On the heels of "Blow Up", this "happening", "mod" type of mystery/social examination stars Mason as a drunken, dethroned barrister who has never recovered from the loss of his neglected wife. His teenage daughter Chaplin carries on behind his back with assorted other lost-soul rich kids and has an attractive, but poor, immigrant boyfriend (Bertoya.) One day Chaplin's clique happens upon the off-kilter and perverse Darin and before long the teens are gravitating towards him and exploring avenues better left untraveled. This is best demonstrated when Darin turns up dead in Mason's attic! When Bertoya is fingered for the murder, Mason must put down the bottle and defend him, not only to free an innocent defendant, but to purge himself and win back the affection of Chaplin. If the plot sounds straightforward, it may be, but the film is presented in a choppy, flashback-filled style with pretentious camera-angles and framing and groovy music (and, of course, the peerless fashions and hairstyles of the day!) It also has what have to be among the speediest opening credits in film history! Mason gives a very strong performance and is allowed some really amusing moments as he blithely criticizes the world around him and gives no credence to the societal structure which he had previously been a part of. His scenes in the courtroom, in which he plays with paper clips instead of cross-examining witnesses, are a gas. Chaplin does a decent job as well and holds her own against the far more experienced Mason. This "teen" performance is a little jarring following her work in the monumental "Dr Zhivago", but she fits it okay. Darin, smothered in pancake make-up and indulging himself in all sorts of "far out" dialogue and behavior, dates pretty badly. Bertoya (a sort of Latin John Derek) comes across well, but never really went anywhere after this. Veteran actress Jenkins is way over the top as his worried mother. Ogilvy, as a cultivated and snotty rich kid, does a good job and enjoyed a lengthy career. There are a host of other seasoned British actors on hand to lend a little class and interest to the proceedings. Even though the abrupt editing and shifting time elements were cutting edge (and more in line with what today's audience is used to), these gimmicks actually create distance between the audience and the story rather than uniting the two. Perhaps it is the execution of these elements, rather than the approach itself, which fails to create a fully cohesive piece. Still, for Mason's work and for a glimpse into swinging London and the comparison with the old guard pillars of society, this film does provide some interest. (There is also a serious case of panty lines on the guy in the "I Hate You All" T-shirt at the beginning. Next time, just go commando!)
Review of Cop-Out
