''The Idol'' is a 1966 British

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super- ...

directed by

Daniel Petrie Daniel Mannix Petrie (November 26, 1920 – August 22, 2004) was a Canadian film, television, and stage director who worked in Canada, Hollywood, and the United Kingdom; known for directing grounded human dramas often dealing with taboo subject ...

and starring

Jennifer Jones Jennifer Jones (born Phylis Lee Isley; March 2, 1919 – December 17, 2009), also known as Jennifer Jones Simon, was an American actress and mental health advocate. Over the course of her career that spanned over five decades, she was nominated ...

Michael Parks Michael Parks (born Harry Samuel Parks; April 24, 1940 – May 9, 2017) was an American singer and actor. He appeared in many films and made frequent television appearances, notably starring in the 1969–1970 series '' Then Came Bronson'', but ...

, Jennifer Hilary and

Guy Doleman Guy Doleman (22 November 1923 – 30 January 1996) was a New Zealand born actor, active in Australia, Britain and the United States. Early life Doleman was born in Hamilton, Waikato, New Zealand, later moving to Australia. Career During the 1 ...

. Set during the

Swinging Sixties The Swinging Sixties was a youth-driven cultural revolution that took place in the United Kingdom during the mid-to-late 1960s, emphasising modernity and fun-loving hedonism, with Swinging London as its centre. It saw a flourishing in art, mu ...

in London, the plot entails a rebellious student who disrupts the lives of all around him, leading to disastrous consequences.

Plot

Marco (

), a young, arrogant art student, is friendly with Timothy (

John Leyton John Dudley Leyton (born 17 February 1936) is an English actor and singer. As a singer he is best known for his hit song " Johnny Remember Me" (written by Geoff Goddard and produced by Joe Meek), which reached number one in the UK Singles Cha ...

), a medical student, and Sarah ( Jennifer Hilary), Timothy's girl friend. Timothy is dominated by his wealthy and beautiful mother, Carol (

), who is divorcing her husband. There is an Oedipal undercurrent between mother and son, and Timothy is not happy that Carol plans to marry again. Nevertheless, as Carol continues to control his life, Timothy wishes to be more independent. Marco finds a studio apartment, and Timothy pays the first two months' rent, planning to move in with his friend and switch from medicine to art. An angry Carol prevents the move, and Sarah, who has fallen in love with Marco, moves in instead. During a party at her weekend cottage, Carol becomes furious when she finds Marco and Sarah kissing in Timothy's room, and she orders Marco from the house. Later, Timothy is involved in a pub brawl, and Marco defends him and brings him home unconscious. Carol is appreciative, and warms to him. Later at a bar, Marco and Carol dance, and it is clear the repressed Carol is attracted to him. Timothy looks on, uneasily. On New Year's Eve, Marco arrives at Carol's house to accompany Timothy to a party. But Timothy had already left, and Marco is left alone with Carol. He seduces her, then scorns her in retaliation for his earlier humiliation at the cottage. He leaves for the party which is on a boat, and arrives drunk accompanied by a streetwalker. He hints broadly to Sarah of his conquest of Carol, which Timothy overhears. Anguished, Timothy runs up on deck and Marco stumbles after him. Timothy violently thrusts him away, but a woozy Marco falls into the water and drowns, despite Timothy's efforts to save him. Questioned by the police, Timothy refuses to reveal the cause of the fight. Thus, without his admitting to the actual provocation, it is determined that Marco drowned at Timothy's instigation. Carol, who has arrived during the questioning, reaches out to Timothy as he is being led away by the police, but he coldly turns away.

Cast

as Carol *

as Marco *

as Timothy * Jennifer Hilary as Sarah *

as Martin Livesey *

Natasha Pyne Natasha Pyne (born 9 July 1946) is an English actress who starred in ''The Taming of the Shrew'' (1967 film), ''The Breaking of Bumbo'' (1970) and ''Father, Dear Father'' (1973). Early life Pyne was born in Crawley, Sussex on 9 July 1946. She ...

as Rosalind * Jack Watson as Police Inspector *

Jeremy Bulloch Jeremy Andrew Bulloch (16 February 1945 – 17 December 2020) was an English actor. In a career that spanned six decades, he gained recognition for originating the physical portrayal of Boba Fett in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, appearing as th ...

as Lewis *

Gordon Gostelow Gordon Massey Gostelow (14 May 1925 – 3 June 2007) was an Australian actor. He was educated in Australia at North Sydney Boys High School and Sydney University where he graduated in Economics. Gostelow went to England in 1950 and worked ...

as Simon *

Priscilla Morgan Priscilla Morgan (born 14 January 1934) is a British actress who appeared in British TV series such as ''Rooms'' (1977) and ''Pride and Prejudice'' (1980) and '' My Old Man'', and movies such as ''Separate Tables'' (1958), ''On the Fiddle'' (1961 ...

as Rosie *

Edna Morris Edna or EDNA may refer to: Places United States *Edna, California, a census-designated place *Edna Lake, Idaho * Edna, Iowa, an unincorporated town in Lyon County *Edna Township, Cass County, Iowa *Edna, Kansas, a city * Edna, Kentucky, an uni ...

as Mrs. Muller *

Fanny Carby Fanny Carby (2 February 1925 – 20 September 2002) was a British character actress. She had two different roles on ''Coronation Street'': she played Mary Hornigold in 1965, then in 1987 she took the role of Vera Duckworth's domineering mot ...

as Barmaid * Renee Houston as 1st Woman at Party * Caroline Blakiston as 2nd Woman at Party

Production

Carlo Ponti Carlo Fortunato Pietro Ponti Sr. (11 December 1912 – 9 January 2007) was an Italian film producer with more than 140 productions to his credit. Along with Dino De Laurentiis, he is credited with reinvigorating and popularizing Italian cinema ...

originally sent Jennifer Jones a script written by

Ugo Liberatore Ugo Liberatore (26 September 1927 – 21 June 2012) was an Italian screenwriter and film director. He contributed to more than forty films since 1960. Selected filmography References External links * {{DEFAULTSORT:Liberatore, Ugo 1927 ...

suggesting she appear in it alongside her son Robert Walker Jr, playing mother and son. However Jones was reluctant to play the mother of her own son and declined. Joseph E. Levine acquired the script, had it rewritten by an English writer and signed Kim Stanley to star. Three days before filming was to begin Stanley fell ill; the producers offered the role to Jones who accepted.

had earlier directed the 1961 film ''

A Raisin in the Sun ''A Raisin in the Sun'' is a play by Lorraine Hansberry that debuted on Broadway in 1959. The title comes from the poem "Harlem" (also known as "A Dream Deferred") by Langston Hughes. The story tells of a black family's experiences in south Chi ...

''. This Jennifer Jones film was rarely aired on TV. This was the first film Jones made after her husband David O. Selznick died the previous year. It was mostly shot in London.

Music

The soundtrack by

John Dankworth Sir John Phillip William Dankworth, CBE (20 September 1927 – 6 February 2010), also known as Johnny Dankworth, was an English jazz composer, saxophonist, clarinettist and writer of film scores. With his wife, jazz singer Dame Cleo Laine, he ...

includes "The Idol," "Empty Arms and Empty Heart," "The Party" and others. During the seduction scene, Marco plays a record of

Vivaldi Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) was an Italian composer, virtuoso violinist and impresario of Baroque music. Regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers, Vivaldi's influence during his lifetime was widespread a ...

's "Winter" from ''The Four Seasons''.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Idol, The 1966 films British drama films 1966 drama films Films directed by Daniel Petrie Embassy Pictures films Films scored by John Dankworth 1960s English-language films 1960s British films