my favourite directors, actors, writers, or even some adaptations from stage to screen. It's funny how some titles from some great artist have fallen into oblivion.....and FOLLOW ME! is a clear example of how unfair this is. Carol Reed, Mia Farrow, Topol, John Barry, Peter Shaffer,...so what went wrong? Nothing, sometimes it just happens. TV stations never show the movie, no DVD release and time goes by and nobody remember this little gem. It doesn't mean that the movie bombed in the box office or anything like that. Furthermore, the movie played OK that year.

Thanks God I was lucky to watch this movie in youtube and just let me say that when the movie ended I was grinning from ear to ear. It's not the best movie of all time; it's not the movie that changed my life...but at the same time I understand Belinda and the way she thinks love and marriage must be. It is a well done film that tells a simple story....and Carol Reed knew how to tell ordinary stories and make good films on them.

It's a beautiful love story with excellent locations of London and with a superb job by the three leading actors, especially Topol who is just wonderful in this movie. What a surprise to know that Topol had another leading role after The fiddler on the roof. I always thought that he never got one after the musical.

Mia Farrow (not one of my favourite actress I must say)is perfect for the role thanks again to her physical appearance. She looks so sad at times, wondering around London that she is totally credible on her role.

The script by Peter Shaffer based on his play works perfectly on the screen thanks to director Carol Reed and the use of beautiful locations all around London. Oh, don't you love how London looks in the early 70's? I do! And what about the music? Some people have criticized it...well, it's a beautiful tune with different variations through the movie. Sometimes it sounds like perfect for a James Bond movie. And the song "Follow" I didn't like it at the beginning but after watching the movie it was in my head for days and now it's a favourite of mine.

I am so happy that both Mia Farrow and Topol were awarded in my home country for this movie. Difficult task to get the San Sebastian International Festival award for both leading actors of a movie. But I suppose the International Jury just fell in love with the story as well as the audience. As a reviewer mentioned before there is a lot of dialogue in the film and you can find some of the most beautiful lines ever said in a movie. The dialogue between Belinda and the detective at the end of the movie in the garden is just wonderful. It makes you cry and smile at the same time.

So my final advice you can guess......it's worth it! If almost 95% of the users on IMDb describe FOLLOW ME! as a gem, they can't be wrong

I just saw this film a few months ago in a state run "art" cinema in Bucharest, Romania. I had nothing better to do and I saw some decent reviews in IMDb so I decided to see this movie. Plus, I'm a big fan of director Carol Reed.

The print was quite poor but the acting, especially by Topol, who I loved in Fiddler on the Roof (one my favorite movies) was good. 70's London was well photographed and the music was perfect. The film was quite moderately funny as well. In the first scene where he introduced himself, I felt Topol was quite irritating. But as we slowly get to know the character and his free-spirited nature, he begins to become likable, especially when he starts leading Mia in the streets of London with funny 'edible' names which is a highlight of the movie. This film was supposed to launch Topol as a male romantic lead. Instead, it fizzled and he continued to sing "If I were a rich man..". I think there was something missing in the movie but I can't point out exactly what it was - its an eccentric, moody little film.

Wouldn't it be nice if Hollywood remade this instead of well established classics like Psycho and Italian Job. This film never made it to the big league. Most film buff's would never have heard of it and the premise is quite interesting. The idea deserves a second chance with a better known cast (and packaging) although the original music theme should remain.

This film is no big name blockbuster, but it's undeniably my fourth most favorite flick of all times. The picture's whimsical feeling and dreamy musical score make it a must see for any B movie buff. Liberal Belinda's (Mia Farrow) growing impatience towards Charles' (Michael Jayston) stuffy attitude towards marriage's expectations set the scene for a delightfully entertaining comedy-drama. Julian Cristoforou (Topal) delivers a hilarious look at an impartial party's view on troubled life in the home place. I was fortunate enough to videotape the feature from television years ago in anticipation of it never making it to manufacturers release. I always had a soft spot in my heart for the underdog films, and in my opinion this one never garnered the kudos it rightly deserves. A definite 10 out of 10 !!

I must have seen the movie at least once in all the decades: once in the 70s, once in the 80s, about thrice in the 90s and twice in the 2000s. I think it's great: Mia Farrow, the gealous stiff husband, the funny moustached fellow in white, London, the love story, the food streets, the final scene on the boat and, of course,... the music, which has been haunting me for almost four decades! With all the new films to see, that I can hardly keep up with, and which I devour for hours every day, a classic like "Follow me" is a treat", it's like a magic box that you open and old memories pop up like pop corn!Really great!