Matrixiole Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

Voxitype Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

Guillelmina The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Jenni Devyn Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

Claudio Carvalho In Toronto, the methodical and lonely bank teller Miles Cullen (Elliott Gould) works in a bank in a shopping mall. He feels unrequited love for his coworker Julie Carver (Susannah York) but she is having a love affair with the married bank manager Charles Packard (Michael Kirby). One day, Cullen discovers a note on the counter indicating that the bank will be robbed and he soon identifies the handwriting of a Santa Claus in the mall as the author of the note. However he does not tell the police about of his findings and he hides a large amount of cash in his lunch box. When the thief heists the bank, he keeps the money for him. Soon the thief Harry Reikle (Christopher Plummer), who is a psychopath, tracks Cullen down, breaks in his apartment and threatens him to give the robbed money to him. However Cullen sets Reikle up and he is arrested for stealing a van. Meanwhile Cullen's father dies and he meets his nurse Elaine Muriel (Céline Lomez) at the funeral. They have a love affair and Cullen finds that she is working with Reikle that is in jail. But she is in love with Cullen and helps him to recover the key of the safety deposit box that he had lost. But soon Reikle is released from jail. What will happen to Cullen and Elaine? "The Silent Partner" is one of the best thrillers from the 70's, with an intelligent story and top-notch performances. Christopher Plummer is scary in the role of psychopath. The gorgeous Susannah York and Céline Lomez have important participations. Elliott Could steals the show with another brilliant performance. The unforgettable John Candy has a minor role in the plot. The cat-and-mouse game between Elliott Gould and Christopher Plummer is breathless and increases the intensity along the story. After almost forty years, this film has not lost the impact. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "Parceiro do Silêncio" (VHS)("Silent Partner")

lathe-of-heaven Oh yes, this one is quite good. Very low key at first, but cleverly done. I'm impressed mainly because I usually do NOT like films from this period, unless they are all out Crime-Thriller / Grindhouse movies. Usually, during this time period the acting, and especially the writing is horribly dated, not to mention the extremely painful visual style of the time. BUT... I must admit that SOMEHOW this director had enough sense and forward vision to keep the aesthetics and tone of the actors and the film tightly engaging and powerfully gripping! I just watched a lovely HD print of the film and it looks VERY good, especially for it's age. The first few shots are kinda grainy and rough, but then the rest of the film looks great!I don't even usually care for Elliot Gould's super bland style, but his performance here really does suit his character and fits well with the overall theme and tone of the film.WAY more clever, tightly paced, believable, and MUCH, MUCH more satisfying than most films of this type made at this time. But, don't let the low key mood fool you; there are indeed some shocking jolts along the way. Christopher Plummer is quite a chilling and effective bad guy...If you like caper films and cat & mouse intrigue, you should very much enjoy this movie. But... Do NOT expect the 'OCEAN'S 11' type of playful style at all. Nor is it even like the edgier 'CONFIDENCE' No, no... This one is deadly serious. But, with just the slightest touch of jet black humour in one or two places.Most enjoyable and satisfying; highly recommended!

Scott LeBrun This rather ingenious movie, based on the novel "Think of a Number" by Anders Bodelsen, has a story, complete with fun twists and turns, that really keeps the viewer watching. Elliott Gould stars as bank teller Miles Cullen, held up by psychotic criminal Harry Reikle (Christopher Plummer). Unfortunately for Reikle, he doesn't obtain his entire potential take because Miles has already figured out a clever way to steal from the bank himself. When the robber realizes he was screwed, he's enraged and the two characters indulge in a battle of wits, with each man making moves that surprise the other. It's this whole interplay between these characters that provides this movie with some real meat, and it just goes to show that some people can't be taken at face value, are capable of daring actions, and may be far more crafty than we believe. On location shooting in Toronto is an asset (it's quite clear this takes place in Canada from the get go), as well as a cracking pace and a number of riveting scenes. Gould is nicely understated, as the unlikely thief, and Plummer, in one of his more interesting roles (it's cool to actually hear him curse out Gould), is damn convincing. Miles' bravado extends to his aggressively pursuing both Julie Carver (Susannah York), a co-worker and the mistress of his boss (Michael Kirby), and Elaine (Celine Lomez, an exquisite lady who even does some full frontal nudity), who's not what she initially appears to be. While the occasional bursts of brutal violence are indeed a little jarring, they do go a long way in showing the utter depravity and ruthlessness of the Reikle character. The screenplay is by Curtis Hanson, who also takes an associate producer credit, and the taut direction is by Daryl Duke ("Payday"). It's also fun to see a young John Candy in one of his earliest film roles; although he never gets to do much here, that inherent likability of his still comes through. The story here is a truly entertaining one, from its chilling robbery sequence wherein Reikle makes for an intimidating Santa Claus to his ugly confrontation with Elaine. This movie is a true sleeper that definitely deserves to be better known. Eight out of 10.

ReganRebecca If you're ever depressed and in need of a good comedy see The Silent Partner. It was marketed as a thriller but this movie falls into the "so bad it's brilliant" category. Elliot Gould plays a fish obsessed mild-mannered bank teller who manages to steal some cash off of his bank when it's held up by a mall Santa (played by a heavily mascarad Christopher Plummer). Susannah York joins the cast in a thankless role as a fellow bank teller who is inexplicably seduced by Gould. The main plot of the movie basically has Christopher Plummer mercilessly stalking Gould's character demanding the extra money which Gould has skimmed. It's basically an excuse to put Plummer in a series of increasingly bizarre outfits each more ridiculous then the one before it. I have no idea how this low budget movie was able to nab such incredible actors but it just makes the experience that much more fun. I don't think I've ever laughed as much in a movie theatre as I did with this movie. Hilarious campy fun.