Figures in a Landscape ** (1970, Robert Shaw, Malcolm McDowell, Henry Woolf, Christopher Malcolm, Pamela Brown) – Classic Movie Review 4,245

Joseph Losey’s ambitious, arty 1970 film Figures in a Landscape stars Robert Shaw and Malcolm McDowell as men being chased through open spaces in an unspecified country by two men and their menacing helicopter.

Figures in a Landscape is an ambitious, arty 1970 British film from distinguished producer-director Joseph Losey about two men, MacConnachie and Ansell (Robert Shaw and Malcolm McDowell), being chased through open spaces in an unspecified country by two men (Henry Woolf as the pilot, Christopher Malcolm as the observer) and their menacing black helicopter.

Nothing is explained in the impenetrably dense, allegorical story, as the victims are on the run in an inexplicable Franz Kafka kind of way, threatened by an unfathomable nightmarish menace. So the only real tension or excitement comes from the performances of the two star actors and the imagination of the director. All three do well under their self-imposed restraints.

Shaw himself wrote the Harold Pinter-style screenplay taken from Barry England’s novel. But the result is not very gripping or fascinating. And, actually, it would have been much better movie as a straightforward thriller. However, though not a satisfying experience, this well-made, handsome-looking, nicely shot (by Henri Alekan) film still remains in the interesting curio category. As star, Shaw does a grand job to keep you involved.

Also in the cast are Henry Woolf, Christopher Malcolm, Pamela Brown as Widow, Andrew Bradford as Soldier, Roger Lloyd-Pack as Soldier, Warwick Sims as Soldier, Robert East as Soldier, and Tariq Yunus as Soldier.

Richard Rodney Bennett’s score was Bafta nominated. The discordant score and imaginative cinematography (by Henri Alekan, Guy Tabary and Peter Suschitzky) are significant factors in what success the film has.

Shaw, who was also a novelist, agreed to rewrite the troubled screenplay just before shooting was due to begin, telling Losey it would be ready before shooting. However, with changes being made daily, it was not finished till the end of filming. Shaw replaced Peter O’Toole as star during pre-production, saying he was offered $500,000.

The film flopped and was released in Britain in a much-cut version, though rescued by the BFI and screened in the full 110 minutes version that usually also screens on TV now.

The meticulous director Losey, who replaced Peter Medak, took four months to make it. It was shot in Sierra Nevada, Province of Granada, Andalucia, Spain. The helicopter, an Aérospatiale Alouette II, XZ-2B2 based at Armilla, Granada, is flown by Gilbert Chomat.

It premiered on July 14, 1970 at the San Sebastián International Film Festival, and was released in the UK by 20th Century Fox on November 19, 1970 and in the US by National General Pictures on July 18, 1971.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 4,245

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