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Klute (1971)
Starring: Jane Fonda, Donald Sutherland, Charles Cioffi, Roy
Scheider
Plot: A small-town detective searching for a missing man has
only one lead: a connection with a New York prostitute.
My Review and Thoughts:
One man is missing. Two girls lie dead. ...and someone
breathing on the other end of the phone.
This flawless acted film of the 70’s still holds today as it did then. Truly a wonderful mystery suspense film with dramatic overtones of perfect acting from Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland. Their acting is a powerhouse performance that graces this film with all their master talented expertise in the art of performing. Both are gifted in the extremes of creating characters that are believable and relatable. This film is extraordinary for its touchy subject matter. Jane Fonda won an Oscar for this performance as a call girl want to be actress. She is extraordinary in this part and creates the character in detail and makes you experience her reality and her overall concept of the struggle of life and her obsession with being in control.
Klute is a Private Detective in search of a missing man
named Tom Gruneman. He was hired by the wife and friend of Tom. The mystery
thickens when letters of a vulgar and obscene nature are found in Tom’s office
directed to a prostitute named Bree (Jane Fonda) in New York. After a year of
being missing Klute is hired and begins the investigation into the
disappearance. Klute soon joins with Bree to find and seek out just what
happened and what the mystery is.
You have a full ensemble cast of characters in this film.
Wonderful actors throughout cinema history. As I stated before the wonderful
Donald Sutherland who is a true iconic master of acting and also the wonderful
Jane Fonda. The one and only master talented Roy Schneider.
Also some really cool cameo appearances in this film, the
one and only cult pop-culture goddess from Andy Warhol fame Candy Darling. The
wonderful extraordinary actress from All in the Family TV fame Jean Stapleton.
Now there needs no introduction to the director of this film
for he is possibly one of the greatest iconic, amazing, flawless and perfect
with perfection at creating memorable films. Alan J. Pakularom created the
classic black-and-white tour de force, To Kill a Mockingbird, to the
extraordinary All the Presidents Men. Mastering such greats as Sophie's Choice
and Presumed Innocent. Now Klute is part of what is known as his "paranoia
trilogy". The other are All the Presidents Men and The Parallax View. He was one of those directors that stood out
and captured what he wanted to capture on film. He had his own style. He had
his own way with creating a film that the viewer became a part of, in all its
drama or its sadness or its mystery or most of all its flawlessly performed
acting. He knew how to direct his performers. He sadly passed away by a really
freak weird and odd accident. He was driving and in front of him a car struck a
metal bar. The metal bar went through the windshield, striking him in the head,
making him crash. He died instantly, but as long as his legacy lives on through
his many extraordinary films such as this one I am reviewing, then he'll always
be remembered by my movie loving mind.
Klute is a thick story induced powerhouse of mystery and
acting. Jane Fonda is amazing as a prostitute, call girl. The music score is a
story in itself. A mix of flowing sound and a dread of fear and thriller style.
Mastered by film score composer Michael Small. Small knew how to create and
craft moving music. Sadly his passion stopped when he died at the young age of
64. He left a stunning historical music legacy with The Parallax View, The
Stepford Wives, Night Moves, Marathon Man, Audrey Rose, The Driver, and The
China Syndrome. His music was edgy, tight and left a fear reality to the listener.
He was able to create a flowing thriller sound in Klute. He captured the art of
what suspense would sound like, if it was sound. His ability to make an
expression in music for the film he was composing left an art form to the ears.
He gave sound to emotions.
Besides Jane Fonda winning an Oscar for her sultry and sexy
smooth performance this also was nominated for Best Writing, Story and
Screenplay Based on Factual Material or Material Not Previously Published or
Produced. Fonda also won awards from the New York Film Critics Circle, Kansas
City Film Critics Circle and the National Society of Film Critics.
Klute is a dark and edgy film that makes itself known in all
its twists and turns.