Eye For Film >> Movies >> The Go-Between (1971) DVD Review
This newly restored print of The Go-Between shows off Gerry Fisher's lush cinematography at its best.
The DVD features a new interview with Dominic Guard, who plays Leo in the movie. He recalls the shoot in some detail and clearly has a fondness for Losey and the others who were on the set. He recalls Julie Christie telling him not to be an actor (he isn't) and other general observations although, because he was a child at the time, there's only so much insight he can offer. The same is broadly true of Joseph Losey's son Josh, who was on the set for most of the shooting.
The interview with Losey's wife Patricia sees her recall what happened in Cannes when the film won the Palme d'Or. More interesting, perhaps, are the interviews with cinemtaographer Gerry Fisher and producer John Heyman, as they are able to offer more specific insight into the shooting of the film and Losey's working methods - from painting the grass green so that the weather looked better than it was to the way that the director would edit in-camera. The interview with Pinter's biographer Michael Billington is also well worth a look as he talks about Pinter's process and the fact that he viewed film and plays with equal importance.
Also included are a black and white behind the scenes gallery, the original trailer and a snippet from Anglia local news from July 1970 when the film was being shot that just shows that nothing has changed when it comes to reporters asking parochial questions. The award for cutest extra goes to a Horlicks TV ad directed by Losey showing the importance of "the right kind of sleep".
Reviewed on: 17 Sep 2019