Pros: I loved the twist of the title. I went in thinking that the affair occurred in a room at the top of the house, hidden away but rather it meant room at the top of the social pyramid, which Joe Lampton (Laurence Harvey) is trying desperately to climb, trying to fall in love with Susan (Heather Sears), the daughter of a millionaire while his heart truly lays with Alice (Simone Signoret), an older, married woman. And the acting is truly solid. There is also some inventive cinematography to liven things up.
Cons: I can't get over the old-fashioned thinking that 35 is old and Joe isn't exactly a great character, a little mean and unappealing at times plus he's unfaithful and doesn't know what protection is, so he's not really a good catch for either woman though Alice's husband is worse, refusing to do the right thing and divorce his wife and we never find out why Alice married him in the first place.
Recommend: Maybe
Grade: A-
Side Notes:
-Despite my issues with Joe, he at least refuses to take a buyout and disappear from Susan's life.
-As he was a POW, he's probably still suffering from PTSD though that wasn't considered a thing back then.
-Though Joe is brutal to Alice in the end, he did need to marry Susan to do the right and while she was depressed, she's a grown woman and should have never gotten behind the wheel after drinking that much; she's responsible for her own choices.
-Despite the film being set in England, the accents are nearly non-existent for most of the characters, which is just odd.
No comments:
Post a Comment