If you feel like watching a thriller that is perfect in every element of the genre, George Schaefer’s Pendulum (1969) won’t disappoint you. The movie brings to the screen the classic crime-suspicion-pursuit-revelation storyline with a protagonist who doesn’t fail to capture the hearts and eyes of the audience.
Pendulum is the story of the accomplished and respected Captain Frank Matthews (George Peppard) of Washington D.C. police force whose wife’s rekindled affair with an old flame doesn’t escape his watchful eyes. As he spends a night away from home, his wife Adele (Jean Seberg) and her lover Brooks Elliot (Harry Lewis) are shot to death in bed together. Frank becomes the prime suspect. But did he really kill them out of jealous revenge?
If one wished to study multiple layers of character conflict in a screenplay, watching Pendulum by Stanley Niss (his last screenplay before death) would be a rewarding experience. Between Matthews and his wife, his colleagues, and himself – Niss created a character that is fighting on every major front of his life and career, and he can’t afford to lose.
Dialogue is also a strength of this movie with the natural, gripping, and memorable lines. Matthews’ character dominates every scene wherein he appears but all characters in the movie are given good lines that match their particular situation and the mood of the scene.
Last but not the least, the acting is beyond superb. George Peppard proves to be the ideal pick for playing Captain Frank Matthews. And in their respective appearances, praise is due for every actor’s work. They couldn’t fit more neatly in their roles.
Now if you are wondering why it’s called Pendulum, even after watching the movie, it’s worth your time to listen to the theme song “The Pendulum Swings Both Ways” by The Lettermen, or watch its video with stills from the movie for an appetizer.
