The Heat of the Day (1989)

In World War II England, a woman is approached by a man claiming to work as an intelligence agent who has found out her lover is a spy. He promises to not arrest him if she'll have a relationship with him.

Director:

Christopher Morahan

Writers:

Elizabeth Bowen (novel), Harold Pinter

Stars:

Michael Gambon, Patricia Hodge, Michael York

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Gambon	...	Harrison
Patricia Hodge	...	Stella
Michael York	...	Robert
Ralph Michael	...	Francis
Tina Earl	...	Parlour Maid
Hilary Mason	...	Mrs. Tringsby
Peggy Ashcroft	...	Nettie
John Gill	...	Dr. Tringsby
Aubrey Phillips	...	Taxi Driver
Stephen Hancock	...	Blythe
Imelda Staunton	...	Louie
Grant Parsons	...	Roderick
Anna Carteret	...	Ernestine
Heather Chasen	...	Mrs. Kelway
Rafael Pauley	...	Peter

Storyline

In World War II England, a woman is approached by a man claiming to work as an intelligence agent who has found out her lover is a spy. He promises to not arrest him if she'll have a relationship with him.

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Plot Keywords:

based on novel | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 September 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Die Hitze des Tages

Company Credits

Production Co:

Granada Television

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Connections

References Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake (1942)

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Soundtracks

Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree
(uncredited)

User Reviews

The war is almost invisible in this war spy drama, and so is almost the plot

I was never impressed by Harold Pinter, and when this film turned up and I saw his name on it I was almost tempted to turn it off, but I usually see a film to the very bitter end, and at least it was worth while. The story is excellent, a widow with a relationship with Michael York working in the war office during the war is importuned by Michael Gambon as a rather rude and most disturbing elderly stranger, who suggests to Patricia that Michael York is a spy. A most intrinsic discussion about motives, truth, honesty and war morals follow, which is interesting indeed, but Harold Pinter obfuscates the intrigue into a fog of vagueness in which no one can find his way and least of all the audience, who is fooled by Pinter into a black hole of trivial beatings around the bush. Harold Pinter has the habit of compensating his lack of dramatic talent by tricking the audience into arguments of nothing by a trivial dialogue that sounds like basic language lessons. However, the actors are good, and the trick to appreciate this film is to try to find Elizabeth Bowen behind the smoke screens of Harold Pinter.