Eyewitness (1970 film)


Eyewitness is a 1970 British drama film directed by John Hough. The film is a British adaptation of a novel by Mark Hebden, the pen name for John Harris.
The plot is similar to Cornell Woolrich's novelette "The Boy Cried Murder", originally adapted for film as The Window.

Outline

Ziggy, a boy of about twelve, is an accidental witness to a killing on a Mediterranean island, after which he is attacked himself. He goes on the run with his older sister, Pippa, helped by their grandfather.

Cast

The film is based on a 1966 novel by Mark Hebden, which was set in France and concerned an assassination attempt on the French president. The New York Times called it "simple and predictable... but a good deal of charm and spirit in the storyline." The Spectator called it "a colourful, busy and suspenseful affair."
John Hough, who had made the film , learned that Bryan Forbes had taken over EMI Films and was interested in young filmmakers. He called Forbes and showed him his film at Forbes's office in Elstree. Forbes had a script called Eyewitness have given the project to Irving Allen to make and Paul Maslanksy to produce. Hough was assigned a direct. Forbes did some uncredited rewriting of the script.
The film includes music by Van der Graaf Generator.

Location

The film was shot entirely in Malta although in the movie the name of the nation is not given and the flag and coat of arms shown are different from Malta's.
Jonathan Demme was working as a rock journalist in London during filming and was hired by Irving Allen to be a musical co-ordinator on the film.

Reception

In December 1970, National General agreed to distribute the film in the United States

Critical

The New York Times called the film an "exasperating model of how not to film the fable of the boy who cried wolf...What ever happened to British restraint? The tone of the film is even more hysterical than the boy...Under John Hough's direction, the picture raucously careens after the sprinting lad, with the nervous color camera all but doing a back flip, plus a blaring score of eerie sounds and spookier rock 'n' roll. Worst of all, the screenplay continually cuts from the boy and his plight to some singularly dull adults."
The Los Angeles Times called it "thoroughly satisfying."

Box office

According to EMI records, the film performed "outstandingly" in Japan.

Adaptations

The film is the third of four versions of the story. The others are: