Tony (James Fox) moves into a new London townhouse and hires Barrett (Dirk Bogarde) as his butler. The two bond quickly and all seems fine, even if Tony’s girlfriend Susan (Wendy Craig) finds something repellent about his employee. However, matters are complicated when Tony is convinced by Barrett to employ his sister Vera (Sarah Miles) as his maid. She is, in fact, Barrett’s lover and the deception proves too much for Tony. Harold Pinter’s coruscating screenplay tears into class divisions with abandon, with each revelation gradually tearing away at Tony’s psyche. Losey’s camera remains cool and detached throughout, observing Barrett’s cruelty. Fox, Miles and Craig are all excellent. But the film belongs to Bogarde, who delivers a masterclass in ambivalence; his years as a member of the working class, never allowed to rise above his ‘station’ erupting with volcanic rage as he sets about destroying the life of his employer and all those around him. It’s one of the actor’s finest performances in Losey’s greatest British film. And the restoration gives the film a sheen that only adds to the tragedy that unfolds.
