O Encontro

while clicking around impatiently for something watchable on satellite t.v., i was instantly mesmerized by the wonderful camera work and haunting look of this quiet film. i was further impressed by the way the director , lumet, managed to make Rome, Italy ,look so deserted and depressing, even in the middle of a crowded street. i am not a huge OMar Sharif fan, but he is certainly believable as this cruel, obsessed husband who wants to keep his gorgeous ex-model wife (Anouk Amie) locked away from the world , w/permission to live only in his company. As the doomed beauty , Anouk Aimee is perfect as the almost bland wife that unwillingly is slowly overwhelmed by her controlling husband. A tragic , but unfortunately true portrait of human defects left unchecked. The films' overall feel and look of a haunted mind makes it compelling to watch , and immediately after-wards went to my computer to research the name of the "european' director. i was pleasantly surprised by Mr.Sidney Lumets' name, and film.

Frederico Fendi (Omar Sharif) is a successful middle-aged Italian lawyer although he's a lonely stiff who is very close to his mother. He sees Carla (Anouk Aimée) on the streets and becomes immediately obsessed. She's engaged to a school acquaintance.

This is directed by Sidney Lumet. Maybe he's trying for an Euro relationship psychological thriller. The story starts with a weird coincidence which led me down some wrong paths. Sometimes a coincidence is just a coincidence although that could indicate bad writing. It is a bit slow. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. At least, this has Omar Sharif, but that's not enough.

Drawn into the movie for the sheer enjoyment of watching Sharif - I became immediately swept up in it. Viewers are coaxed gently into the storyline, and it succeeds in drawing you in as you yearn for more. There is a subtle quality of this film that resonates. What is not said with dialog becomes even more important than the actual conversations. We long to know what is behind those eyes, both of theirs - the hurt, the desire, the fear. The film works, in stumbling ways at times, but overall it is memorable, thought provoking and well done. I absolutely loved it, flaws and all. Sharif was well cast, his performance was brilliantly restrained, he held back and became a very believable character. His eyes are so amazing, and so important to see the heart of this character. Aimee is of course lovely, and her Carla is a tortured beautiful soul. I felt both actors were well matched and their seemingly awkward tendencies together made them all the more real. I look forward to watching it again to uncover more of it's intricate layers. Bravo!

...this movie deserves a DVD release. I saw it on TV(missed the opening credits) years ago and years after its theatrical release. I had to call a friend to find out who this "European" director was. Surprise--Lumet? Still, I found the ambiguities and open-endedness intriguing. Glacial pacing? Bad acting? I've seen worse. Cinematography and narrative arc were unusual for an American director. The beautiful Anouk Aimée is always eminently watchable and for that alone we should be able to watch this again. Anyone out there have the wherewithal to get this out on DVD? I'm sure others would like to give this one another go and reconsider their opinions.

Anyone familiar with Sidney Lumet's best work (Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, Network, etc.) will know of his meticulous attention to character depth and plot detail. The Appointment has none of this. Rather than tell a story, Lumet instead takes his shot at making a stylish Europeanish sort of art film complete with sullen close-ups, high-angle shots and carefully constructed compositions- perhaps just to see if he could do it. Some of it comes off rather well- I liked the longshot of Omar Sharif trudging dutifully away down a hospital corridor while two nuns hurry in the other direction, and a sequence at a fashion show that features a cluster of models dashing in and out in various costume changes and hair styles including one in the flapping and swaying of butterflies is almost worthy of Fellini. Almost. On the other hand, a shot of the two lovers in a field pulled back and upward into the high distance until the couple is drowned out by the island they're on goes on too long and is less effective. I wonder what Lumet is trying to accomplish there by obscuring the lovers and placing the entirety of the island squarely within the picture frame.

There is very little dialogue in the film; everything is inferred and gently disturbing. I think Sharif and Anouk Aimee are fine in their roles, but what is a little off-putting is the coldness and sterility of the affair and their movements, even during passionate scenes. When the tragic moment occured toward the end, I felt nothing. I give Lumet an A for effort and I must admit I was fascinated by the whole thing but fascination doesn't neccessarily equal enjoyment. This movie puts me in mind of Woody Allen's Interiors for all its emotional distance. And as Woody himself once said about Interiors, "it's an interesting failure."