It was difficult to watch this story of a stuffed-shirt diplomat who won't let his son go to school or have friends because he wants the boy all to himself.
Michael Hordern is chilly as a Munchhausen-by-Proxy sufferer hellbent on eschewing any insight into himself. The son he insists is so delicate, Nicco (Jon Whiteley), finally puts his foot down when he sees his dad willing to ruin the life of a gardener who is everything he is not -- athletic, nurturing, and hard-working. José (a young and very handsome Dirk Bogarde) lacks a formal education, but he knows not to cave to tyranny, figuring, "If I lose my job, I'll get another one."
Brande's sensible doctor friend (Bernard Lee) rightly points out, "A change can help if you let it."
While all works out well for resilient Nicco, I didn't buy the film's facile conclusion. It's nice to believe that a severely disturbed person can evolve, but change generally takes time.
Still, I'm glad I saw this fable of sun-bleached coastal Spain.
Michael Hordern is chilly as a Munchhausen-by-Proxy sufferer hellbent on eschewing any insight into himself. The son he insists is so delicate, Nicco (Jon Whiteley), finally puts his foot down when he sees his dad willing to ruin the life of a gardener who is everything he is not -- athletic, nurturing, and hard-working. José (a young and very handsome Dirk Bogarde) lacks a formal education, but he knows not to cave to tyranny, figuring, "If I lose my job, I'll get another one."
Brande's sensible doctor friend (Bernard Lee) rightly points out, "A change can help if you let it."
While all works out well for resilient Nicco, I didn't buy the film's facile conclusion. It's nice to believe that a severely disturbed person can evolve, but change generally takes time.
Still, I'm glad I saw this fable of sun-bleached coastal Spain.