The Silent Partner (1978)

Featured Audience Ratings

• jay n

  
  Good measured heist film with a competent cast is only slightly marred by the inclusion of some unnecessary violence. Obscure film that is worth seeking out.

• Stephen M

  
  If I had to pick a single movie to remember Susannah York by it would be Robert Altman's little-seen but utterly brilliant <I>Images</I>. To be quite honest, sweet and appealing though her character is, she's kind of wasted here. However, as not many of my… More
  If I had to pick a single movie to remember Susannah York by it would be Robert Altman's little-seen but utterly brilliant <I>Images</I>. To be quite honest, sweet and appealing though her character is, she's kind of wasted here. However, as not many of my friends have seen it, and as it has some very interesting credits, I thought I would recommend this nifty Canadian thriller instead. It was scripted by Curtis Hanson, who would go on to direct, among other things, <I>L.A. Confidential</I> and <I>Wonder Boys</I>, it features an early appearance by John Candy and its score was composed by jazz pianist Oscar Peterson. The ingenious plot has bank teller Elliott Gould pre-empting a robbery, filling his own pockets first and leaving hapless robber Christopher Plummer to take all of the blame but precious little of the loot. Predictably, Plummer, a psychopath, realises he's been duped and comes looking for the rest of 'his' money... The first half of the movie, in which Gould and Plummer play cat and mouse, repeatedly turning the tables on one another, is brilliant and gloriously entertaining; sadly, the plotting starts to wobble in the last hour and silliness creeps in. The film's fatal flaw, however, is that it cannot seem to decide how light or dark it wants to be, resulting in some jarring shifts in tone and some thoroughly gratuitous, nasty, misogynistic violence. Gould is okay but has been more charming elsewhere; Susannah York is, as I've said, good but underused; Plummer, however, hams it up a treat as the villain.

• AJ V

  
  A pretty good thriller with a nice cast, but it could have been better. Most of it is actually pretty predictable, and some scenes are slow, but there are also some very good thrilling scenes too. Overall, it could be better.

• Christopher O

  
  A inventive cat and mouse thriller from the late seventies featuring Elliot Gould as a lonely bank teller who matches wits with violent and dangerous bank robber played masterfully by Christopher Plummer. Gould was a big star in the seventies and his character is a unlikey… More
  A inventive cat and mouse thriller from the late seventies featuring Elliot Gould as a lonely bank teller who matches wits with violent and dangerous bank robber played masterfully by Christopher Plummer. Gould was a big star in the seventies and his character is a unlikey unconventional hero and it works because of his acting talent. Susannah York is good as the object of Gould's affections. The film also features a early performance from John Candy. The film turns very violent and gruesome and maybe tainted me enjoying it more than I did.