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way, but this doesn't prevent the film from being faintly ludicrous some of the time and painfully unexciting all of the time. Perhaps the trouble is simply that it is difficult to become involved in all the spiritual twists and torments when
Nicholas Urfe, would-be poet saddled with a symbolically prominent copy of
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Nicholas Urfe is a young
Englishman, who has taken a teaching position on the Greek island of Phraxos, following the previous instructor's suicide. For Nicholas, it is a chance to sample different surroundings and an opportunity to escape from a relationship with his emotionally unstable lover Anne.
426:
wrote: "Although John Fowles has tackled the unenviable task of adapting his own
Chinese box novel very sensibly by simply lopping off several of its endless concentric circles, something has gone very wrong with the film. Both acting and direction are competent enough in an uninspired, workmanlike
307:
During visits to
Conchis's estate, Nicholas has a series of experiences which gradually become more unexpected and bizarre. Many are related to (or are re-enactments of) past events from Conchis's life. Ultimately, these events begin happening off the estate as well at unexpected times and places,
296:
At first, Nicholas' life on
Phraxos is uneventful but peaceful. However, he soon becomes involved with a reclusive man named Maurice Conchis, who owns an estate on the opposite side of the island, and has a beautiful young woman named Lily as his companion. On being introduced to the couple,
433:, is presented in this simplified script as just another of those shallow, urbane and faintly cynical Michael Caine heroes. Whether they are ghosts, actors, psychiatrists or magicians, Conchis and his crew, one feels, are wasting their time on singularly intractable material."
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Guy Green liked the book but not the script. He worked on the script with Fowles. Green said he disagreed with the producers over interpretation – they wanted more of a thriller, he wanted something more
Fellini-like. The director claims Richard Zanuck had just seen
31:
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was asked whether he would make changes in his life if he had the opportunity to do it all over again, he jokingly replied, "I would do everything exactly the same except I wouldn't see
304:
sympathiser? Or a magician who controls the lives and destinies of those around him? Nicholas quickly begins to lose his grip on reality, sinking deeper into
Conchis's game.
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According to Fox records, the film required $ 7 million in rentals to break even, and by 11 December 1970, it had made $ 2,450,000, resulting in a loss to the studio.
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The film was released to DVD by 20th
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Fowles was extremely disappointed with the film, although he had written the screenplay himself, and laid most of the blame on director Guy Green.
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said in an interview about the film: "I didn't know what to do and nobody told me. I couldn't put together the semblance of a performance."
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The final scene, which may be interpreted as a coda, concerns
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The story climaxes with a "trial" directed by
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raising questions as to how much power and control Conchis can actually exercise over others' lives.
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Nicholas' life begins to unravel, and he tries to find out who the mysterious Conchis really is.
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Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History (The Scarecrow Filmmakers Series)
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The Fox that got away : the last days of the Zanuck dynasty at Twentieth Century-Fox
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said that it was one of the worst films he had been involved in along with
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which had an abrupt ending and had them remove the last reel from
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John Fowles, The French Lieutenant's Diary, Granta #86, 2004,
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B Is for Bad Cinema: Aesthetics, Politics, and Cultural Value
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Peter Sellers' comment is frequently misattributed to
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674:(420): 269. 1 January 1969 – via ProQuest.
627:Perkins, Claire and Constantine Verevis (2014).
409:The film was a critical disaster. It retains a
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1184:The Incredible Journey of Doctor Meg Laurel
552:. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1989.
483:because no one knew what it was all about.
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588:British Film Institute Collections Search
300:Is he a psychiatrist? A film producer? A
633:. Albany: SUNY Press. pp. 197–212.
608:Schwartzman, Arnold (19 November 1991).
689:. New York: Warner Books. p. 227.
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614:British Entertainment History Project
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382:has a minor role as a boat captain.
1227:Films based on works by John Fowles
499:BAFTA Award for Best Cinematography
1247:Films set in the Mediterranean Sea
14:
610:"Interview with Guy Green side 3"
276:. The screenplay was written by
750:"Film | Cinematography in 1970"
241:$ 1 million (US/ Canada rental)
1257:Films scored by John Dankworth
687:Adventures in the Screen Trade
16:1968 British film by Guy Green
1:
1222:Films based on British novels
975:The French Lieutenant's Woman
873:The French Lieutenant's Woman
710:Silverman, Stephen M (1988).
