The Hireling **** (1973, Robert Shaw, Sarah Miles, Peter Egan, Elizabeth Sellars, Caroline Mortimer) – Classic Movie Review 6274

L P Hartley’s class-conscious novel set in 1923 about a chauffeur, Steven Ledbetter (Robert Shaw), who befriends and falls for his posh, disturbed mistress Lady Franklin (Sarah Miles) may be a trifle thin and sedate as cinema. But director Alan Bridges’s 1973 British film is beautifully played by Shaw and Miles, two distinguished stars who did not always get the work they deserved, in material worthy of their talents.

The young British lady is deep in depression after the death of her husband, and a promising relationship starts, but this is going to be a bitter-sweet tale of unrequited love.

Behind the scenes, it is finely crafted in all departments, with exquisite cinematography by Michael Reed and a perfect, unforced period feel in Natasha Kroll’s production designs and Phyllis Dalton’s costumes. It is shot entirely on location in England. The screenplay is by Wolf Mankowitz, and the film is produced by Ben Arbeid and scored Marc Wilkinson.

An undeservedly overlooked and largely forgotten British heritage effort, it won three BAFTA Film Awards and was the joint Palme D’Or winner at the Cannes Film Festival in 1973 (with Scarecrow), with Miles winning a Special Award at Cannes.

The sumptuous art direction (Natasha Kroll) and costume design (Phyllis Dalton) won BAFTA Film awards, as did Peter Egan as Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles, playing Captain Hugh Cantrip.

Also in the cast are Elizabeth Sellars as Lady Franklin’s mother, Caroline Mortimer, Patricia Lawrence, Petra Markham, Lyndon Brook, Alison Leggatt, Christine Hargreaves and Ian Hogg.

Alan Bridges died on 7 December 2013, aged 86. He was also known for The Shooting Party (1985) and Out of Season (1975).

In 1971 Joseph Losey directed another Hartley adaptation, The Go-Between.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6274

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