Dennis Meikle claims in his book on Hammer that this is the best film made by the studio – a massive call. But it’s an arguable one – this is a masterpiece, even if I feel it’s a heavily flawed, like many works from director Joe Losey.
For starters this feels like two movies sewn together rather than one: the first forty minutes is a sort of creepy social commentary thriller, not too far from Losey’s The Servant. Middle aged American Macdonald Carey tries to pick up a girl (Shirley Ann Field) in a seaside town, and is beaten up by a bunch of teddy boys, who dress in leather and sing along to a song written for the film called ‘Black Leather', and are led by Field’s brother (Oliver Reed). Reed is obsessive about protecting Field’s honour to the point of incestuousness – so when Field hooks up with Carey again, says sorry, and they take of on his boat together, Reed and his gang follow in hot pursuit.
So far so slightly weird – Field is giving a flat performance but Carey is okay and Reed is excellent. Then they stumble upon this top secret government camp where there are nine little kids living in seclusion. It turns out they are radioactive, being raised by the government to live in a post-nuclear world… which is a fantastic idea for a science fiction movie, but we don’t find out until the last twenty minutes. I think we should have become aware earlier.
Also it slightly jars that this odd trio of Carey, Field and Reed are the one who stumble upon the kids – their plot line is too interesting an unusual, if that makes sense – a more “normal” (okay yes predictable) plot and characters who have really highlighted the contrast with these weird kids. I recognise the need to set up some other conflict and clash but I think something less dysfunctional eg a more regulation love triangle, or something involving gangsters on the run. As it currently stands when Reed, Carey and Field stand around the kids going “this is strange”, you can’t help thinking “pot calling kettle” – Reed with his incest hang up, Field being locked away from all men for most of her life, Carey running after this girl much too young for him, etc.
Okay that was main gripe – but its still a powerful, moving film. The premise is really strong, three’s a brilliant character in the scientist who runs the project (Alexander Knox), who is convinced there’s going to be nuclear war; I also enjoyed Viveca Lindfors as his ex-girlfriend, an artist living in a cottage who operates as his conscience. (Although there were a few too many scenes with her.) The dilemma of the kids is well conveyed and most of all it’s got this amazing ending, where all the kids try to escape but are recaptured, Knox shoots Lindfors so she won’t tell, Reed dies in a crash, and Carey and Field sail off together, dying of radiation poisoning, tracked by a helicopter. It packs a complete wallop.
I don’t know if this was the best Hammer, but I think it’s the Hammer film I’ve found the most emotionally moving.
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