- Awards
- 1 nomination total
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
There are several interweaving plot lines to this film, and none of them seem to go anywhere. The basic plot line is that Mike Thompson (Tony Britton), a young socialite who is engaged to be married, picks up Nadja Tiller in a London pub. The pair have an affair which all but ruins Thompson's life.
Everything about this film is unreal. I have been in many London pubs, and I can assure anyone reading this that the possibility of seeing anyone like Nadja Tiller in a London pub, let alone of picking her up, is about as remote as the Antarctic.
The direction is so-so, the acting and casting is OK. Tony Britton's part is a bit of a nonentity. Nadja Tiller is hot, and one wonders if the muddled film is due not to incompetence but to the scissors of the overzealous British film censors. But at the end of the film you find yourself asking yourself: "What was that all about?"
Everything about this film is unreal. I have been in many London pubs, and I can assure anyone reading this that the possibility of seeing anyone like Nadja Tiller in a London pub, let alone of picking her up, is about as remote as the Antarctic.
The direction is so-so, the acting and casting is OK. Tony Britton's part is a bit of a nonentity. Nadja Tiller is hot, and one wonders if the muddled film is due not to incompetence but to the scissors of the overzealous British film censors. But at the end of the film you find yourself asking yourself: "What was that all about?"
Nadja Tiller, fresh from playing a blackmailing callgirl in 'Das Madchen Rosemarie' (1958) played a blonde tease in this screen version of the 1951 novel by the nephew of W.Somerset Maugham which amply demonstrates that he was another chip off the old block.
Tony Britton goes to pieces over blonde slattern Tiller as Lawrence Harvey would five years later over Kim Novak in Ken Hughes' version of 'Of Human Bondage' and James Fox would over Sarah Miles in 'The Servant'.
Enhanced by noirish photography by Otto Heller, there's a remarkable amount of sex talk; and Donald Wolfit again represents the cynicism and venality of the establishment as he had just done in 'Room at the Top'.
Tony Britton goes to pieces over blonde slattern Tiller as Lawrence Harvey would five years later over Kim Novak in Ken Hughes' version of 'Of Human Bondage' and James Fox would over Sarah Miles in 'The Servant'.
Enhanced by noirish photography by Otto Heller, there's a remarkable amount of sex talk; and Donald Wolfit again represents the cynicism and venality of the establishment as he had just done in 'Room at the Top'.
THE ROUGH AND THE SMOOTH is a low budget British drama from 1959 featuring direction from B-movie honcho Robert Siodmak. In fact, the movie has quite an international feel to it, featuring a supporting role for US stalwart William Bendix and a leading part for Austrian actress Nadja Tiller, playing the femme fatale of the piece. There are also minor turns for British talent including Donald Wolfit (as a sleazy journalist), Adrienne Corri, and an incredibly youthful Geoffrey Bayldon, although I missed spotting the latter.
The problem with this film is that it's quite uninteresting. A boring young gent starts on an affair with a notorious woman, and that's about all that happens. There's no suspense and not much in the way of drama, just lots of pub visits and people sitting around talking. British B-movies are usually a lot more fun than this one, which feels stodgy and dull throughout. It may have been quite controversial at the time due to some rather frank portrayals of sex and sexuality, but nowadays it's quite tame.
The problem with this film is that it's quite uninteresting. A boring young gent starts on an affair with a notorious woman, and that's about all that happens. There's no suspense and not much in the way of drama, just lots of pub visits and people sitting around talking. British B-movies are usually a lot more fun than this one, which feels stodgy and dull throughout. It may have been quite controversial at the time due to some rather frank portrayals of sex and sexuality, but nowadays it's quite tame.
When this film began, I thought it offered a less coy approach to sex than most 1950s film, but it turned out to be far more misogynistic. None of the women were favourably presented. It was redeemed, however, by Nadja Tiler's acting, which was quite extraordinary!
A young archaeologist, maneuvered into an engagement he does not quite want, encounters a stunning blonde with a German accent and decides to kick over the traces, much to the surprise of anyone (except, maybe, the blonde). He becomes agitated when the young lady's colorful past starts to intrude itself on his comfortable existence, and is truly appalled when he has the true PORTRAIT OF A SINNER. Will our hero nonetheless benefit from his dance with his dark side, or will our heroine drag him into the mire of her turbulent world?
There is a lot of good in this little bit of Brit Noir, including a script that is a lot more adult than usual for 1959. Since the adult bits are handled with wit, it comes across as sophisticated (and funny) rather than coarse. William Bendix, as the vulgar fellow who may or may not be our femme fatale's employer, adds some unique art design, as well as quite a good performance, to the mix. Also featured is some really good repartee. The problem is that there really is not all that much going on here, other than the tale of a lucky young man who wants a little naughty with his luck, before he takes up his rightful place in society. As a result, you might find yourself just a shade disappointed at the end of it all, despite the obvious talent involved.
There is a lot of good in this little bit of Brit Noir, including a script that is a lot more adult than usual for 1959. Since the adult bits are handled with wit, it comes across as sophisticated (and funny) rather than coarse. William Bendix, as the vulgar fellow who may or may not be our femme fatale's employer, adds some unique art design, as well as quite a good performance, to the mix. Also featured is some really good repartee. The problem is that there really is not all that much going on here, other than the tale of a lucky young man who wants a little naughty with his luck, before he takes up his rightful place in society. As a result, you might find yourself just a shade disappointed at the end of it all, despite the obvious talent involved.
Did you know
- TriviaThe hotel used by the lovers was previously used in The Traitor [1957] and would later appear as: 1. the tennis club in School For Scoundrels [1960]; 2. Jane's house in "The Nudist Story" [5/60]; 3. Rod Taylor's training ground in The Liquidator [1965]; 4. the Eatons' house in The Devil Rides Out [1968]; 5. "The Elizabethan Hotel" in The Avengers S7 Episode 20 "Wish You Were Here" [12/2/69]; 6. Paul Kirstner's house in Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) Episode 7 "Murder Ain't What It Used To Be" [2/11/69]; 7. "Merstham Manor" in Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) Episode 9 "The House on Haunted Hill" [16/11/69]; 8. garden for croquet in Department S 2/8 The Perfect Operation [26/11/69]; 9. Mrs Howe's house in Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) Episode 14 "Who Killed Cock Robin?" [21/12/69]; 10. the house named "Marling Dale" Byrom Blain is chauffeured to at the start of the episode in Department S 2/14 "The Bones of Byrom Blain" [28/1/70]; 11. the house used as base by Carter and Drieker in Department S 2/19 "A Ticket to Nowhere" [11/3/70]; 12. the house used by Ralph Bates & Judy Geeson in Fear In The Night [1972]; 13. the restaurant visited by Strand in Special Branch S4 Episode 12 "Diversion" [2/5/74]; 14. Green's house in The Professionals 2/5 In The Public Interest [4/11/78] and 15. the honeymoon hotel in Hammer House of Mystery & Suspense episode 1 Mark of The Devil [5/9/84].
- Quotes
Mike Thompson: You beautiful, blonde bitch!
- ConnectionsFeatured in Trailer Cinema (1992)
- How long is Portrait of a Sinner?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Das Bittere und das Süße
- Filming locations
- MGM British Studios, Elstree Way, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK(studio: made at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer British Studios Boreham Wood, England.)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime
- 1h 36m(96 min)
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content