hkfilmbuff
"... and they lived happily ever after." Those kinds of love stories are usually found only in storybooks, while many more memorable ones are of the tear-jerker variety. What makes this one stand out is the subtlety, sensitivity, and absence of high drama, yet every bit of the movie tucks at your heart-strings."Interlude", what an apt title. The beginning sequence of two drivers, their knowing glances, the haunting lyrics sung by Timi Yuro, presented a perfect lead-in to a nostalgic flashback of an extra-marital liaison for the protagonists, (or at least for one of them). In hindsight, it might have been inconsequential - the marriage was not destroyed. In fact, both of them are now apparently leading reasonably happy married lives. Yet there is a very tangible sense of loss, (of love, of innocence), a wistfulness. Does one ever completely recover from affairs of the heart that had gone awry? There is this unforgettable exchange at the end of the movie: (Stefan)"...you know there are, still quite often in the mornings, when I, wake up and expect to see you...", (Sally, looking up, tears gleaming in her eyes)"I have the lamp in my house now..."Oskar Werner was the perfect embodiment of a suave, sensitive, egotistical, successful, but lonely, conductor. His understated portrayal should not be mistaken for what some might label a "woody" performance. On the contrary, he oozed class, sophistication, and a certain cynical worldliness, which belied his basic decency and loneliness. Yes, he had fame and wealth, a beautiful and dutiful wife, and family, but he was not happy. He felt trapped and burdened, emotionally wanting, which was why a fresh, young pretty face became a welcome distraction in the first place. Besides, even as a man, his almost "boyish" charm came across loud and clear, and one can easily see how a naive young girl falling for him. The entire "interlude" was very credible, even natural. Remember, it was not at all a love at first sight, and one gets to savour the unfolding of the romance.I thought Barbara Ferris was quite wonderful in this movie, (and I can understand why one of the reviewers wrote that he had a crush on her). I appreciate the contrast between the more matured, polished, Sally and her youthful, carefree, and vulnerable characterization when she first met Stefan. The initial "courtship" scene was delectable, mousy Sally fluttering around the apartment, then clumsily serving tea; and finally the ingénue succumbed to the charms of the older and more sophisticated Stefan. The image of her in that puffed-sleeve dress is infinitely more attractive than any of those outlandishly "alluring" wardrobes of today, (or any day). Wondered why she wasn't in more movies. I think it is not quite fair that many reviewers said hers was a weak performance. I thought her portrayal of the awkwardness, and naïveté (as long as she had not seen Stefan's wife, she could "deceive" herself into believing that she was not real, and assuage her own guilt) was spot-on, providing a contrast to Oskar Werner's character. Someone even suggested that Julie Christie might have been a better choice, but to me, Julie Christie would possibly come off too sophisticated in the role.Virginia Maskell played the role of the dutiful and well-bred wife so well with relatively little screen time.This was one of the few movies that made me go back for a second viewing in the cinema when it came out. I have always wanted to revisit it all these years, having missed it once on late night TV. It was only yesterday that I found it by chance on YouTube, and it was still as fresh and affecting as I remembered it. The music score and Timi Yuro's title song were a perfect complement to the motion picture. This time around, I even picked up on the quotation from John Donne, and the Adagio from Tomaso Albinoni (which I have grown very fond of, but hadn't realized was included in this movie).P.S. I just found out a remastered copy is now available on Amazon!P.P.S. This was on ThisTV the beginning of 2014.P.P.P.S. I think there is a general release DVD from Columbia Pictures now, saw a copy of the DVD in a local public library collection in 2017.
Leslie Walsh
I saw this excellent film when it was first released in 1968 in a Beverly Hills, California theater. Suffice it to say, if the memory of a film can stay with you for 37 years, it must be an impressive work. I have always wanted to see it again and never have. I understand it has not been released in either VHS or DVD -- a real shame. Oskar Werner was a superlative talent and the movie was beautifully crafted -- the story, while not unique, was poignantly told, the cinematography sublime and the music heavenly. I wonder who we might petition to release this film in DVD format. I called my local video store today and they gave me the sad news of it never having been released by Columbia.
