Interesting plot, but the movie is marred by an over-stretched middle. Airplane pilot Rex (Harvey) is outraged by insurance company refusal to payoff his accident even though their refusal is his own fault. So he contrives his death for an even bigger payoff, and then absconds to southern Spain with the money and wife Stella (Remick). Unfortunately, insurance man Stephen (Bates) suddenly shows up at their Spanish hotel, claiming he's quit the insurance business and has a new job. However, is he telling the truth or is he actually investigating Rex's scam while undercover.
Finding out Stephen's true status creates considerable interest. He acts so ingenuous that it's hard to think he's hiding anything. But then, can it be just coincidence that he turns up so soon in the same place as the insurance scammers. Then too, the big payoff money has changed Rex's personality for the worse, and now Stella's losing affection for him. Besides, Stephen's so nice, she's beginning to feel an attraction. But shouldn't she be careful since his winning personality may simply be the false front of a clever insurance investigator. Things do get complicated, but the central question remains— is Stephen really the nice ex-insurance guy he appears to be.
Now, I think the movie handles this device quite effectively down to the rather ambiguous ending. To me, the balance of evidence indicates Stephen is in fact who he says he is. But since the movie leaves that central question with no definitive resolution, it's still possible to take him as an undercover investigator the whole time. Thus, the movie leaves you with a few points to ponder.
My one complaint is with the drawn-out cat and mouse between Rex and Stephen as Rex tries to determine who Stephen really is. It goes on too long and is too talky and static. That middle part badly needs tightening up. Probably, the producers wanted to get their money's worth out of the Gibraltar location and all the local color, like the bullring. Then too, Harvey was just a couple of years past his Oscar drawing power for Room at the Top (1959). So his part is likely padded. One thing for sure, he's very good at being dislikable; at the same time Remick is very good at being sweetly myopic.
All in all, it's a good movie that holds interest, plus leaving a few points to consider afterward, even if director Carol Reed is not up to top form.
Finding out Stephen's true status creates considerable interest. He acts so ingenuous that it's hard to think he's hiding anything. But then, can it be just coincidence that he turns up so soon in the same place as the insurance scammers. Then too, the big payoff money has changed Rex's personality for the worse, and now Stella's losing affection for him. Besides, Stephen's so nice, she's beginning to feel an attraction. But shouldn't she be careful since his winning personality may simply be the false front of a clever insurance investigator. Things do get complicated, but the central question remains— is Stephen really the nice ex-insurance guy he appears to be.
Now, I think the movie handles this device quite effectively down to the rather ambiguous ending. To me, the balance of evidence indicates Stephen is in fact who he says he is. But since the movie leaves that central question with no definitive resolution, it's still possible to take him as an undercover investigator the whole time. Thus, the movie leaves you with a few points to ponder.
My one complaint is with the drawn-out cat and mouse between Rex and Stephen as Rex tries to determine who Stephen really is. It goes on too long and is too talky and static. That middle part badly needs tightening up. Probably, the producers wanted to get their money's worth out of the Gibraltar location and all the local color, like the bullring. Then too, Harvey was just a couple of years past his Oscar drawing power for Room at the Top (1959). So his part is likely padded. One thing for sure, he's very good at being dislikable; at the same time Remick is very good at being sweetly myopic.
All in all, it's a good movie that holds interest, plus leaving a few points to consider afterward, even if director Carol Reed is not up to top form.