IT CAME FROM THE BOTTOM SHELF!

If, like me, you frequent a lot of movie websites and listen to a lot of film podcasts, you could not fail to encounter multiple mentions of the 1978 thriller The Silent Partner in recent years.  This Canadian production received glowing reviews upon its original release, but it had limited distribution in the U.S., so it made little impact beyond the Canadian border, despite starring such bankable actors as Elliott Gould and Christopher Plummer.  However, in the intervening years, American cinephiles have begun to catch up with this twisty cat-and-mouse crime film, and The Silent Partner has developed a small but rabid cult following.  Still, despite many fervent recommendations, I somehow managed to miss out on viewing the film until its Blu-ray release this month from Kino Lorber.  Well, count me amongst the converted.  I am now solidly a member of The Silent Partner fan club.

I will keep the plot synopsis short, because the screenplay by Curtis Hanson (L.A. Confidential) is packed with delicious surprises that are best left unspoiled.  In brief, Elliott Gould plays Miles Cullen, a buttoned-up introvert who works in a bank inside a Toronto shopping mall.  Through an ingenious plot device, Miles figures out that the bank will be robbed before the crime actually takes place, and he uses it to his advantage.  When the thief (Christopher Plummer) holds up the bank, Miles pockets the lion’s share of the cash for himself, knowing that the robber will be blamed for all of the missing funds.  Unfortunately for Miles, the holdup man is a psychotic who doesn’t appreciate getting played in such a manner.  Where it goes from there, I will leave it to you to discover.

In addition to Curtis Hanson’s excellent script (adapted from a Danish crime novel), the film features tight direction from Daryl Duke and excellent cinematography by Billy Williams (On Golden Pond), which makes great use of real Toronto locations.  The Silent Partner also has the honor of being the only feature film with a score by legendary jazz pianist Oscar Peterson.

The lead actors — Elliott Gould, Christopher Plummer, and the previously unmentioned Susannah York and Céline Lomez — are all excellent.  Gould and Plummer especially shine, given that they both get to play parts that are quite different from their better-known roles.  Also, it’s nice to see a pre-stardom John Candy playing a supporting role as another bank employee.

It’s understandable that there has been so much discussion of The Silent Partner amongst film fans in recent years.  It is exactly the type of highly entertaining, under-the-radar movie that you want to share with your friends.  It combines a twisty, puzzle plot that is on par with the best of Hitchcock with the slightly sleazy, pulpy feel of a low-budget giallo or horror film.  Whether you are looking for high or low entertainment, The Silent Partner will satisfy.  I give it my highest recommendation.

CA/C-106m./Dir: Daryl Duke/Wr: Curtis Hanson (based on the book Think of a Number by Anders Bodelsen)/Cast: Elliott Gould, Christopher Plumber, Susannah York, Céline Lomez, Michael Kirby, Sean Sullivan, Ken Pogue, John Candy, Gail Dahms-Bonine

For Fans of: If you like the suspense of Alfred Hitchcock’s thrillers like Strangers on a Train and Rear Window you will probably enjoy the twists and turns of The Silent Partner.

Video: Kino Lorber Studio Classics recently released The Silent Partner on Blu-ray, and the video presentation is a marked improvement over previous home video releases.  I was a little worried viewing the opening credits of the film, which looked a tad faded and greenish, with some very obvious scratches.  However, once we are passed the opening, the image looks sharp, with appropriate film grain and natural colors.  Keeping in mind that The Silent Partner was a low budget affair that did not look slick upon its original release, the image on the Kino Lorber disc is probably as good as the film will ever look.  The audio is clear and supports both the dialogue and the Oscar Peterson score quite well.

The disc is rounded out with a nice collection of extras:

• An informative audio commentary between film historians Howard S. Berger, Steve Mitchell, and Nathaniel Thompson, which covers the Canadian film industry of the time, the original source novel and the earlier Danish film adaptation, behind-the-scenes details of the production, and lots of discussion of the underlying themes of the film.  It’s a top-notch commentary track.
• A 24-minute interview with Elliott Gould, who is obviously fond of the film.
• The original theatrical trailers for The Silent Partner (1978), The Long Goodbye (1973), Busting (1974), The High Commissioner (1968), Ordeal by Innocence (1984), Gold (1974), Loophole (1984), and Slayground (1983).
• Optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature

Streaming: The Silent Partner can be rented in digital form through Amazon Prime Video and other vendors, but it isn’t currently available through a streaming subscription service.

More to Explore: After checking out The Silent Partner, if you haven’t seen The Long Goodbye, Robert Altman’s film adaptation of Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe novel, make it a priority.   The film, starring Elliott Gould as a 70s version of the pulp detective, was panned upon its original release, but it is one of Altman and Gould’s best.  It has also developed a deserved cult following over the years.

Trivia: The master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, received a private screening of The Silent Partner, set up by Elliott Gould.  Reportedly, he liked it a lot.

For More Info: If you’re interested, an English translation of the original novel on which The Silent Partner was based, Think of a Number by Anders Bodelsen, can be purchased on the secondary market.