Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		3.5

The Offence Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov March 9, 2024

Sidney Lumet's "The Offence" (1972) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films. The supplemental features on the release include new program with assistant director Michael Stevenson; new program with composer Harrison Birtwistle; new program with sound mixer Simon Kaye; new video essay by critic Howard S. Berger; theatrical trailer; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

A very atmospheric slow-motion sequence shows veteran police Detective Sergeant Johnson (Sean Connery, The Great Train Robbery) interrogating a suspect (Ian Bannen, The Flight of the Phoenix) and then smashing his face. After Johnson is restrained by his colleagues, the film goes back in time and chronicles the events leading to the detention of the suspect.

Initially, Johnson is seen monitoring an elementary school in an area where three girls have been raped. Johnson is concerned because the place is too chaotic. Soon after, a girl is reported missing and Johnson and his colleagues begin searching for her. The girl is found, but because she is in a state of shock, Johnson is unable to get a good description of her attacker.

A local resident, however, contacts the police with helpful information and they arrest Kenneth Baxter. Johnson’s colleagues question him and when he eventually arrives at the police station tell him that there is no doubt that Baxter is their man. The old-timer also gets a chance to look Baxter in the eyes and quickly concludes that he is the wanted rapist.

After Johnson, the police chief appears and announces that Baxter will be charged only after enough evidence is presented that he could have raped the girls. The procedural mumbo jumbo annoys Johnson, and he sneaks in the room where Baxter is held and relieves the only guard there. Then he begins interrogating the Baxter without being authorized to do so. The exchanges are so intense that eventually the two men forget about the roles they are supposed to play – Johnson being the reputable cop and Baxter the innocent man. This is when Johnson smashes Baxter’s face and his colleagues rush in and restrain him.

The rest of the film focuses on Johnson’s remarkable character transformation and the ‘logic’ behind it. There are two new confrontations as well. First, the angry Johnson confronts his wife (Vivien Merchant, Accident), who struggles to understand his sudden collapse, and later Johnson is confronted by a senior officer (Trevor Howard, Gandhi), who knows exactly why he has been forced out of his comfort zone.

The film is fascinating to behold because it shows that there really isn’t any difference between Johnson and Baxter -- they are both animals that hurt people for different reasons; they are also equally capable of adapting to their environment and hiding their true identities. (Like Johnson, Baxter is also a well respected married man).

The performances are fantastic. Connery’s intensity is outstanding and his violent outbursts look very authentic. Bannen is equally convincing as the rapist who gets a dose of his own medicine. Howard is electrifying while confronting the detective.

The film is based on John Hopkins's play This Story of Yours. The confrontations have a distinctive theatrical style and language, but the outdoor footage easily could have been extracted from a classic British film noir.

A top-notch ambient soundtrack from Harrison Birtwistle effectively enhances the moody atmosphere.

The Offence Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.67:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, The Offence arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films.

This release is sourced from the same master Eureka Entertainment worked with to produce its Region-B release of The Offence in 2015. However, this master is even older. Unfortunately, it is a pretty average master with some quite obvious limitations, too. For example, early into the film there is visible color instability that produces small yet unmissable pulsations could be distracting. Color balance can be improved as well. Delineation and depth are not as stable and pleasing as they need to be, especially in darker areas, where shadow definition is frequently underwhelming. There are no traces of problematic digital corrections, but grain exposure should be superior. (If you have a big screen, you will easily spot plenty of clumpy grain). Image stability is good. All in all, if properly restored in 2K or 4K, The Offence will easily reveal a much healthier and more convincing appearance. (Note: This is s Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographic locaion).

The Offence Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The lossless track is very healthy. Unsurprisingly, all exchanges are very clear, sharp, and easy to follow, while balance is excellent. Only the music is used to create meaningful dynamic contrasts, so dynamic intensity is not going to impress folks that appreciate the potency of contemporary soundtracks. I did not encounter any encoding anomalies to report in our review.

The Offence Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - presented is a remastered vintage trailer for The Offence. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Interview with Second Assistant Director Michael Stevenson - in this new program, second assistant director Michael Stevenson recalls his involvement with The Offence and interactions with Sidney Lumet and Sean Connery. There are some particularly interesting comments about Lumet's working methods. In English, not subtitled. (8 min).

• Interview with Composer Harrison Birtwistle - in this new program, composer Harrison Birtwistle recalls when and how he was approached with an offer to score The Offence and discusses the particular harmonies he chose to match the atmosphere of the film. In English, not subtitled. (14 min).

• Interview with Stage Director Christopher Morahan - in this new program, Christopher Morahan, director of the original play "This Story of Yours", discusses his professional relationship with John Hopkins and comments on how the character Sean Connery plays in The Offence came to exist. In English, not subtitled. (16 min).

• Interview with Assistant Art Director Chris Burke - in this new program, assistant art director Chris Burke explains why The Offence was a very complicated film to work on and discusses his interactions with Sidney Lumet. There are some particularly interesting comments about the use of light throughout The Offence, which apparently was quite unorthodox. In English, not subtitled. (13 min).

• Interview with Costume Designer Evangeline Harrison - in this new program, costume designer Evangeline Harrison shares a few funny stories from the filming of The Offence, the best of which involves Sean Connery and his toupee. In English, not subtitled. (7 min).

• Interview with Costume Designer Evangeline Harrison - in this new program, sound mixer Simon Kaye explains how he was approached, directly, by Sidney Lumet with an offer to work on The Offence discusses some of their interactions. In English, not subtitled. (7 min).

• "Sidney Lumet: Childhood Elegy" - this new video essay was created by critic Howard S. Berger. In English, not subtitled. (58 min).

• Commentary - this new audio commentary was recorded by critics Lee Pfeiffer, Tony Latino, and Paul Scrabo.

The Offence Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Does it take a monster to take down a monster? Sidney Lumet's very intense crime thriller The Offence offers plenty of food for thought while two men from opposite sides of the law clash and all hell breaks loose. This release of The Offence features a massive selection of exclusive new bonus features with many of the people that assisted Lumet during its production. It is included in Australian label Imprint Films' Directed by Sidney Lumet: Vol.1, a seven-disc box set. RECOMMENDED.