On S List of Movie Reviews
(For optimum viewing, adjust the zoom level of your browser to 125%.)
The Silent Partner (1978)
Rate:
4
Viewed:
3/26
3/26:
The Silent Partner is as absurd as it can be.
John Mahoney of The Hollywood Reporter once said, "If Elliott Gould keeps selecting and performing in
films the way he has thus far, people may start going to pictures just because he is in them." Nope. His A-list
status began to fade away after 1978 because he has no personality in spite of being extremely memorable in
M*A*S*H.
Regardless, it's not the actor's fault. The story doesn't work if I'm screaming at the obvious: finger the
robber to the cops and move on from it. What is he going to do...complain about the stolen money being ripped
off from him? Nobody will believe that story. But screenwriter Curtis Hanson wants to be cute about it.
He'll go on to make another stupid whodunit called The Bedroom Window
with three absolute stinkers in between including one with Tom Cruise.
While watching The Silent Partner, it's very hard not to notice John Candy. That would make sense
because he's a Canadian and the film was made in Toronto. Who knew he would be a bigger star than everybody
combined during the 80's despite having a nothing role?
It's shocking to see Christopher Plummer serving up a dish of his own video nasty by squeezing the tits of a
female, hitting her with an open hand, and severing another female's head into a fish tank. This is the same guy
who did The Sound of Music. I just wonder if he was wearing
eyeliner to pass off as a homosexual. On the other hand, I hate Susannah York's character who thinks she's
all that; Miles can do better than her.
All in all, don't believe the adulation for The Silent Partner because it ain't that good.