Cul-de-sac (1966)

Director:

Roman Polanski

Writers:

Gérard Brach (writer)
Roman Polanski (writer)

Release Date:

7 November 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

A wounded criminal and his dying partner take refuge at a beachfront castle. The owners of the castle...

Plot Keywords:

Castle | Partner | Coward | Chicken | Eccentric

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win

Cast

Donald Pleasence	...	George
Françoise Dorléac	...	Teresa
Lionel Stander	...	Richard
Jack MacGowran	...	Albie
Iain Quarrier	...	Christopher
Geoffrey Sumner	...	Christopher's Father
Renee Houston	...	Christopher's Mother
Robert Dorning	...	Philip Fairweather
Marie Kean	...	Marion Fairweather
William Franklyn	...	Cecil
Jacqueline Bisset	...	Jacqueline (as Jackie Bisset)
Trevor Delaney	...	Nicholas

Directed by
Roman Polanski

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Gérard Brach		writer (as Gerard Brach)
Roman Polanski		writer

Produced by
Gene Gutowski	....	producer
Michael Klinger	....	producer
Tony Tenser	....	producer
Sam Waynberg	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Krzysztof Komeda		(as Komeda)

Cinematography by
Gilbert Taylor

Film Editing by
Alastair McIntyre

Casting by
Maude Spector

Production Design by
Voytek

Art Direction by
George Lack

Makeup Department
Alan Brownie	....	makeup artist
Joyce James	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Robert Sterne	....	production supervisor
Don Weeks	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Roger Simons	....	first assistant director
Ted Sturgis	....	first assistant director
Stuart Black	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Alf Pegley	....	props
Gilbert Wood	....	scenic artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
David Campling	....	sound editor
Stephen Dalby	....	sound supervisor
Gerry Humphreys	....	dubbing mixer
George Stephenson	....	sound mixer
Ken Reynolds	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Les Bowie	....	special effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Roy Ford	....	camera operator
Jeff Seaholme	....	camera operator (as Geoffrey Seaholme)
Laurie Turner	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Bridget Sellers	....	wardrober

Editorial Department
Maxine Julius	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Other crew
Terry Glinwood	....	production controller
Michael Klinger	....	presenter
John Sutro	....	translator
Tony Tenser	....	presenter
Dee Vaughan	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Compton Films
• Tekli British Productions

Distributors

• Lii-Filmi (1966) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Globo Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• International Film Distributors (1967) (Canada)
• Nightmare Video (video)
• Sigma III Corp.
• Transmission Films Ltd. (2002) (worldwide) (internet)
• Zima Entertainment (2005) (Mexico) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Bowie Films

Also Known As:

Callejón sin salida (Mexico) (Spain) [es]
Wenn Katelbach kommt... (Switzerland: German title) (West Germany) [de]
Armadilha do Destino (Brazil) [pt]
Blind vej (Denmark) [da]
Cul-de-Sac - Återvändsgränden (Finland: Swedish title) [sv]
Djävulsk gisslan (Sweden) [sv]
Gislene (Norway) [no]
I nyhta ton dolofonon (Greece) [el]
Matnia (Poland) [pl]
Mavoy Satoom (Israel: Hebrew title) [iw]
Nyhta dolofonon (Greece) (reissue title) [el]
O Beco (Portugal) [pt]
Umpikuja (Finland) [fi]

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Norway:16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (re-release) | UK:15 | West Germany:16 (bw)

Filming Locations:

Holy Island of Lindisfarne, Northumberland, England, UK

Company:

Compton Films

Trivia:

Has one of the longest continuous sequences in cinematic history (at the time of release) at 7 mins 28 secs (the beach scene).

Quotes:

Albie: He's mad at us, isn't he?
Richard: He told me I was "mentally retiring", or something like that.
Albie: Yeah?
Richard: Yeah.
Albie: He's angry with us, isn't he?
Richard: He gave me Hell.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Chinatown: The Beginning and the End (2007) (V)

Efficient and striking

Brilliant movie. The choice of black and white, the unsophisticated plot, the peculiar setting all makes it a remarkably efficient and striking movie. Good moments of humor also peppers up the story. this is fortunate because some scenes are long indeed.