Title: A Study in Psyhopathology, Marred by Burton's Showy Performance
Product review: Very much minor Losey, this film, based on actual events, looks at the events leading up to the assassination of Trotsky in Mexico in 1940. Alain Delon is very good in the film, while Losey, true to form, has a particular ability to create suspense through minimalist techniques - remember THE SERVANT as another example. However the film is spoiled for me by Richard Burton's mannered performance in the central role. While he could be a great actor in certain films - even CLEOPATRA is watchable, in a macabre kind of way - he also made some terrible films. If he wasn't kept under a firm directorial hand, he could end up being terribly hammy. This film offers a prime example.
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