Blind Date (1959)
Dutch painter Jan-Van Rooyer hurries to keep a rendezvous with Jacqueline Cousteau, an elegant, sophisticated Frenchwoman, slightly his elder, whose relationship with him had turned from art student into one of love trysts. He arrives and is confronted by Detective Police Inspector Morgan who accuses him of having murdered Jacqueline. Morgan listens sceptically to the dazed denials of Van Rooyer as he tells the story of his relationship with the murdered woman. Morgan, after hearing the story, realizes that the mystery has deepened, and it becomes more complicated when the Assistant Commissioner, Sir Brian Lewis, explains that Jacqueline was not married but was being kept by Sir Howard Fenton, a high-ranking diplomat whose names must be kept out of the case.
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I wouldn't say this is a film to stimulate the senses, not one packed with energy, but it's success lies very much in its subtlety, delivery and superb performances.It's a wonderfully stylish film, it looks so good, from the very bright start to the rather downbeat conclusion. The story is fed out very slowly, with the story unravelling teasingly slowly. As a mystery it works well, what seems so obvious initially isn't quite the case, so much more is happening, with a twist waiting.Great performances, Hardy Kruger was fantastic in the lead role. Very much a battle of the classes, with a hugely socialist element on show, but it fits in well.Very enjoyable, slick movie. 8/10
This may be a black and white film is a great film, but is well worth a viewing as the three leading members of the cast were first rate and it should hold your interest throughout. Stanley Baker was a tremendous actor and plays a determined but sympathetic DI. Hardy Kruger a struggling young artist and Micheline Presle has such poise and beauty that she looked good enough to eat. Gordon Jackson also makes a believable Police Sergeant. As for the rest of the cast in this film they all have the right 1950's 'air' about them The plot has a nice number of twists and the locations in central London and around the then small London Heathrow Airport are nice and nostalgic. London as it used to be.
For French star Micheline Presle this movie must have emitted the faint aroma of deja vu; twelve years before she had starred in a French classic Le Diable au corps (Devil In The Flesh) in which she was the love object of a much younger man, as is the case here, but there the comparison ends. Le Diable au corps reeked Class, from the writers, Jean Aurenche and Pierre Bost, through the director, Claude Autant-Lara, to Presle's co-star, Gerard Philipe; match that with their equivalents here and it's not even funny, we're talking Bush League and/or Second Eleven depending on whether you take your metaphors from baseball or cricket. I suppose the likes of Stanley Baker, Hardy Kruger, Gordon Jackson etc, do their best but alas, their best is light years away from the best of Aurenche, Autant-Lara and Philipe. One to see only for Presle, a class act in whatever language.
This is basically a mystery story, but the mystery itself and its solution are not very satisfying. The best is that in the mean time we get to see some character study. And Losey's mise-en-scene is above average, as usual.