STACY KEACH (always under-rated) plays burnt out (alcoholic) ex-Scotland yard inspector, JIM NABOTH a likable, but weak single father of two young boys. The bottle seems to be his only genuine 'care'. Coming out of 'd-tox', he is hero-worshipped by petty ex-con, TEDDY (a natural and warm performance, by none other than TV comic FREDDIE STARR) who tries to keep his ex-arresting officer off the booze, and on the straight and narrow. It seems that, Naboth's ex wife has remarried to a wealthy bank boss, and her (and her daughters)subsequent kidnapping, forces her new husband (EDWARD FOX) turns to Naboth for help. The kidnappers (played with sinister conviction by the late great David HEMMINGS and STEPHEN BOYD) know nothing of this woman's former husband, and pass Naboth of as a washed up alcoholic ex-cop...............Big mistake!
MICHAEL APTED's cracking seventies thriller is simplistic in it's unfolding of events (unlike the 'complicated-ness' of THE LONG GOOD Friday) and THE SQUEEZE is all the better for this. It has some great character studies, beneath it's violent melodrama. Most of all, it goes to painful lengths to strip the male ego, off all it's 'macho-posturing', this is, at first, highly evident in KEACH's bare-boned performance (the desperate-ness he conveys, is powerful stuff) but later on in the movie, the kidnappers force Naboth's ex-wife to perform a strip routine, whilst 'The Stylistics' warble 'YOU MAKE ME FEEL BRAND NEW'in the background. This sequence, is meant for the kidnappers titillation, because it's extremely unerotic and painful to watch as a movie viewer. Credit to CAROL WHITE for a great performance during this scene. Apted, proves (especially with that sequence) that it is, indeed a man's world...and all the worse for it.
Given that this film is rarely heard of (despite, i think being better than GET CARTER and THE LONG GOOD Friday...sorry guys, i think it is!) is the biggest crime of all. I would ask everyone reading this, to hunt down a copy of this fine film (Where's the DVD release?) and if anyone would like a copy, please get in touch with me.
10 out 10, for it's performances (all great, no standouts) it's crisp direction, seedy locations, and above all else, it's cracking soundtrack by David HENTSCHEL.
Highly recommended
MICHAEL APTED's cracking seventies thriller is simplistic in it's unfolding of events (unlike the 'complicated-ness' of THE LONG GOOD Friday) and THE SQUEEZE is all the better for this. It has some great character studies, beneath it's violent melodrama. Most of all, it goes to painful lengths to strip the male ego, off all it's 'macho-posturing', this is, at first, highly evident in KEACH's bare-boned performance (the desperate-ness he conveys, is powerful stuff) but later on in the movie, the kidnappers force Naboth's ex-wife to perform a strip routine, whilst 'The Stylistics' warble 'YOU MAKE ME FEEL BRAND NEW'in the background. This sequence, is meant for the kidnappers titillation, because it's extremely unerotic and painful to watch as a movie viewer. Credit to CAROL WHITE for a great performance during this scene. Apted, proves (especially with that sequence) that it is, indeed a man's world...and all the worse for it.
Given that this film is rarely heard of (despite, i think being better than GET CARTER and THE LONG GOOD Friday...sorry guys, i think it is!) is the biggest crime of all. I would ask everyone reading this, to hunt down a copy of this fine film (Where's the DVD release?) and if anyone would like a copy, please get in touch with me.
10 out 10, for it's performances (all great, no standouts) it's crisp direction, seedy locations, and above all else, it's cracking soundtrack by David HENTSCHEL.
Highly recommended