Review of A Tale of Two Cities

I cannot deny that this film is brilliantly made and Dirk Bogarde gave arguably gave the best performance of his career alongside Losey's ' The Servant. ' But I would also argue that this film, alongside the others that came after it are popular because they see a handsome young man and woman, who could be lovers, embracing each other in a tumbril that is leading them to the Guillotine. The woman is in fact mutely terrified and their kiss on the lips in this 1958 version is to ease the moments of extreme terror to follow. Also in this version it ends with a blackout and then THE END just after the knife has fallen. This is horror and yet it got a ' U ' certificate for any child with cash in their pockets to see it alone. I was eight when I saw it and was traumatised. Only now do I ask myself the question ' do people get a repressed sexual thrill out of this ? ' A question open to debate and despite the great Dorothy Tutin as the woman Bogarde in his role of doing the ' best thing in his life ' I dislike this film intensely. Even the poster indulges in the sadistic experience of a handsome couple steeling themselves to decapitation. 4 for the 100% professionalism of the making of it.