La partenaire

I saw this film back in 1969 in India where it was released in its English title "Blow Hot, Blow Cold". I think it is one of the most unusual movies that I have seen. On the whole I liked it, although I found it quite disturbing. The storyline is simple but the main characters, played by Gunnar Bjornstrand and Bibi Andersson are very deep and complicated. The photography at times is out of this world as is the strangely sinister mood throughout. What really astonished me ....and others...was the fact that people who have seen and liked the film often are reluctant to discuss it, particularly with their partners. If you see the film, you will realise why.

I saw the film in Calcutta in 1970 at the New Empire theatre with my family. I remember that the film ran to packed audiences for at least a year. All the members of my family found the suspense thriller to be extremely riveting.

A young couple (Giuliano Gemma as Giulio and Rosemary Dexter as Laetitia) visits an island where they are befriended by an elderly couple (Gunnar Bjornstrand as Prof Gunnar Lindmark and Bibi Andersson as Margit Lindmark). On more than one occasion Prof Lindmark secretly watches Giulio and Laetitia making love on the beach. But why does he do that? Is he a sexual pervert? Does he have a voyeuristic interest in their lives? Or is he feeling jealous as he is impotent? All I can say is that the climax will leave you in a state of shock and you will keep thinking as to why some of the characters acted the way they did. I still remember my family members talking about the film and its ending after we had watched it. Unfortunately, I have never been able to watch it again.

Beautifully directed by Floresto Vancini on picturesque locales, "Blow Hot Blow Cold" will keep you on the edge of your seat right till the very last minute.

We remember seeing the movie in 1969 in Calcutta a movie house called New Empire.

I believe this movie was a part of a film festival held a few months earlier at Calcutta.

The movie ran to packed houses.

It is all about a couple who spend intimate time on a holiday where they get acquainted with a slightly elderly couple who have a certain coldness between them preventing intimacy. The elderly man secretly watches the intimacy that the young couple enjoy.

The intimate scenes are very well shot. The intimacy is beautifully made and no point of time you have any vulgarity or inappropriate body show. It is all so natural.

The end however,is baffling and confusing. What made the elderly man act like he did!

I find readers mentioning they saw it in India in 1969. That is not possible, as the film was released in late 1970 across main cities in India. In Calcutta, it ran at New Empire for 30 plus weeks. And stayed there from the 28th as the theatre -which was partly financed by Warner Bros- could not get the change in time. I was very young then and at Patna. Remember it was released for regular shows at Veena (and not the morning show slot earmarked for English films. And this was a dubbed one!!). My parents saw the film.

I saw the film much later on VHS. Coming to think of it, the film was surely bold for its time, at least for the Indian audience. It did not date well. In the early 1990s, it did not carry the sting that made the viewers rush to the theatres. Society had changed, and drastically too. The angle emphasized in the film was no longer a taboo..

But for sheer nostalgia, it deserves a 8/10.

This was a great hit in India in the 70's. It played over and over again at the New Empire and Aurora cinemas in Bombay. There were many scenes with Bibi which the Indian audience appreciated :-) But the story line was great and without revealing the ending, I agree with the comment made by the previous reader, disturbing and hard to discuss with your spouse. Have fun.