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Hoffman (film)

From Alfawiki
Hoffman
Company typeFilm
IndustryFilm industry
Founded1970
FounderAlvin Rakoff (director)
ProductsDrama film
ParentAssociated British Picture Corporation

Hoffman is a British drama film from 1970, directed by Alvin Rakoff and featuring performances by Peter Sellers, Sinéad Cusack, Ruth Dunning, and Jeremy Bulloch. Created with a budget below £500,000, the storyline revolves around an older corporate executive who coerces a young woman into spending a week in his London apartment, hoping to win her affection away from her deceitful fiancé.

This film is particularly notable for presenting one of Sellers' uncommon serious roles, diverging from his usual comedic appearances.

Plot

Janet informs her fiancé Tom that she needs to visit her ill grandmother but instead goes to Hoffman's residence. Hoffman, a recently divorced senior executive at the company where Janet works, uses blackmail involving incriminating evidence against Tom to compel Janet to stay with him for a week. While Hoffman desires Janet, he relies on mental manipulation rather than physical force. Initially naive, Janet begins to resist his control and even taunts him sexually, highlighting his inability to respond.

After receiving an anonymous tip from Hoffman, Tom arrives searching for Janet. She leaves with Tom; however, when Tom and his mother prioritize their own interests over Janet’s safety, she chooses to return to Hoffman. Subsequently, she negotiates conditions to become his permanent companion.

Cast

Call Me Daddy

In 1967, the television play Call Me Daddy, featuring Donald Pleasence and Judy Cornwell, was broadcast as part of the Armchair Theatre series. Written by Ernest Gébler and directed by Alvin Rakoff, it earned an international Emmy Award for best entertainment program. Gébler later transformed the play into a stage production and subsequently into the novel Shall I Eat You Now?, published in 1969.

Development

Producer Ben Arbeid secured the screen rights for Gébler's novel and paid £21,000 for the screenplay. Peter Sellers signed on as lead actor, initially supported by Columbia Pictures, who eventually withdrew their backing. The project was then taken over by Bryan Forbes, newly appointed head of production at Associated British under EMI. Forbes insisted that director Alvin Rakoff remain attached despite Sellers’ initial doubts; Sellers finally agreed and collaborated well with Rakoff. Forbes noted that Sellers accepted a reduced salary of £85,000, making him the highest-paid actor during Forbes’ tenure at MGM. Financing was partially provided by British Lion Films.

Judy Cornwell, who appeared in the original TV play, disclosed that Sellers preferred casting a lesser-known actress rather than her for the female lead; although Arbeid considered Cornwell as an alternative, she declined. The leading female role was ultimately given to Sinéad Cusack, fresh from her performance in David Copperfield. Jane Asher was also considered for the part.

In August 1969, Forbes announced that Hoffman would be produced featuring Cusack and Sellers under Associated British Picture Corporation. It was among the first films approved during Forbes’ leadership and was the third production to start filming after And Soon the Darkness and The Man Who Haunted Himself. Forbes described Hoffman as "the first British-financed film Peter Sellers has participated in recently."

Filming

Production took place between 8 September and 24 November 1969, with seven weeks spent at Elstree Studios and an additional week filming on location at Thames Embankment and Wimbledon Common. Gelber was removed from the set after expressing excessive criticism towards both the producer and director.

Director Alvin Rakoff mentioned that Sellers initially intended to portray the character with a comedic Austrian accent but was eventually convinced to adopt a more serious approach. Despite this, Sellers interpreted Hoffman as a somber and lethargic figure, insisting on a moody demeanor even though Rakoff urged for a livelier tempo.

It was reported that Sellers harbored strong dislike for the character of Hoffman, as the role reflected aspects of his own personality. Producer Ben Arbeid observed that Hoffman's feelings of isolation and insecurity closely paralleled Sellers’ personal traits, making the part emotionally demanding. Sellers chose to perform without makeup or voice modification, which heightened the psychological strain.

Rakoff also revealed that during filming, Sellers and co-star Sinead Cusack embarked on a brief but intense romantic involvement.

Release

Bryan Forbes recalled that during production, Sellers experienced a manic depressive episode and sought to repurchase the film’s negative in order to remake it. When this proved impossible, Sellers publicly condemned the film as a failure prior to its release, damaging its chances despite commendable performances and skilled direction.

Producer Ben Arbeid stated that although Sellers had opportunities to view and discuss the completed film, his sole intention was to have it destroyed. Arbeid suggested that Sellers’ wish to buy and eliminate prints arose from recognizing uncomfortable personal reflections in his character rather than feelings of embarrassment.

The film encountered censorship challenges but was ultimately assigned an AA rating. Released in July 1970, it underperformed commercially, partly due to inadequate distribution caused by disputes between Bryan Forbes and EMI’s Bernard Delfont. Arbeid described the project as atypical for Sellers, while Delfont dismissed it alongside other EMI productions as significant failures.

Sinead Cusack later commented that the film "simply didn’t succeed," attributing this to its expansion from a television play and Sellers’ dissatisfaction. The original play Call Me Daddy was performed in Dublin in 1975. The film did not receive a screening in New York until 1982.

Home media

In January 2022, Powerhouse Films issued the movie on Blu-ray disc.

Critical reception

Variety labeled the film "a disappointment... a minor effort revealing clear signs of its television play origins," noting that while Sellers’ name might boost sales, achieving success would be difficult.

The Cambridge Evening News commended the "flawless performances," whereas the Birmingham Evening Mail considered it Sellers’ finest work in several years. In contrast, The Guardian described it as "tedious, uncertain, and desperately dull." The Sunday Mirror criticized the screenplay as "agonizing," implying that Sellers was either miscast or misdirected. The Lancashire Telegraph called it "an odd little curate’s egg of a film—cleverly written and well acted but undermined by an implausible central character and strange plot points." The Daily Telegraph found Sellers’ role disagreeable but saved by Sinead Cusack’s portrayal. Sight and Sound observed "sharp nervous dialogue stretched thinly over an extended version of a more confined TV play."

Mike Sutton of the BFI regards this as one of Sellers’ most intriguing performances. Stephen Vagg from Filmink described the film as a challenging-to-define comedy, recognizing strong work from both Sellers and Cusack while emphasizing the unsettling tone of the material and its risky nature from a production perspective.

References

  • Bryan Forbes, A Divided Life: Memoirs, Mandarin, London, 1993, ISBN 9780749308841
  • Roger Lewis, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, Applause, 1997, ISBN 9781557832481
  • Michael Sellers, P.S. I Love You: An Intimate Portrait of Peter Sellers, E.P. Dutton, New York, 1982, ISBN 978-0525241232
  • Ed Sikov, Mr. Strangelove, Hyperion, 2002, ISBN 9780786866649
  • Alexander Walker, Peter Sellers, the Authorized Biography, Macmillan, New York, 1981, ISBN 9780026229609

External links

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