Photoplay – Mar 1965
KING AND COUNTRY
(Warner-Pathe)
Dirk Bogarde, Tom Courtenay, Leo McKern
Although brilliantly acted, this grim indictment against war makes a controversial subject suitable only for those who like their films strongly dramatic. All the trench-bound futility of World War I is shown in the life of private soldier Hamp (Tom Courtenay) who, after three years at the front and suffering from shell-shock, is arrested for desertion. The cruel farce of Hamp’s arrest, trial and eventual execution is then played out. It’s horrifying in its utter reality.
THE HiGH BRiGHT SUN
Starring Dirk Bogarde as an Army major, George Chakiris as a hot-headed fanatic and Susan Strasberg as the American girl caught up in political struggle
Cyprus, 1957. An island of intrigue, suspicion and tension. An EOKA bullet in the back for the unwary and the words “Go Home British” slashed across sun-baked white walls.
With this exciting background those two perennially successful film-makers, Betty Box and Ralph Thomas – they produced the Doctor films – have again come up with a film of the standard we have come to expect of them.
Their The High Bright Sun stars Dirk Bogarde, George Chakiris and Susan Strasberg.
Bogarde plays Major McGuire, a key man in the British Army’s island intelligence. A man with a broken, unhappy marriage behind him and with the relentless task of searching out terrorists – a job made difficult by the anonymity of the foe, who may be priests, or even women.
Some of the happier moments in the Major’s life are supplied by Juno Kozani (Susan Strasberg), an American girl of Cypriot parentage, who has come to the island to write an archaeological thesis. Juno is able to see both sides of the problem all too clearly, but is unwilling to commit herself until she must.
Major McGuire is worried in case she is mistaken tor an English girl and murdered by the terrorists while working on a lonely archaeological site. But Juno refuses to believe she is in any kind of danger and maintains she is completely neutral – even when she sees British soldiers killed.
Juno is staying with one of her father’s oldest friends, Dr. Andros. Late one night she unwittingly walks into the library and interrupts a secret conference. The supposedly pro-British Dr. Andros is there. So, too, is the terrorist guerilla leader, Skyros (Gregoire Asian), and a young, hot-headed independence fanatic, Haghios (George Chakiris).
The American girl recognises Skyros from wanted posters she has seen, but pretends not to notice him. Nevertheless, only Dr. Andros saves her from being killed.
Despite inner conflict. Juno maintains her neutrality next day and does not tell Major McGuire what she has seen. But Haghios knows she has spoken to the Major and is determined to kill her.
On several occasions she narrowly escapes with her life. Gradually her impartial attitude is changing – yet, even though she loves the Intelligence Officer, he fails to wring the information from her.
They are in his flat together when the terrorists stage an ambush. Juno and McGuire narrowly escape death, but as a result of the raid the British authorities become aware of the Major’s unethical conduct and he is relieved of his duties.
The pair leave the unhappy island to go to Athens but the arm of EOKA is long and their troubles far from over…
Betty Box and Ralph Thomas first read Ian Stuart Black’s story two years ago and were so impressed that they bought the film rights.
“We think that this is a balanced story of the sttuation in Cyprus at that time,” says Ralph Thomas. “I think that even those who were actually there will agree.”
They were given the assistance of a British intelligence officer who was himself involved in a situation similar to that of Dirk Bogarde.
He assured us that these men lived on a razor’s edge” said Betty Box. “The tense atmosphere we hope to create on the screen really existed – as those who lived through the times know to their cost.”
Betty added they would have liked to have made the film in Cyprus, but because the situation is still troubled today, they decided to film location scenes in Southern Italy. There the countryside is similar to Cyprus and is peaceful enough for film-making.
Both Susan Strasberg and George Chakiris welcomed roles in the film – but for quite different reasons.
Chakiris, himself an American of Greek parentage, says the part of the young Cypriot fanatic is the meatiest role he has had since he leapt to fame in the film musical, West Side Story.
“And do you know,” he says, “despite my ancestry, this is the first time I have played anything approaching a Greek.”
Despite his parentage, George has no personal feelings about the bias of the story.
“Although my parents are Greek,” he declares, “they lived in Turkey before emigrating to the United States. I don’t think the Turks treated them too well.”
Susan’s reason for welcoming the opportunity to go to Italy was her love of Italian (and all other kinds) of food.
Soon after arriving in what Dirk Bogarde dubs “the spaghetti belt,” Susan was tucking into a huge plate of Italian pasta, liberally covered with thick tomato and ham sauce.
Even when she went home, the American actress still only weighed seven stone!
For Dirk Bogarde the role of the Intelligence Major in The High Bright Sun means that he dabbles in espionage as he did in Hot Enough For June, a comedy. He is said to give another remarkable and strong performance.
