I envy the viewers who thought this was a brilliant film because I just don't see it. The performances of Olivier and Caine were good of course, but the story itself defies credibility. I had the same reaction when I saw the 2007 remake with the Michael Caine role reversed, with Caine portraying Andrew against Jude Law's Milo Tindle. In some cases, this story is even more outlandish, the clown costume Milo was expected to wear a case in point. Why go through all the machinations to simulate a jewel robbery when it could have been over and done with, without all the nonsense?
But the one thing I think eludes most viewers is that whole business about the third shot being a blank. In both pictures, Milo reacts as if he'd really been shot dead. But why? And even if one argues that he collapsed from the fright of potentially being murdered, how does one come to grips with the fact that at some point he would wake up? At that point, would Milo have meekly left the Wyke estate without further confrontation with the scheming novelist? The whole scenario as presented doesn't ring true for this viewer.
I've given this picture a one point higher rating than the remake primarily because of Olivier and Caine, and the oddball set up with all the toys throughout the Wyke mansion. For a while this one didn't look like it was headed for the same type of finale as the later picture, but Olivier's character managed to turn things around to it's inevitable conclusion. Though the outcome remained the same for Milo Tindle in both movies, I'd have to say that in the remake, Milo's death scene made a bigger splash.
But the one thing I think eludes most viewers is that whole business about the third shot being a blank. In both pictures, Milo reacts as if he'd really been shot dead. But why? And even if one argues that he collapsed from the fright of potentially being murdered, how does one come to grips with the fact that at some point he would wake up? At that point, would Milo have meekly left the Wyke estate without further confrontation with the scheming novelist? The whole scenario as presented doesn't ring true for this viewer.
I've given this picture a one point higher rating than the remake primarily because of Olivier and Caine, and the oddball set up with all the toys throughout the Wyke mansion. For a while this one didn't look like it was headed for the same type of finale as the later picture, but Olivier's character managed to turn things around to it's inevitable conclusion. Though the outcome remained the same for Milo Tindle in both movies, I'd have to say that in the remake, Milo's death scene made a bigger splash.