Black Comedy That Just Seemed to Miss Me

Author: gavin6942 from United States
15 April 2011
A wounded criminal and his dying partner take up refuge at a beachfront villa, which (not surprisingly) makes the owners less than thrilled.I watched this as part of my quest to see all of Polanski's films in order. After two psychological films, he has switched to comedy... and I am not entirely sure I get it. Visually, this film is quite stunning and it has some good camera work (including one of the longest continuous sequences in cinematic history at the time of release at 7 minutes and 28 seconds).

Jack Nicholson claimed in an interview in 2007 that this is his favorite film. Not sure what to make of that. I loved Donald Pleasance as the cross-dressing wimp, but beyond that, I just do not think I really got it... the humor was not so strong and the darkness was not all that dark.

Happened in a castle...

Author: Petri Pelkonen (petri_pelkonen@hotmail.com) from Finland
13 March 2009
A wounded criminal, Dickie and his dying partner Albie find an old seaside castle.That castle is full of chickens and it is owned by the meek and a bit neurotic George and his sensual young wife Teresa.Now these two are the hostages of Dickie, who's waiting for his boss to come.Cul-de-sac (1966) was the second film of Roman Polanski in English.It's a fascinating movie, and a bit bizarre, perhaps.You have to like Donald Pleasence's work as George.His character is comical but also tragic, shy and sensitive, someone who's easy to be manipulated.The way George is ridiculed by his woman, who dresses him as a woman and puts on some make-up on him tells a lot about what kind of a man George is.

Francoise Dorléac is perfect in the role of his Mrs.Lionel Stander is somewhat sympathetic as Dickie.Jack MacGowran, who's also remembered from Polanski's Dance of the Vampires from the next year, plays Albie brilliantly.Ian Quarrier plays Christopher.Jacqueline Bisset makes her second film appearance in a small role.This movie has a lot of memorable stuff.It's great to watch when they have unexpected guests of George's friends and Dickie has to portray a butler.Or the moments on the beach with Teresa swimming nude in the background.This movie has some comedy.It has some psychological thriller.It has some drama.It has everything to keep you captivated.

the best film by polanski

Author: Karl Ericsson (karlericsson@telia.com) from sweden
14 November 2001
This film is Polanski's 'Citizen Kane'. From then on, he never got better (but still quite good as in 'Chinatown' for instance)* It is a tight, existentialist film, situated on an island (during flood, when tide, not an island). It featured Francois Dorleac, the equally beautiful but more romantic sister of Catherine Deneuve, who died not many years after this in a car accident if I remember correctly. I haven't seen a film in which she stared that wasn't good but here is the best of them. 'I started at the top and since then I'm been working myself down', said Orson Welles in 'F as in Fake', his last film. Polanski could say (almost) the same (he had done polish films before this one and I don't know if 'Repulsion' was before or after this one). An outstanding masterpiece good for many viewings and not on DVD (of course, I almost say).

* Ben non alors!...PAS CHINATOWN

a delicious showcase for wonderful, quirky acting

Author: awalter1 from Seattle, WA ~ USA
4 May 2007
"Cul-de-sac" is Roman Polanski's third feature, after "Knife in Water" and "Repulsion." The movie was filmed in and around a castle on the coast of north-east England that is cut off from the mainland for a portion of every day when the tide changes. Here a pair of wounded, on-the-run criminals invade the castle and impose themselves on the slightly-bohemian couple living there. Like all of Polanski's best films, it truly functions as a showcase for the actors, and the central cast here is Donald Pleasence, Francoise Dorleac, and Lionel Stander—a Brit, a Frog, and an American.

There's also a wonderful supporting performance by Irish actor Jack MacGowran. However, it's Pleasance who steals the show. Like Polanski's writing and direction here, Pleasance creates a real tension between realism and delirious mania, thus maintaining a moment-by-moment unpredictability that you simply can't take your eyes off. It's one of the mysteries of cinema history why "Cul-de- sac" has not survived well in the memories of critics nor found a dedicated audience as have most other early Polanski films.