If you've given me an E and I haven't thanked you, I apologise - trying to catch up. Really apprecia...
If you've given me an E and I haven't thanked you, I apologise - trying to catch up. Really appreciate all ratings.
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When quiet American mathematician David Sumner and his wife Amy return to her native Cornwall, they are expecting a quiet life. And initially, it seems that they will get their own way. But David has a job to do, Amy feels neglected and bored, and flirting with an ex-boyfriend and his friends, who are helping to repair their delapidated home, seems an obvious way out. It soon becomes apparent that the locals have not taken to David - they go out of their way to make him feel unwelcome, including strangling the Sumner's cat and raping Amy. Then a girl is killed by a local man, who ends up at the Sumners' home, shortly followed by a gang of men baying for his blood. Before long, their home is under siege. Will the Sumners manage to get out alive?
This film was a complete surprise to me. I have heard of it, and its director, Sam Peckinpah, but I had no idea what it was about, or that it was so old - it was made way back in 1971. It is apparently known as Peckinpah's most famous film - I am just sorry that it hadn't come to my attention before. This is a deeply intriguing film, with a hint of The Wicker Man and Night of the Living Dead about it, and one that I found compelling from start to finish.
Dustin Hoffman plays David Sumner, although he looks so young that he is barely recognisable. I haven't
really known Hoffman to give a poor performance, and he certainly doesn't disappoint here. David is not a particularly likeable man - he seems to have difficulty in getting on with people, including his wife, and certainly doesn't realise that the locals have not taken to him at all. However, he really comes into his own when his home is under siege. Maddened by the locals' refusal to listen to anything he has to say, he is determined that they will not cross the threshold. At this point, I found his performance mesmerising - I really couldn't take my eyes off him - and although he seemed to have lost his marbles at times, I really wanted him to come through unscathed. This is one of his best performances as far as I am concerned.
Susan George plays Amy Sumner, again looking painfully young. She is beautiful and it is easy to see why the locals were so willing to flirt with her. As a character, she does not have as much to work with as Hoffman - she really only needs to look good. However, she does come into her own in the rape scene, which focuses in on her face, and is really quite distressing. In other scenes, it is quite hard to watch her act as a secondary citizen, feeling that she cannot do anything without the prior approval of her husband - however, this is more of a sign of the social standards of the time, rather than any criticism of George as an actress.
Peter Vaughan plays Tom Hedden, the ringleader of the locals. He would only have been around fifty at the time of filming, but his long beard and old-fashioned ways make him seem much older. Hedden seems, to begin with at least, an ordinary man, determined to keep his children safe, but it is soon clear that he is capable of great violence. He is ably assisted by Charlie Venner, played by Del Henney, who is truly scary at times. Hedden's daughter is played by a very young Sally Thomsett in a very sexual role quite different from that in The Railway Children.
This film has been heavily criticised over the years for its rape scene, in which Amy is portrayed as enjoying part of it. This has been seen as highly derogatory to women. As a woman, I always find rape scenes distressing - it is always a reminder that at times we are powerless. However, I didn't find the rape scene overly distressing or particularly derogatory to women (at least, no more so than any other film rape I've seen). Amy does seem to enjoy the first part of it, which involves her ex-boyfriend, but she certainly doesn't savour the second part. In any case, we see so little - the focus really is on Amy's face rather than the action - that it is hard to be terribly offended. And I did see the uncut version, so it wasn't as if bits had been censored out. I suspect that audiences at the time the film was released were much less desensitized than a modern audience. However, of course, if you think you may be upset by it at all, then you should keep well clear of this film.
Where I think this film excelled is the build-up of suspense. Right from the start, it is clear that there are undercurrents of which we have no knowledge. I can imagine that the Cornish weren't overly welcoming of the film, because it doesn't portray them in the way that the local tourist board would have us think. In this respect, it is very like The Wicker Man, although there is no outwardly strange behaviour - it is a rural setting where people clearly have too much time to think. Then small incidents make us realise that David is never going to be accepted by the locals, no matter how friendly he is. The rape scene occurs about half way through, proving that the situation is going to come to a head, and thereafter it is a real breathless race through to the end. The last half hour is really quite amazing - I just had no idea what was going to happen next and as such, was completely glued to the screen.
It is a long time since I have been so affected by the film - and I am not talking about the rape here, I am talking about the absolute fear that the last half hour brought out in me. It is very far from being a horror film, but as far as I am concerned, it is a heck of a lot scarier than most horrors I've seen recently. I think this is because it was so realistic - I could really believe that the actors involved felt the hate that they were showing - more importantly, I could believe that such a situation could happen to any of us. I must go and lock my back door...
I was totally delighted (in a weird way) with this film. It is well-acted, but most importantly, it kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end, something modern day films rarely seem to achieve. I just wish that it had been brought to my attention earlier. For those who struggle with the grainy quality of old films, you may find this difficult to watch. And of course, if you don't like violence, then you are not going to enjoy it. Otherwise though, I highly recommend this film; it is certainly one that will take pride of place in my DVD collection from now on.
The uncut DVD is available from play.com for £5.99.
Production Year: 1999 - Drama - Director: Dick Maas - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: William Hurt, Jennifer Tilly, Denis Leary, Michael Chiklis, Francesca Brown
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Production Year: 1945 - Drama - Director: David Lean - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring: Celia Johnson, Trevor Howard, Stanley Holloway, Joyce Carey, Cyril Raymond
Excellent review. I agree with you about Dustin Hoffman's performance - it hits exactly the right note - and it's a film that's not easily forgotten. David
brereton66 14.10.2008 14:44
An impressive film I haven't seen for many years now.
Shoka 14.10.2008 11:17
This sounds like an excellent film, you've really made me want to watch it now.
According to critic Pauline KaelStraw Dogswas "the first American film that is a fascist ... more
work of art". Sam Peckinpah's only film shot in Britain is adapted from a novel by Gordon M Williams calledThe Siege of Trencher's Farmwhich Peckinpah described as...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
According to critic Pauline KaelStraw Dogswas "the first American film that is a fascist ... more
work of art". Sam Peckinpah's only film shot in Britain is adapted from a novel by Gordon M Williams calledThe Siege of Trencher's Farmwhich Peckinpah described as...
Postage & Packaging: free Super Saver Delivery Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Available for home viewing in the UK for the first time in almost 20 years Sam ... more
Peckinpah's notoriously controversial 1971 classic STRAW DOGS will be released completely uncut on this Special Edition DVD. Based on Gordon M. Williams's novel The Siege ...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
![Straw Dogs [1971] [DVD]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78536003.jpg "Straw Dogs [1971] [DVD]")
![Straw Dogs [1971] [DVD]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78496737.jpg "Straw Dogs [1971] [DVD]")
Oct 13th, 2008
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