Interlude (1968)

hyped garbage

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

I was 15 when I first saw this movie and was moved to sobbing status. I have seen it dozens of times and wore out the copy I have. The acting was so heartfelt and the music pierced one's soul. One of the best movies I have ever seen.

The haunting strains of Georges Delerue's delicate score and Oskar Werner's bedroom eyes from the bittersweet and long-unseen 1968 romance, "Interlude," have lingered in memory for decades. The beautiful music and Timi Yuro's rendition of the title song stand the test of time; whether enhancing the film's London images, well shot by Gerry Fisher, or heard on the soundtrack album, Delerue's score ranks among his best and is undeniably the movie's strongest asset. Unfortunately, the third retelling of an illicit romance between an orchestra conductor and a young reporter is dated at best, and the casting does not help credibility.Although Oskar Werner retains his dreamy looks and sexy accent, which were better showcased in "Ship of Fools," his Stefan Zelter is a vain, self-absorbed chauvinist and not particularly sympathetic. How a man of his intellectual depth could betray the elegantly beautiful Virginia Maskell is hard to fathom. Maskell, in an understated award-winning performance as Stefan's wife, has such an aura of grace and class that his betrayal stamps him as a common cad; especially so because the object of Stefan's affections is a young blonde with a penchant for 1960's-style skirts and ratted hair piled atop her head. Sally, played by Barbara Ferris, is not a particularly interesting character. Stefan's attraction beyond the physical is inexplicable; he is a famous conductor, a man of the world, and the best she can conjure up is that she likes music. Although Sally is an adult and, with open eyes, enters into an affair with Stefan, fully aware of his wife and family situation, she begins the clichéd whining about his lack of time with her and about his ultimate intentions; those tired scenes have been played many times before and often better. Sally is shallow, and her emotional histrionics ring hollow; the glycerin tears glisten falsely on her cheeks. Kevin Billington's direction is lackluster; do all affairs begin with lunch? Do all lovers romp in the park to romantic music? Do all wives send their husbands away for weekends alone at the shore? Throughout the film, a trio of unexpected delights pops up in the form of three young actors on the verge of illustrious careers. Donald Sutherland is Stefan's best friend, who is undergoing a divorce; John Cleese plays a nervous publicist and would-be mentor to Sally; and Derek Jacobi is an opinionated dinner guest. Beyond the glaring exception of Ferris, "Interlude's" cast is first rate and rises above Lee Langley and Hugh Leonard's predictable script, which was based on a 1957 Douglas Sirk film of the same title, which in turn was a remake of a 1939 Irene Dunne melodrama, "When Tomorrow Comes." Despite the flaws and predictability, however, "Interlude" is a diverting romantic trifle with a pair of engaging performances from Werner and Maskell and a brilliant score by Georges Delerue, which will send viewers in search of the soundtrack album before the final credits roll.

This is one of my favorite movies. I taped it years ago when it was on PBS. I don't know how long the tape will last but I've seen it so many times I practically have it memorized. I have the music on CD. I wish the movie would come out on DVD. The Interlude movie score is available on a CD with another of my very favorites, Rapture with Dean Stockwell and Patricia Gozzi, another classic that has all but disappeared. The music scores alone of both these movies is worth the time but the stories are both very poignant. I believe Georges DeLerue composed both scores. I keep watching to see if it will ever be on TV again so I can make a new tape. I haven't see Rapture since 1980.

Attention to all who want to see this film released on DVD (or VHS, for that matter): Oskar Werner's son is trying to have this released. There is a petition on Oskar Werner's website to support this.http://de.geocities.com/oskarwerneronline/Please take a moment a sign it. This is a beautiful movie that deserves preservation and I know there are many fans who are dying to get a quality copy to watch. I have a copy made from TV (on VHS) but as many others have commented, it's grainy and has poor sound.