Harlequin (1980)

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Movie
German title harlequin
Original title Harlequin
Country of production Australia
original language English
Publishing year 1980
length 95 minutes
Age rating FSK 16
Rod
Director Simon Wincer
script Everett De Roche
production Antony I. Ginnane
music Brian May
camera Gary Hansen
cut Adrian Carr
occupation

Harlequin (Original title: Harlequin , in the US as Dark Forces known) is an Australian fantasy - thriller from the year 1980 with Robert Powell in the lead role.

The film is a modern interpretation of the myth about the Russian doctor Rasputin : the eponymous Harlequin is, just like Rasputin, with his first name Gregory. The Romanov family is also represented: the family of the politician, whom Gregory visits constantly, is called Rast (Tsar, i.e. tsar , read backwards).

action

Nick Rast becomes his successor following the mysterious death of a senator. In his private life, however, things are bad for him because his son Alex has cancer . The night after Alex's birthday, a stranger named Gregory Wolfe appears, who, to the great surprise of the Rasts and their doctor, heals their son.

After this event, the mysterious Wolfe comes more and more into the life of the Rasts: a stain appears on the kitchen floor that looks like Gregory and cannot be removed. Rast's wife Sandy is drawn to the man, while Alex develops a close friendship with him. Only Nick Rast is not happy about how much the stranger mixes into his private life. Gregory, who apparently has telekinetic powers, teaches Alex a few tricks, for example, during a trip in the Rasts limousine, they manage to break the windshield by humming together. However, Wolfe also tends to cross boundaries: As a kind of test, he holds Alex over the cliff, asks him how he feels and only sets him down when he replies that he feels death.

At an evening party in the Rasts' house, Wolfe appears unannounced and impresses the guests with magic tricks. But then he takes it too far when he pushes an old woman's tumor from her throat to her finger, cuts it off and eats it. Although the woman still has all her fingers and her tumor has disappeared, Mister Rast has had enough and has him arrested. Another reason for this is that he previously learned from his maid, Alice, that Wolfe had raped her in the bathroom. Shortly thereafter, Rast is met by his political advisor Dr. Wheelan, who was also present that evening, asked to meet. The Senator learns that Gregory was dressed as a clown at Alex's birthday party the day before he first appeared, where he gave him a piece of cake. Wheelan claims that Gregory mixed a drug into this cake that later simulated the symptoms of a cure. Shortly thereafter, Rast breaks up with his wife, whose relationship with Wolfe was already a thorn in his side.

Gregory managed to escape from prison that night. Dressed as a Harlequin , he sets off for the Rasts residence, where Nick is alone except for a few security guards, as his wife and son have moved away after the argument. Wolfe confronts Rast after intimidating him with his telekinetic tricks. He just wanted Mr. Rast to understand that he was only Dr. Wheelan's. He killed Rast's predecessor with the drug he had claimed Gregory gave Alex. He got it from Rast's family doctor. Rast cannot and will not believe him and asks him into the kitchen, with which he knowingly lures him into a trap set by Wheelan. Even though Wolfe knows that, he goes.

Suddenly the phone rings. It's his press assistant, Zoe. When Rast inquires about Gregory, she says, to his surprise, that she does not know him and tells him not to have slept with him. Nick then wants to warn Gregory about the trap, but comes too late: Wheelan's henchmen shoot Gregory in the kitchen. The stain that could not be removed before is casually wiped away. Then Wolfe suddenly gets up again and lunges at Wheelan, but is finally shot by his henchmen. His body is thrown into the water and drifts up to a group of children playing by the water who call the police.

Mr. Rast, who had to resign after the discovery of Gregory's body, sits alone in his villa, privately and professionally, while his wife and son play far away on the bank. Sandy is startled when her son suddenly wears the typical make-up of a harlequin. The stain on the kitchen floor in her house is also back; only now he no longer looks like Gregory, but like Alex.

Reviews

“A fantastic film condensed into a profound parable about the struggle between good and evil. Well constructed, staged and played. "

- Lexicon of international film

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Harlequin. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed April 10, 2019 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used