dougdoepke Riveting battle of wits. Clever bank teller Cullen (Gould) figures out way to filch cash from bank and get it blamed on a robber (Plummer) who gets away with only a minor amount. Trouble is robber Reikle figures out where the bulk went and decides to harass Cullen into sharing his amount. But Cullen cleverly leads cops to Reikle's flat where they arrest him. Now it looks like Cullen's home free, but is he.Cullen's a fascinating character. Humorless and nerdy, he appears married to the bank and his big aquarium. But inside that deadpan appearance lurks a calculating brain that knows an opportunity when he sees one. Thus, as Cullen knows, strength can lie in being underestimated as he usually is. This would seem one of actor Gould's easier assignments since Cullen rarely breaks an expressionless exterior. Nonetheless, the humorless part really requires a lot of self-control, which Gould manages in ace fashion. On the other hand, Plummer doesn't get much screen time, but Reikle's icy stare and mocking voice make an unsettling contrast to Cullen. Girl-wise, the blonde York has a rather thankless role as bank co-worker Julie who sort of likes the diffident teller, but can't figure him out. On the other hand, Cullen seems mildly interested one minute only to turn cold the next as he calculates what his various schemes require. It's really Lomez who gets the plum part as the steamy Elaine. Not bothered by his odd manner, she quickly attaches to the conflicted Cullen who has trouble resisting. All in all, the plot threads are cleverly woven into a compelling whole, along with an apt ending . And I like the idea of the enclosed but breakable aquarium as a key metaphor. Anyway, the film's an outstanding 110-minutes, whether taken as a solid crime suspenser or as an imaginative character study. Either way, it's highly entertaining.

Hitchcoc Another sleeper that became one of my favorite films. Eliott Gould plays a bank teller who anticipates a robbery. He tricks the actual bank robber and takes the money for himself. Two things happen. Someone else is blamed and the bad guy (Christopher Plummer) is not going to rest until he gets his money. He also is sadistic enough to want Gould's head. What transpires is parry and thrust between Gould and Plummer with the latter being a really big threat. The way this plays out shows how incredible plotting can make a good movie great. This is the way movies should be made. Gould was a kind of icon of this era. The conclusion is so very satisfying, not clichéd or contrived like so many are.

innocuous I'm not a big fan of Gould's, but he managed to allow himself to be properly directed in this thriller from the early 70s. Contrary to what some other reviewers have mentioned, I don't find this to be a particularly violent move. It's true that there are a few gratuitous scenes where someone may want to avert his or her eyes for a moment, but most of the tension is psychological. It's a good story and the viewer will have a difficult time anticipating what happens next.In my opinion, however, Plummer was miscast. He is intense, but almost a bit too conciliatory and reasonable to be believed in his role.This movie is not too dated and is enjoyable today as it was 30+ years ago...with one exception. Whenever I see it, I turn to the person with me and ask, "Why do I not remember EVERY woman under 50 going braless back then?" I mean, a lot of the characters work in a bank or in some other professional setting and I really don't believe that any of the women aged under 50 wear bras in any scene. Now, this is in addition to copious female nudity, but the bralessness IS striking.Enjoy!

lost-in-limbo Another surprise package from the 70s (to add to Elliot Gould's 1974 feature "Busting"), in what isn't your typical suspense thriller. This little Canadian produced production is actually quite unconventional thanks to some glowing performances, deft plot turns and tautly handsome direction. A placid bank teller accidentally stumbles across some clues that a bank heist is going to occur, so he hatches up a plan to transfer the cash into a container just before it happens. For the teller things go to plan, until the thief realises that that he has been short changed and then he goes after the teller for the money. However a battle of wits occurs, as they try to out-smart each other in what becomes a twisty cat and mouse game. Watching these two characters trying to gain some sort of upper hand over each other is simply enthralling, as you're never quite sure how it's going to turn out. An ironic chain of events seem to occur and this helps keep the atmospheric tension right up there with its well-timed precision. While this is going on, it still takes time out to open up its characters for dramatic effect and it's believably done to match up with the sober-like manner. Elliot Gould might be discreet as the bank teller, but his performance is truly outstanding with complexities shining through. Christopher Plummer also chimes in with an understated performance, but still consists of unpleasantly creepy and psychotic shades. The interplay between the two simply crackled ("Feels like I know you every well") and this is what carries along the narrative. Across from them was the wonderful Susannah York and Celine Lomez was genuinely good. Also there was solid support by Michael Kirby, Ken Pogue and John Candy. Slow-winding and lean with some unpleasant moments, but a cleverly constructed thriller.