Blind Date (1959 film)

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Blind Date
Blind Date FilmPoster.jpeg
A film poster bearing the U.S. title: Chance Meeting
Directed byJoseph Losey
Written byLeigh Howard (novel)
Ben Barzman
Millard Lampell
Produced by
Luggi Waldleitner
StarringHardy Krüger
Stanley Baker
Micheline Presle
CinematographyChristopher Challis
Edited byReginald Mills
Music byRichard Rodney Bennett
Production
company
Distributed byRank Film Distributors
Release date
  • August 1959 (1959-08)
(UK)
Running time
90-96 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget£138,000[1]

Blind Date (U.S. title: Chance Meeting) is a 1959 British murder mystery film directed by Joseph Losey and starring Hardy Krüger, Stanley Baker, and Micheline Presle. The plot is about a police inspector who investigates a woman's death, with her lover being the prime suspect.[2] Ben Barzman and Millard Lampell were nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best British Screenplay.[3]

The film was one of star Stanley Baker's favourites.[4]

As there is no blind date in the storyline the title is somewhat misleading. The plot revolves around a rendezvous rather than a blind date. The title perhaps alludes to the hero being blind to the truth of his lover's background.

Plot[]

Jan Van Rooyer, a young Dutch artist, working in a London private art gallery, cheerfully arrives at the large mews flat owned by Jacqueline Cousteau. The door is open and he goes in and has a drink and puts on load music. Around half an hour later uniformed police arrive and start questioning him. Inspector Morgan arrives soon after.

They have had a phone call from the flat and on the investigation, Jacqueline is found dead in the bedroom - so Jan has much explaining to do. He explains the relationship. They had met in the gallery and she had asked for private lessons in his studio. She tells him she is married (but she is not) and when she starts to model for him they also become lovers despite their age difference and very different social background.

The investigation finds little evidence of his innocence but the investigation proves that Jacqueline had more than one lover.

During the police search, Jan had pocketed an envelope of cash in the flat with his name on it. The inspector finds it and the £500 inside is concluded to be a "pay off".

However, Jacqueline rematerialises! The dead woman in the flat is a nightclub singer and not her. Jacqueline is indeed married, to a high ranking public figure: Lord Fenton. Inspector Morgan leaves the two alone together. She continues to deny knowing him. The police reveal the dead woman is her husband's mistress. The mistress was called "Jacqueline Cousteau". The wife has assumed her identity then killed her. Jan was part of her plot all along.

Cast[]

Production[]

The budget consisted of £40,000 put up by the German producer and £98,000 provided by SBA.[1]

Reception[]

Sydney Box sold the film to Paramount in the US for twice what it cost, putting it in profit.[1]

The New York Times found the film "absorbing", noting that "Joseph Losey proves himself a strikingly adept technician with an alert and caustic personal style."[5]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c Spicer, Andrew (5 September 2006). Sydney Box. Manchester University Press. ISBN 9780719059995 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ "Blind Date (1959)". BFI.
  3. ^ "BAFTA Awards". awards.bafta.org.
  4. ^ Howard Thompson (1 September 1963). "STANLEY BAKER: PERIPATETIC ACTOR-PRODUCER: GENESIS PROVINCIAL DEBUT". New York Times. p. X5.
  5. ^ Archer, Eugene (27 October 1960). "Chance Meeting" – via NYTimes.com.

External links[]


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