Joseph Losey’s 1963 “The Servant”

Class struggles, homoerotic undertones, incestuous flirtations, and psychologically perverse power dynamics make Joseph Losey’s (b.1909-1984) The Servant a film that aims to provoke and titillate the senses! Tony (James Fox), a British Aristocrat, hires Barrett (Dirk Bogarde) to be his manservant as he renovates his new London townhome. Tony becomes easily smitten by Barrett’s diligence and impeccable taste until things go awry once Barrett convinces Tony that his sister (Sarah Miles) joins the house as well to serve as a maid. Her presence only makes the psychosexual tension in the household worse as the role of master and servant begins to reverse as Tony starts to rely on Barrett more each day, creating a splinter in his relationship with his fiancée, Susan (Wendy Craig), who feels threatened by Barrett’s overbearing presence. Beautifully shot within the tight confines of their apartment, the camera focuses on reflections in mirrors and shadows, with tight angles illuminating the claustrophobic atmosphere of Barrett’s insidious power games that ultimately trap Tony in a nightmare within his own home.

Thrilling and suspenseful, The Servant is a dark, comedic satire on class, sexuality, and power, with the brilliant Dirk Bogarde captivating the screen in one of his most sensual and devilish roles. Losey struggled with issues of power and freedom in his personal life after being blacklisted by Hollywood in the 1950s, which led him to relocate to the UK, where he would produce the remainder of his films. The Servant marked the beginning of a close collaboration between Losey and Nobel Prize-winning writer Harold Pinter, who together created some of the most successful films of his career.