Follows the breakdown of housewife Jo (Anne Bancroft) and writer Jake Armitage's (Peter Finch) marriage, told from Jo's perspective.
Harold Pinter adapted Penelope Mortimer's novel for the film, and the dialogue has his style of using repetitive phrases, which calls attention to itself and becomes distracting after a while. On the other hand, director Jack Clayton and DoP Oswald Morris set up some visually rich shots to support the point or emotions in each scene.
Anne Bancroft inhabits her character so well that we are drawn along with her as Jo becomes increasingly distressed and suspicious of her husband's activities. Peter Finch as Jake supports her well, though we necessarily don't see as much of him. Character actor James Mason has a small but critical role as a nasty and oily acquaintance.
4 out of 5 stars.
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