Hmm. After watching this, and thinking about it, I have concluded that I have no idea what The Servant is ultimately about. What I can tell you, however, is that it is a dark and engrossing mystery or thriller (I can’t quite decide which) filmed in 1963, it's in black and white and contains a few familiar names and faces such as Dirk Bogarde, James Fox and Wendy Craig. Perhaps by the end of this review I may form a more definite conclusion.
Tony (James Fox) has recently returned to London and has advertised for a manservant, or a valet, but not a butler. Typical of the British upper classes I guess, who, for the most part, seem incapable of getting through a day without handmaidens and footmen swanning around them. He hires Hugo Barrett (Dirk Bogarde), who certainly seems to have all the required decorum, discretion and skills.
Tony’s girlfriend, Susan (Wendy Craig) is immediately suspicious of the servant, and goes to no trouble to disguise her distrust and disdain for the ever-present valet. The feelings are reciprocal, though Barrett is far more restrained and cryptic with his cutting and snide remarks.
Barrett convinces Tony that he also needs a maid, and that his sister would be perfect. His sister, Vera, arrives but seems more intent on serving Tony, well, on a personal level let’s say. The four main characters continue to get in each others' way, and Barrett and his sister seem hell bent on destroying Tony’s world through intrusion, deception, manipulation, and violation.
When Tony and Susan return home early to find the ‘staff’ in Tony’s bedroom, and they’re not in there spring cleaning, he turfs them out in a fit of rage. They happily bundle their gear and leave, but not before Vera tells Susan things that she probably would rather not know about Tony’s indiscretions. Susan also leaves, bursting into tears.
Tony finds life is not the same without his servant, but a chance meeting in a pub sees the two reunited, although there is a definite change to the relationship. It is more intense, and far more personal. The homo-erotic subtext is impossible to miss, though seems totally out of left-field and disappears almost as quickly when the women re-enter their lives, and all four find themselves, like many of the audience I suspect, wondering what the hell is going on. The sexual tensions heighten as relationships crumble and falter in seconds. Tony’s slide into madness, at the hands of Barrett, is almost complete.
There is no denying that The Servant is an intriguing film and will draw you in as the web of mystery is spun. It’s immediately obvious that the character of Barrett is a little mysterious and therefore quite enigmatic. Barrett seems hell-bent on wrecking Tony’s relationship with Susan, though as an audience we are never really sure why. There are blatant clues that lead to the conclusion that the sexual tension between the two men simply becomes too great, but that tension seems to break in an instant.
Technically, the film is very good. It builds the sexual tension through wonderful use of silence and pauses, there is some sinister use of shadows, lots of furtive glances, and interesting and obscure camera angles and use of mirrors. The acting is great, with both male leads displaying much versatility. There are numerous subtle clues as to the possible reasons why Barrett seems so intent on destroying his master’s mind, his credibility, and his world. It’s just a shame that these clues all seem to point in opposing directions, but perhaps that was the intention. So, am I any closer to drawing a conclusion as to what the hell is really going on? Not really, no. However, I am more than keen to hear what others think...
Older black and white footage runs the danger of being very hard to watch, but that’s not the case with The Servant. It is presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and is 16:9 enhanced. The image is relatively sharp, and blacks are deep. Whites are subdued, and there is a wide enough grey palette to ensure sufficient detail. There is no flaring to speak of, and no compression issues. There are a number of film artefacts, especially the constant white sparkles, but black marks are kept to a minimum. Grain is evident, though not enough to cause concern.
There is just one instance of shimmer on a floor mosaic. Shadow detail is acceptable, as is the layer change that occurs between scenes at the 58:53 minute mark.
The Servant is a film that will be enjoyed by an audience that likes to think, enjoys a level of ambiguity, mixed messages and subtle clues that may or may not be relevant. This is a little like a David Lynch film in that respect, filled with enigmatic and mysterious characters who don't always behave consistently. Technically the film is quite good, despite its age, but won’t win over any converts to DVD.
One for film buffs to ponder, and reflect upon, over a café latte.
