Darling

Running time: 122 mins

Every so often a film acquires the status of a landmark, not necessarily because it is a wide-screen epic or has Hollywood stars or has an unusual amount of violence or sex. Darling is none of these, but is the story of the ruthless, self-seeking climb in London society of an ordinary girl (albeit very attractive). It came along in the mid-sixties when social upheavals were just starting to happen on both sides of the Atlantic. Its clear-eyed portrayal of ambition, infidelity and relentless self-promotion in a society ready to accept new values (or the lack thereof) was an exciting eye-opener for film audiences of the time. In addition, it introduced to the screen Julie Christie, an actress whose beauty and intelligence added a visceral force to the story. Dirk Bogarde as a television reporter and Lawrence Harvey as a totally unscrupulous promoter, round out the picture of social decay. Although this was not director John Schlesinger's first film, it was his breakthrough into the major directorial ranks. One of the great pleasures of film-going is seeing a thirty-year-old movie whose theme still resonates with audiences. --Ed Soohoo