The Silent Partner **** (1978, Elliott Gould, Christopher Plummer, Susannah York) – Classic Movie Review 4397

Director Daryl Duke’s first-rate, exciting, hard-driving 1978 Canadian neo noir thriller is co-produced and written for the screen by Curtis Hanson, Oscar-winning writer/director on LA Confidential.

Elliott Gould and Christopher Plummer play a shy but sly bank clerk and a nasty but cunning robber who tussle in Toronto in an epic battle of wits for control of stolen money from a bank robbery.

Both of the star performers are caught on their incisive best form, with Plummer a credible, memorable villain, and Susannah York is fine too as a put-upon bank employee. The ingenious plot, based on the novel Think of a Number by Anders Bodelsen, the quirky Toronto backgrounds and the tough-toned, cleverly staged action make it an entertaining edge-of-seat winner all the way.

Also in the cast are Céline Lomez, Michael Kirby, John Candy, Ken Pogue, Gail Dahms, Michael Donaghue, Jack Duffy, Nancy Simmonds and Guy Sanvido.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 4397

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