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Sylvia (10-Feb-1965)
Director: Gordon Douglas Writer: Sydney Boehm From novel by: Howard Fast (as "E. V. Cunningham") Music: David Raksin Producer: Martin H. Poll Keywords: Drama
CAST REVIEWS Review by anonymous (posted on 25-Jun-2006) The filmic trope of presenting a mystery
woman to the viewer through the recollections of her friends and lovers
has a long history. Perhaps "Laura" is the most famous. A much
lesser-known one is the British "Woman in Question." "Sylvia" is in
that tradition: a wealthy man wants to find out about the background of
his fiancée, Sylvia, so hires a private detective to investigate. As
the P.I. encounters people from Sylvia's past, the stories that they
tell him are the flashback elements of the film. There's a very
touching episode with Viveca Lindfors, as well as one with Ann Sothern.
While the film is somewhat desultory in its pacing, it's got some great
folks-Edmund O'Brien, Joanne Dru, etc.--and a suitably disengaged
performance from Carroll Baker in the title role. It actually works
well for the character, who throughout a series of tawdry experiences
has kept a part of herself removed and untouched. We also get to see a
well-toned George Maharis with his pajama top off--another reason to
catch the film if it ever shows up. David Raksin, who composed the
score for "Laura," some twenty years earlier, provides a nice score for
"Sylvia" (note the use of the waltz from William Wyler's "Carrie"--also
a Paramount film-- in the scene at the restaurant with Sothern and
Maharis).
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