(1983)
4
Lucia Bozzola
Adapted by Harold Pinter from his play, Betrayal (1983) recounts the story of a failed love affair in reverse chronological order, belying the fantasy that love conquers all. Beginning with a meeting between the former adulterous lovers a year after their break-up, and ending with the first fleeting acknowledgment of their attraction, the narrative is progressively clouded by the end of the affair between Emma (Patricia Hodge) and Jerry (Jeremy Irons), but also by the revelation of their treachery to Robert, Emma's husband and Jerry's best friend (Ben Kingsley). Pinter and director David Jones add poignancy to the relationship through the foreknowledge of its failure, turning the story's mystery into how the affair ended rather than how it will turn out. The superbly nuanced performances by the star trio similarly tap into the conflicted emotions of the couple's betrayal and the husband's double wronging. Voted Best Picture of the Year by the National Board of Review, Betrayal also earned Pinter an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Betrayal on AllMovie
Betrayal (1983)