1262:1960s English-language films
569:"Big Rental Films of 1969",
1232:Films directed by Guy Green
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188:13 November 1969
177:10 December 1968
1152:A Walk in the Spring Rain
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685:Goldman, William (1983).
667:The Monthly Film Bulletin
461:Participants' reflections
423:The Monthly Film Bulletin
368:as Andreas and the priest
35:Theatrical release poster
28:
430:Seven Types of Ambiguity
497:It was nominated for a
1252:Films shot in Mallorca
282:novel of the same name
1217:British fantasy films
1212:British mystery films
718:. L. Stuart. p.
573:, 7 January 1970 p 15
1242:Films set on islands
1176:The Devil's Advocate
868:(1965, revised 1977)
1267:1960s British films
1237:Films set in Greece
1104:Light in the Piazza
1168:Once Is Not Enough
1123:(1963, uncredited)
1064:Portrait of Alison
794:TCM Movie Database
501:(Billy Williams).
378:The film's writer
332:as Maurice Conchis
280:based on his 1965
252:is a 1968 British
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1120:55 Days at Peking
1088:The Angry Silence
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558:978-0-8108-4244-1
548:Solomon, Aubrey.
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260:and starring
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256:directed by
254:mystery film
248:
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205:Running time
153:Blazer Films
129:Max Benedict
64:
18:
1080:SOS Pacific
1072:Sea of Sand
1056:The Snorkel
924:The Aristos
916:Non-fiction
842:John Fowles
662:"The Magus"
584:"The Magus"
527:Woody Allen
380:John Fowles
342:Anna Karina
278:John Fowles
274:Anna Karina
233:$ 3,775,000
209:117 minutes
105:Anna Karina
79:Jud Kinberg
75:Produced by
55:John Fowles
41:Directed by
1207:1968 films
1201:Categories
1032:River Beat
696:0446512737
646:25 January
537:References
505:Home media
453:Box office
386:Production
362:as Kapetan
238:Box office
192:1969-11-13
185: (USA)
181:1968-12-10
146:Production
51:Written by
1144:The Magus
1020:Guy Green
967:The Magus
940:Wormholes
865:The Magus
840:Works by
800:The Magus
789:The Magus
778:The Magus
759:15 August
593:15 August
493:Accolades
474:The Swarm
447:The Magus
405:Reception
399:The Magus
258:Guy Green
249:The Magus
196: (UK)
125:Edited by
83:John Kohn
66:The Magus
45:Guy Green
24:The Magus
1096:The Mark
932:The Tree
905:A Maggot
897:Mantissa
437:Audience
417:Critical
374:as Soula
356:as Anton
222:Language
135:Music by
89:Starring
61:Based on
792:at the
571:Variety
480:Ashanti
394:Blow Up
350:as Meli
344:as Anne
338:as Lily
225:English
214:Country
190: (
179: (
148:company
1187:(1979)
1179:(1977)
1171:(1975)
1163:(1974)
1160:Luther
1155:(1970)
1147:(1968)
1139:(1967)
1131:(1965)
1115:(1963)
1107:(1962)
1099:(1961)
1091:(1960)
1083:(1959)
1075:(1958)
1067:(1958)
1059:(1958)
1051:(1956)
1043:(1956)
1035:(1954)
978:(1981)
970:(1968)
962:(1965)
943:(1998)
935:(1979)
927:(1964)
908:(1985)
900:(1982)
892:(1977)
884:(1974)
876:(1969)
860:(1963)
849:Novels
736:
693:
637:
560:. p255
556:
230:Budget
754:BAFTA
513:Notes
441:When
1040:Lost
783:IMDb
761:2024
734:ISBN
691:ISBN
648:2017
635:ISBN
595:2024
554:ISBN
477:and
318:Cast
302:Nazi
288:Plot
272:and
803:at
781:at
720:327
449:."
284:.
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