Any movie fan who has enjoyed watching The Remains of the Day should also view the 1973 film TheHireling, a far more obscure production that nonetheless had been praised by critics at the time of its release (it also shared the Palm d'Or grand prize with Scarecrow at Cannes that year). Like Remains, The Hireling explores the rigid class structure in Great Britain. The film is set in the 1920s, a period when social mobility in England was limited by virtual caste-like economic barriers. Lady Helen Franklin (Sarah Miles) is a young woman who returns to her elegant country estate (and her snobbish and unfeeling mother) after a stay in a sanitarium where she was recovering from a nervous breakdown following the death of her husband. The fragile Helen finds it difficult to return to a normal life and shuns attempts to reintroduce her to the upper crust crowd she once associated with. She forms a friendly bond with Steven Ledbetter (Robert Shaw), a working man who is proud of the fact that he owns his own car hire company. The enterprise consists of a couple of cars and precisely one chauffeur- Ledbetter himself, as well as a helper who serves as a mechanic. Ledbetter is hired to drive Lady Franklin on pleasant outings in the countryside as well as the occasional picnic. The two form a friendship and before long Lady Franklin breaks social barriers by sitting upfront with Ledbetter- a development that starts tongues wagging in gossip circles.
Over the course of the story, Ledbetter dares to imagine that the obsessive romantic interest he has developed for Lady Franklin is secretly shared by her. This sets in motion a series of events with Ledbetter trying to summon the nerve to express his feelings for her. Before he can do so, however, she is actively wooed by a handsome young artistocrat, Captain Hugh Cantrip (Peter Egan), an opportunist who is trying to use his distinguished military record as a stepping stone for a political career. Ledbetter has to silently endure chauffeuring the couple to various high society functions, while he is constantly reminded of his status as an employee. He becomes especially disturbed when his outings with Lady Franklin all but disappear as she spends more time with Cantrip. When Ledbetter discovers that Cantrip is a womanizer who is merely using Lady Franklin's social status to enhance his political ambitions, he comes to a dramatic decision that leads to the film's powerful conclusion.
The Hireling is about unrequited love told in a heartfelt and moving way. We recognize early on that Ledbetter's dream of establishing a romantic relationship with the woman he adores is more than likely doomed. Neither he or Lady Franklin are villains, but both of them are flawed human beings. Ledbetter's tendency to turn to drink in times of personal turmoil leads to making disastrous decisions; Lady Franklin's naive belief in Cantrip leads to their engagement- and she remains in denial of his unfaithfulness despite being presented with convincing evidence. The film is sensitively directed by Alan Bridges, who had been heretofore primarily known for his work in the British television industry. (Surprisingly, the critical success of this movie did not lead to a fruitful career in feature films.) The production values are excellent, adding immeasurably to establishing a convincing sense of period; Michael Reed's cinematography is superb and the script by Wolf Mankowitz (based on a novel) is brimming with terrific dialogue. The real pleasure of the movie, however, is watching two of England's best actors- Shaw and Miles- in their prime and delivering magnificent performances.
The Hireling is, in the end, a soap opera....but a grand one, indeed.
Sony has released the film as a burn-to-order DVD title. The quality is excellent, though there are no extras.
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