Harlequin

As a long-time fan of Robert Powell, I have to say he was fantastic in this little known film, which I saw under the title "Dark Forces." The actor's ability is far under rated -why, I'll never know. This tale of a mysterious being entering the lives of a family was curiously spiritual as well as supernatural. I even found Powell quoting a line from his masterpiece "Jesus of Nazareth." There were some unanswered questions in the film, but I wasn't bothered by this. After all, the supernatural leaves a lot of gaps for us to dwell on and come up with our own conclusions.

harlequin is a fun film and very entertaining. It's problem is that it seems to get a bit confused as to what it's all about. Robert powell, one of the most underused talents of modern times, shies as Wolfe, and there are some excellent moments exploiting his strengths, such as those intense blue eyes and angelic yet sinister demeanour. A scene at the start with Powell as a clown is particularly intriguing. The Rasputin illusions are noticeable, but here is where the film's weakness lies. Unlike Rasputin, who was gaining control of the affairs of no less than the Tsar of russia, Gregory wolfe hewre seems to be fascinated by a minor Australian politician, and when we can see what he is capable of himself one can't help thinking that Nick must seem a rather trivial target for his talents. It would be interesting to speculate that unlike us, Wolfe can see that nick will become important in the future and therefore warrants the attention he is being given but there is no attempt made in the film to explain this. Wolfe's relationship with Sandra is equally baffling, veering at random from rejection to seduction. The locations are generally rather dull and the film looks cumbersome, there being little elegance in the composition, all muddy colour and blocks of contrasting images, like a 70s American commercial. But on the plus side, the story keeps one intrigued, Powell is fascinating, his appearance in the window, distorted, is superb, and the final scene with Hemmings at his mercy in the house is pretty chilling. Certainly a good discussion can ensue after viewing for those in the mood!

A movie of wonder, magic, and intrigue, "Harlequin" or "Dark Forces" is a force to be reckoned with. At a birthday party, a boy named Alex(Mark Spain) who suffers from leukemia gets to meet a clown who entertains everyone. That night, a man named Gregory Wolfe(Robert Powell) enters the house and cures the son. Skeptics including the father and his political cronies would try anything to discredit the faith healer. Wolfe performed many feats that would mesmerize. Many would think that there are tricks behind his acts. But no one has ever been able to figure it out. This movie is about magic and political intrigue. What you see is a slight of hand. Being from Australia is something that I like to see. At least it's not a Mad Max film. Don't try to figure out the tricks in the film. Otherwise, you just might disappear! 3 out of 5 stars

Clearly not the greatest film ever made but very clear that a lot went into this to make it that little bit different. If it has a bit of a TV movie look to it that is because of the limited location shooting, much in the same rooms, and not because of the acting which is solid. Broderick Crawford holds his own, apparently with a little help from booze in between scenes, but David Hemmings and Robert Powell are very good indeed. I understand Hemmings also had a bit of a drink problem but it clearly didn't affect his acting here and as for Powell, I have never understood why he never made it so much bigger, maybe he got typecast as Jesus. There is much to enjoy here amid the magic and mayhem and with a convincing performance from the young boy and various shocks and surprises this is well worth a look. There, and I haven't even mentioned that it is Australian or that it is loosely based upon the story of Rasputin and the Czar!

A senator and his wife in SoCal (David Hemmings and Carmen Duncan) are puzzled by the sudden appearance of a peculiar man (Robert Powell) who seems to have the power to heal their son suffering from leukemia. Broderick Crawford is on hand as a looming political kingpin.

Shot in 1979, "Harlequin" debuted in Australia in 1980, but didn't make it to America until 1983-84. It was inspired by Grigori Rasputin, the mystic and faith healer who influenced the imperial family in Saint Petersburg in prerevolutionary Russia from 1906 till his assassination in late 1916. This was meshed with the harlequin from Italian theater. What makes the flick interesting is that the eponymous character is played by the actor who played Jesus Christ in the television epic "Jesus of Nazareth" a few years earlier. Interestingly, David Bowie was originally intended for the challenging role.

While shot in Perth, producers disguised this fact to boost international sales, making the setting of the story America with references to American states and the political system thereof. This was helped by the inclusion of British and American actors, as well as Alan Cassell's voice being dubbed into an American accent. Doing this was controversial because the film was made with money from Australian taxpayers. Nevertheless, viewers KNOW it's not America once Sandra Rast gets into her car and drives from the right side (lol).

While some parts of the score are dated and questionable, there are enough intriguing elements for those interested. Alyson Best appears in a few scenes and is a highlight on the beauty front. Meanwhile the senator played by Hemmings comes off as Trump in his 50s.

It runs 1 hour, 35 minutes, and is also known as "Dark Forces" and "The Minister's Magician."

GRADE: B-