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Mystery DVD Club No 26: The Offence

Mark Oakley


Sean Connery makes his first appearance in our Mystery DVD Club. And we've found a gem!

Published on Nov 27, 2009

I think I've done quite well with this Mystery Club. First I receive Gene Wilder's Haunted Honeymoon and now this, a gritty serious drama starring Mr Bond himself.

From the outset, it's clear that The Offence has a shot at being a step above your average thriller. The cast, headed by Connery, also includes Trevor Howard and Alfie's Vivien Merchant. Then you see that the director is one Sidney Lumet, the man behind such greats as Dog Day Afternoon, Network and, more recently, Before The Devil Knows You're Dead.

The Offence was released way before all those, back in 1972, but the confidence of the director is clear even then. The film opens up with a slice of slow-motion drama that the entire piece hangs upon.

Connery plays British Detective Sergeant Johnson, a man that's been in the game for too long. He is a world-weary, battered copper who has been to the brink and back again too many times for his own sanity to cope with. He's a tired, angry man who can no longer keep his business and personal lives separate, no longer ignore the crimes he's witnessed and lock them in a box. The result of all this anger and anguish with the world around him is that he loses control while interrogating the suspect of a child molestation case, killing the suspect in the process. What follows is an intense study of how Johnson came to committing his own act of violence and what marks him out as any different from the murderers, rapists and other criminals he puts behind bars.

Make no mistake, this is no first date movie. The performances are as gritty and real as the subject matter and the story's back and forth narrative makes for grim viewing at times as Connery's own act of violence is repeated again and again. That's not to say it's a particularly violent film in itself, the crimes portrayed by the aftermath, rather than the acts themselves, but it is a serious watch deserving a serious time-out on the viewer's part.

Based upon a stage play, This Story Is Yours, the theatrical roots shine through in some of the finest performances I've seen in a while. All are superb, with particularly well-handled ensemble scenes outside the school of the latest victim and in the police station worthy of note. The ensuing investigation of Johnson also gives Trevor Howard a chance to shine as the man brought in to discover Johnson's side of the story. No-one here, though, is better than Connery himself.

In what is arguably the finest performance I've ever seen him deliver on screen (The Untouchables comes a close second), his turn here as Johnson is electrifying. Apparently, The Offence was one of two films Connery requested United Artists fund in return for him starring in Diamonds Are Forever, and it's easy to see why this was on his list. The material he has to work with is rock solid and he is clearly having a rewarding time flexing his acting muscles.

The film is a dialogue-heavy affair, so anyone expecting bangs and flashes won't find them here but to the film's credit it never outstays its 1 hour 48 minutes runtime. Scenes of Connery's teetering relationship with his wife are a particular highlight, the suggestion that his own violent nature is a whisker away from entering his personal life subtly and brilliantly done.

Much credit for his, and the other strong performances here, must surely go to Lumet who creates a hyper-real world on screen for the small $1million budget. His visual flair and sense of pacing really add to the enjoyment of the film, piecemealing various aspects of the interrogation scene to the audience so that our interest is heightened throughout. Also, by handing out morsels of information in this way, Lumet offers various perspectives on why Connery carries out his fatalistic act.

If you're a fan of outstanding acting performances, grim Seventies realism and can stomach the undoubtedly tough subject matter, then you'll be rewarded with a great watch, the like of which you rarely find at the box office these days.

The Offence is quite simply an excellent piece of work, one of Connery's best and one of Lumet's underrated, with some enthralling acting performances. The fact that it can be picked up for just under £3 is more than enough reason to go out and buy it today.

4 stars

 
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Mystery DVD Club | Sean Connery | Mark Oakley

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Users Comments

Re: Mystery DVD Club No 26: The Offence
Posted By LizLemon 1 November 27, 2009 09:41:07 AM

You lucky so-and-so! :cD I have to agree, Mark. I saw this - serendipitously - one late night and thought 'why have I never seen or heard of this film?'. I remembered it, that's for sure.

Re: Mystery DVD Club No 26: The Offence
Posted By Zardoz67 1 November 27, 2009 11:01:18 AM

The Offence is indeed a masterpiece and it has been argued that it even taps into to the British horror boom of the time thanks to its grimness. As well as Connery's greatest performance (I'd rate The Hill over Untouchables for runner up) it's also Ian Bannen's - one of those great actors who no-one knows but was never less than brilliant even in rubbish films

Re: Mystery DVD Club No 26: The Offence
Posted By SeymourCat 1 November 27, 2009 12:39:28 PM

Wow, a positive review here and the cheapest online price has gone up to £5.98.

Re: Mystery DVD Club No 26: The Offence
Posted By orac 1 November 28, 2009 04:14:48 PM

Great film and amazingly dark in places. Another interesting fact about this film from a personal point of view is that it was filmed in Bracknell - the town I grew up in (and it still looks as grim as that today ;)). Connery would return to Bracknell to film a few scenes for The Time Bandits back in early 1980. I met Terry Gillian that evening as they filming close to my school - and had no idea who he was at the time ;)

Re: Mystery DVD Club No 26: The Offence
Posted By Antigreek 1 December 1, 2009 07:00:39 PM

I met Terry Gilliam once too. We all have. He's everywhere. Sometimes he runs the liquor store down the street and other times he picks up my refuse. He's a good guy but tends to overcharge me at the store.

Re: Mystery DVD Club No 26: The Offence
Posted By drharry 1 December 16, 2009 08:50:17 PM

Which version of this film did you watch? I saw the one where Ian Bannen (who you not once gave a namecheck) act Sean Connery right out of the picture. Bannen bravely took the role of suspect Baxter and delivers a superb,harrowing performance. You namecheck Trevor Howard and yet his is a bit part...the real meat in this movie is the way Bannens character gets into his tormentor, exposing him as every bit as dirty and gruby as he...and of course it is not proven whether or not he is in fact guilty. I first watched this film when I was 12 and was immediately struck with the powerful performance from Bannen....I keep it now as a classic.Ian Bannen...a really really good actor.
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The Offence

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