Is The Silent Partner the best Canadian crime film? I’m not sure there are many others to compare it to. I first encountered this movie about five years ago. As someone who loves movies, I've discovered that even dedicated fans of crime films probably haven't heard of this obscure and small production. The film didn’t receive proper distribution in US theaters initially, and wasn’t rediscovered on VHS or TV afterward. That’s a real shame. It pairs nicely with Elliot Gould's neo-noir film from five years prior, The Long Goodbye. Just as Gould portrayed Philip Marlowe as a sleepwalking man trying to understand 1970s Los Angeles, he cleverly gives his character in The Silent Partner a depth that isn’t immediately obvious. Kim Morgan recently interviewed Gould during a screening of the film Christmas Eve at the New Beverly Cinema in LA. Gould described his character Miles as "a very interesting metaphor in getting someone to come out and get involved in life." Gould plays a quiet bank teller who spends most of his time alone with his fish, books, and chess board in a comfortable apartment that seems perfect for staying in all day. He’s jolted back into action when he learns about a planned robbery at work. Instead of reporting it, he finds a way to steal from the robber and the bank himself. He breaks free from his routine life and takes a chance on committing a crime. The surprising thing is that he quickly proves to be quite skilled at manipulating people for criminal gain. The most memorable scene involves a bank robbery carried out by someone dressed as Santa Claus. Christopher Plummer’s performance as Harry, the fake Claus, is remarkable. When not in disguise, he's a tanned man with eyeliner and long fingernails—a truly original character. The comparisons to other movie villains that come to mind are DeNiro’s Mephistopheles in Angel Heart combined with Ben Kingsley in Sexy Beast. During one scene, after Harry nearly beats a woman at the gym (to create an alibi), the man says, "Harry, you really went too far this time." He's intelligent and dangerous from the start. After the robbery, Harry realizes he was shortchanged a sum of Canadian money. He quickly figures out who’s responsible and goes after bank teller Miles. And every time Harry tries to intimidate or pressure Miles into giving him the money, Miles manages to turn the tables on him. It's less like a "cat and mouse" chase and more like “cat and cat.” Gould really commits to his role here. If another actor had played the lead, all of Miles’ plans would have been telegraphed in advance. Gould plays it straightforward, taking unexpected turns without warning, which drives the professional criminal Harry crazy. It's entertaining to watch and reminded me a bit of Richard Stark's Parker. You only see Miles' plan as it unfolds. The rest of the cast is strong, but the film primarily focuses on Miles and Harry. Susannah York (Superman’s mother in the same year) and model/actress Céline Lomez are the female characters in the film. York seems frustrated after Gould dismisses her shortly after a romantic encounter—but you don't know why until the end. Equally striking, Lomez is under Plummer's influence until her dramatic death involving an aquarium, a burial that Hitchcock or Patricia Highsmith would have approved of. John Candy makes a brief appearance in the film, well before he became a star. Even when he’s just doing background work, you can’t help but notice him—a true movie star. A few details are amusing to see today. When the bank robbery first happens, Miles becomes something of an unexpected media sensation, like an early version of an internet celebrity. The mall where Miles' bank is located is painted in classic drab 1970s colors. The Canadian fast-food restaurant offers healthy juice instead of junk food. York’s spacious apartment is one of those “only in movies” places that a real assistant bank manager could never afford. Finally, I should mention some nods to classic noir. When York meets Gould for a ride to the company Christmas Party, she enters the scene atop a tall staircase, just like Barbara Stanwyck in Double Indemnity! And Christopher Plummer wears an ankle bracelet reminiscent of one worn by Stanwyck in that same film! The film is expertly directed by Daryl Duke and features a well-constructed screenplay penned by Curtis Hanson (who later achieved even greater success with LA Confidential!). The soundtrack is composed by Oscar Peterson, his only film score. If you’re in Los Angeles, the film will be playing at the New Beverly Theater on Christmas Eve. For those elsewhere, it's available to stream in good quality on Amazon, iTunes, or Google’s movie streaming services for just a few dollars. Written by Steve-O

Source on TMDB