A Shock to the System

My review was written in March 1990 after watching the film at a Manhattan screening room.

"A Shock to the System" is a very dark comedy about escaping the current rat race via murder. Unsympathetic, poorly motivated central character and flat direction nullify Michael Caine's reliable thesping, spelling tepid box office for fledgling distributor Corsair's first release since "Miss Firecracker" a year ago.

Caine is cast as a Britisher working for a New York firm who's passed over for the post of marketing department head when John McMartin (in an affecting performance) is forced to take early retirement. Upstart Peter Riegert (way too sympathetic for the role) gets the job instead and starts throwing his weight around.

Caine is also fed up with his wife Swoosie Kurtz' habits, but Andrew Klavan's script (based on Simon Brett's novel) fails to motivate Caine's sudden turn to cold-blooded monster.

After doing away with Kurtz by rigging faulty electric wiring in the basement, he blows up Riegert (and obnoxious assistant Philip Moon) on his sailboat. Plodding Connecticut cop Will Patton discovers plenty of clues (a cigarette lighter lost by Caine is given inordinate screen time in a vain attempt to drum up suspense), but inexplicably is unable to nail the obviously guilty antihero.

Film's easy targets allow an undemanding audience to vicariously enjoy killing one's boss or nagging spouse, but events are unbelievable and thereby uninvolving. A key early scene of7 a beggar seemingly killed in the subway by Caine is clumsily staged and confusingly resolved. Jan Eagleson's direction slos to a snail's pace during the middle reels and lacks the style of the classics in the genre: "Monsieur Verdoux" by Charles Chaplin and "Kind Hearts and Coronets" by Robert Hamer.

Despite script deficiencies, Caine almost pulls it off with a nasty turn (replete with James Cagney-isms) reminiscent of his early '70s "Get Carter" persona. His third-person voice-over narration further distances the already cold action, acting in an opposite manner to his "Alfie" intimate asides. Elizabeth McGoven is effective as his romantic interest, with Jenny Wright appealing in an underwritten role as her roommate.

Paul Goldsmith's lensing of New York locations is functional and the pic is punched up considerably by the catchy use of amplified acoustic bass in Gary Chang's scoe.

Graham Marshall (Michael Caine) already celebrates his anxiously awaited promotion in an advertising company, when he learns that Roger Benham (Peter Riegert), one of his subordinates, will be promoted instead of him. Frustrated that his hated life will never change, he starts a cunning ploy to take bloody revenge on everyone who humiliated him -- starting with his unnerving wife.

I think if you had anyone but Michael Caine in the starring role and this film would have failed. The story is very good, but seems hollow or flat for much of the film. Caine just commands any scene he is in, so what could have been a lackluster film becomes something better. Probably nothing great, but at least a good show of his talents.

The only other person who seems to try is Elizabeth McGovern. Peter Riegert is alright, but his character is not deep enough to allow him much range.

Watch this gem along with KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS. This is the kind of film which nourishes a starving mind. It never makes me laugh, rather the way that Python did not, when I watched them debut in the 70s here: I just sat there, mouth agape, at the intelligence.

All that hard work, dreaming of that well-deserved promotion, by putting in everyday. Starting from scratch working your way to the top. Just one step to go. One step up that ladder. However sometimes dreams aren't meant to be, no matter the effort you put in and the confidence you bestow. Someone else comes in and snatches it right under your nose. You were that sure of yourself, focused right in, everyone talking you up, even your wife. It was yours. Eyes on the prize, but you didn't realize what was happening around you. There was unknown competition from within. Someone you trusted. Now that high hits rock bottom. Your pride is shot. Until you realise it's all clockwork in this dog eat dog world. No sitting back. Make it happen... by any means.

"A SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM" feeds off it, by presenting a dry, biting drama with a violent twist. Filled with dark understated humor, personal psychosis and merciless corporate satire a seasoned New York marketing executive turns to murder, after an incident in the subway to resolve those "difficulties". So he goes about setting up one fatal accident after another, in the process of making his life easier and to get that position... he deserved. But one little slip-up could see it all come crashing down.

Directed with style, cinematography showed elasticity and a score vigorously on key. However the thing that stood out was Michael Caine... pretty much doing his usual Michael Caine shtick. He's the life of the party here, pitch-perfect in delivery. His likable, laidback persona gets used, and downtrodden on. The anger is released with some venomous sprays. Knowing now, getting what he wants he needs to be coldly calculative, sly, string people along and thinking outside the box (possibly murder) to make it happen. His interactions with Swoosie Krutz (playing his materialistic wife) were some of the best moments. Sometimes the plot can be a little too elaborate in the consequences and suspicions (prying detective), but it did catch me off guard. I didn't expect the finale to go down the path it did. Fortune favors the brave in this heartless, controlled corporate world.

This wasn't a bad movie overall and while I didn't full in love it I would revisit it again. The storyline was simple and easy to follow and that simpleness was put to shame by having Caine as the lead actor, putting on a performance that made the movie better, just as you would expect.