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Synopsis:
In London, a young American (Keir Dullea) tries to help his unwed sister (Carol Lynley) find her missing daughter, Bunny.
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Response to Peary’s Review:
This atmospheric, well-acted thriller plays upon two of our deepest fears: losing a child, and not being believed on a life-or-death issue. As Peary notes, director Otto Preminger does an excellent job portraying the difficulty of being taken seriously when one is an “outsider” — in this case, an American in London and an unwed mother. While many critics seem to dislike the film’s gut-wrenching denouement, I’ll admit I was so caught up in the story that I was easily able to overlook any gaps in logic or consistency.
P.S. In addition to the underrated So Long At the Fair (1950) — a similar film in which a young woman must convince those around her that a relative exists — Bunny Lake has an obvious parallel in the more recent but disappointingly inferior film The Forgotten (2004), starring Julianne Moore.
Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
- Creative opening titles by Saul Bass
- A suspenseful mystery with lots of “red herrings”
- Effective use of strange locales (such as the “doll hospital”)
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Laurence Olivier’s understated performance as a police detective on the case
Must See?
Yes. Though it’s not as famous as other Preminger classics, such as Laura (1944) or Anatomy of a Murder (1959), this cult thriller is well worth watching.
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Posted on August 21st, 2006 by admin
Filed under: Response Reviews
Good enough to be a once-must – doesn’t hold up well beyond that – and, to be appreciated, it’s best seen in LBX, as Denys Coop filmed it marvelously. The impediment to satisfaction here is twofold: the social no-no involved (it doesn’t take much to see it coming) is not as ‘under the rock’ as when Preminger made the film; the leads are less-than-perfect: Lynley does get better as the film progresses, but Dullea (better elsewhere: ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’, ‘The Fox’) seems unwieldy.
Acting-wise, it’s the supporting cast that boosts ‘Bunny’. Much-loved for his hammier performances, Olivier’s underplaying here grounds the film. Anna Massey (also good in ‘Peeping Tom’ and ‘Frenzy’) is dependable; Martita Hunt is delightful as the headmistress; Finlay Currie’s dollmaker is a small but solid plot device (“Love inflicts the most terrible injuries on my small patients.”); gay writer Noel Coward is aptly distasteful (“No autographs – but you may touch my garment.”) as the (hetero? bi?) landlord who at least flirts with S&M.
In spite of an odd transition, the last half-hour is a marvel of economy and the quick pace is welcome. Apparently, ‘Bunny’ is now being remade (!), with Reese Witherspoon. In the original, certain ‘what happened’ issues ultimately remain murky; I can only think that the remake will opt for a more modern, JonBenet Ramsey-esque turn.