Klute (1971)

Tracking down a man who mysteriously vanished, a private detective encounters a call girl frightened by threatening phone calls that may be linked to the disappearance in this stylish if convoluted Alan J. Pakula thriller. A master of suspense and paranoia, Pakula films the material well, favouring dark lighting and mobile camera-work. An especially memorable bit has the camera ever-so-slowly zoom out while our heroine stares into the black of night with her phone ringing ominously on the table beside her. Effectively filmed as 'Klute' may be, the screenplay pulls in too many directions at once and a second viewing does little to help. Initially, the film is about the search for the missing man, but then it turns into a character study of Jane Fonda's call girl who is unsure why she loves prostitution, then it becomes a romance, despite little chemistry between Donald Sutherland and Fonda, then it becomes character study and missing person mystery thriller again. A second viewing does, however, reveal more depth to Fonda's performance; her confession scenes, rationalising that prostitution is "an act" that makes her feel like she has "some control" are excellent, if infrequent and interspersed with moments in which she simply has to look scared. The photography by Gordon Willis and atmospheric music, courtesy of Michael Small, are superb too and provide the movie with an unshakable sense of dread. This is not a film to watch for its story. It is, however, a film to watch for its portrait of characters caught up in a frightening world that they cannot, for all their efforts, really control.

I knew this film appeared in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, and I knew the leading actor and actress, and it was rated five out of five by critics, so I hoped something good, directed by Alan J. Pakula (All the President's Men, Sophie's Choice, The Devil's Own). Basically Pennsylvania executive Tom Gruneman (Robert Milli) has disappeared, an obscene letter was found in his office, addressed to New York prostitute Bree Daniels (Oscar and Golden Globe winning, and BAFTA nominated Jane Fonda), who had received several similar letters from him. Six months of fruitless police work pass, an executive at Gruneman's company, Peter Cable (Charles Cioffi), hires family friend and detective John Klute (Donald Sutherland) to investigate Gruneman's disappearance. Klute rents an apartment in the basement of Daniels' building, taps her phone, and follows her as she visits clients, she appears liberated by the freedom, working as a freelance call girl, but she often visits her Psychiatrist (Vivian Nathan), to talk of the emptiness of her life and that she wants to quit prostitution. Daniels refuses to answer questions that Klute has, he approaches again, revealing that he has been watching her, she does not recall Gruneman, she tells that two years ago one of her clients beat her, she cannot say for sure after seeing a photo of Gruneman. Daniels takes Klute to meet her former pimp, Frank Ligourin (Roy Scheider), he reveals that prostitute Jane McKenna passed the abusive client onto Bree, and also to prostitute Arlyn Page (Dorothy Tristan), McKenna committed suicide and Page turned to drugs and disappeared. Klute and Bree develop a romantic relationship, but she tells her psychiatrist she fears her feelings and wishes would mean her returning to "just feeling numb", she admits to Klute that being watched makes her deeply paranoid. They find Page, she tells that the abusive client was not Gruneman, but an older man, later Page is found dead in the water, Klute deduces the prostitute suicide and Gruneman's disappearance are connected, the abusive client will likely come for Bree next. Klute revisits Gruneman's contacts to find connections with the case, comparing the writing, the obscene letters are traced to Cable, who Klute has been meeting to report on his investigation, Klute asks Cable for $500 to buy the "black book" of the first suicidal prostitute, he is certain the book will reveal the identity of the abusive client. Cable corners Bree, revealing he sent her the letters, explaining that Gruneman interrupted him while he was attacking a prostitute, he attempted to frame Gruneman, and Cable admits to the killings, he also plays an audiotape he made while murdering Page. Cable attacks Bree, Klute rushes in, but it is unclear whether Cable jumped or was pushed out of the window, to his death, in the end, with Klute's help, Bree moves out of her apartment, but a voice-over with her psychiatrist reveals Bree fears domestic life, and it is likely she will return to talk again. Also starring Nathan George as Lieutenant Trask, Rita Gam as Trina, Morris Strassberg as Mr. Goldfarb, Anthony Holland as Actor's Agent, Richard B. Shull as Sugarman, Jean Stapleton as Goldfarb's Secretary and Shirley Stoler as Momma Reese. Sutherland is well suited to playing the gentle small-town detective, but Fonda is indeed the big draw of the film, and deserved her Oscar for the role of the call girl being stalked and unsure what direction to go in, it is a simple story, a hooker who is unsure of the difference between love and sex, she has a connection to a missing man and a homicidal maniac is on the loose, it has a suspenseful atmosphere almost all the way through, it is an interesting crime thriller. It was nominated the Oscar for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay Based on Factual Material or Material Not Previously Published or Produced, and it was nominated the Golden Globe for Best Screenplay. Very good!

I was never really all that big of a Jane Fonda fan, still if you are to see any movie of her's watch this 1971 picture called "Klute" as Jane glows and shines on screen in a best actress Oscar winning role. "Klute" is a tease film of suspense and mystery drama with themes of sex, lust, truth seeking and murder all of that is jammed into a plot that's a little hard to follow it can challenge a viewer so pay attention.Set in New York city the story centers around Bree(in one of Jane Fonda's best roles) who's a high class escort a call girl type who's life is full of secrets and it's ready to spin out of control, still Bree has wit and she's one sexy thing she's good at her job as her sessions with guys are like that of a socialite girlfriend type and to go with it she's blunt and outspoken with a sassy mouth. Her voice has been taped by a killer, so Bree had better watch out! Now enter detective John Klute(Donald Sutherland)who's hired as a private investigator to follow this case that involves a missing person and the murders of others. And along the way sparks of passion fly between him and Bree. You will be left asking questions who done it and wonder really what's going on as the film takes twist and turns. Overall really good picture of suspense, lust, and mystery that's carried by the performance of Jane Fonda.

I didn't enjoy this movie as much as I thought I would. Filled with brilliant performances that papers over the slow plodding pace of the movie.Plot In A Paragraph: Following the disappearance of Pennsylvania executive Tom Gruneman. The police reveal that an obscene letter was found in Gruneman's office, addressed to a prostitute in New York City named Bree Daniels (Fonda), who had received several similar letters from him. After six months of police work turns up nothing, Peter Cable (Charles Cioffi), an executive at Gruneman's company, hires family friend and detective John Klute (Donald Sutherland) to investigate Gruneman's disappearance.Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland are both excellent here, although for this reviewer it was Roy Scheider as Pimp Frank Ligourin who stood out. I also spotted Teri Garr in an uncredited role as Fonda's Psychiatrist's Receptionist. Sylvester Stallone is also Sylvester Stallone is also uncredited as a Discothèque Patron.