Encore

Another Somerset Maugham short story anthology, getting off to a bad start with the first story THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER not exactly first rate but amusing, due to the performances of n'er-do-well NIGEL PATRICK as the philandering brother who ends up marrying the third richest girl in the world much to the annoyance of his stuffy but reliable brother ROLAND CULVER; a cruise ship story about a woman who never stops talking and driving everyone in sight (including the audience) a bit crazy, well played by KAY WALSH; and finally, a story about a young couple who are part of a diving act from an 80 ft. platform but facing fears about the life and death feat designed to entertain some jaded tourist trade at a fancy hotel.

The third and longest segment is the most interesting, with GLYNIS JOHNS as the diver losing her nerve and TERENCE MORGAN as her worried husband. There's no telling which way the ending will go until the last moment and it keeps you glued to the story's finish.

Summing up: With introductions by the famous author himself, it's a fun way to spend an hour and a half.

Sumerset Maughm has always been one of my favorite novelists. He has the ability to present human struggles among all classes, especially significant because of the rigid, British class system in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when he lived and wrote. All three of the stories told in "Encore," present completely different types of people facing compelling personal problems. I disagree with some of the other respondents who claim "Encore" is a flawed film. All three of the stories in this movie are equally compelling in that they manage to capture the humanity in even the most unlikely, odd characters. The dialog is witty, the acting superb. The audience grows fond of the characters, as they develop. Maughm weaves humor, tension, romance and irony together in a masterful way to create unique worlds alive with life lessons for us all. If you have the opportunity to watch "Encore," you won't be sorry you did.

Overall I rate 'Encore' a 7, but the stories vary greatly. I liked the first one the best, as I thoroughly enjoyed Nigel Patrick's portrayal of a devil-may-care wastrel who sponges off his hard-working brother but always seems to land on his feet. As with all Maugham stories the dialogue is sophisticated and clever, so much so that you listen intently for the next juicy morsel so as not to miss any.

The second story is more subtle, the dialogue more droll and understated than the first, and I thought Kay Walsh was delightful as the gabby-guts spinster. The ship's crew becomes more desperate and exasperated and the circumstances funnier as the voyage drags on until the ambiguous ending. I thought this story captured the essence of Maugham's erudition and sense of humor better than the other two.

I disagree with other reviewers in that I thought the last story about the diving act was the weakest of the three, and it was the longest. It lacks credulity and is a humorless exercise in tedium, and I really couldn't imagine going to a fancy restaurant to watch a 30 second high diving act. The love-story angle is not really compelling but is brought to life by Glynis Johns, who did the best she could.

On the whole, it was well-done and with the added bonus of having Somerset Maugham himself introduce each segment. 'Encore' is well worth your time.

This is another trio of Somerset Maugham's short stories. The first one has been wiped from my memory, it was exceedingly dull! The second one started off well, and ended splendidly, but started to drag in the middle. It's the 3rd and final tale that is the gem, centering on a daredevil girl who "dives from a height of 80 feet in 5 foot of flames" - her pool to land in is actually set alight! - and her boyfriend, who are trying to get some money together for a safe future, by her doing a most unsafe act. It will have you on the edge of your seat, guaranteed! Respectively, I give the three tales 3, 6, and 10 out of 10.

This movie was constructed from three short stories by Somerset Maugham and he also appears to introduce each of them. The third story "Gigolo and Gigolette" is by far the best as you are never quite sure what direction it is going in. Terrific tension. The middle story also has a neat twist at the end but it takes far too long to get there and its main protagonist (played by Kay Walsh) starts to irritate. The first story features a bunch of quite unlikable, selfish characters and I found it did not engage me at all. 4 out of 10 for the first, 6 out of 10 for the second and 8 out of 10 for the third for an average of 6 out of 10 for the whole effort.