Moviecut—Harlequin

Harlequin

I work in the media and from a professional point of view I think this film is amazing. You have to take into consideration that the film is an independent one and for the standards it is at, it incredible. The story has great potential if a little confusing at times but definitely worth a watch. On a more personal level Robert Powell is HOT!!! Especially in tight leather pants. The outfits he has to wear are rather strange and he sometimes looks like David Bowie's twin brother with his make up on and his nails painted! I half expected him to burst into a song from 'The labyrinth'. His acting is superb as always. If you like him in this you have to watch '39 steps' it is equally as good with a fascinating plot. K :)

seen a lot of stuff with robert powel in,but this has always been the one that stands out as his best to me. Naturaly being 1980 its now an old and well used format but at time it was excellent,and even now i find it an enjoyable film. The story is bought in gradualy but at a steady pace,the acting is enjoyable over all,and considering the lack of blood and guts it still holds its own as a decent spooky movie that when i was younger made me jump a few times and stayed in my mind for a good few months afterwards,not least because it was the sort of film everyone in my school talked about when saw it,and made other kids not having seen it want to!

A movie of wonder, magic, and intrigue, "Harlequin" or "Dark Forces" is a force to be reckoned with. At a birthday party, a boy named Alex(Mark Spain) who suffers from leukemia gets to meet a clown who entertains everyone. That night, a man named Gregory Wolfe(Robert Powell) enters the house and cures the son. Skeptics including the father and his political cronies would try anything to discredit the faith healer. Wolfe performed many feats that would mesmerize. Many would think that there are tricks behind his acts. But no one has ever been able to figure it out. This movie is about magic and political intrigue. What you see is a slight of hand. Being from Australia is something that I like to see. At least it's not a Mad Max film. Don't try to figure out the tricks in the film. Otherwise, you just might disappear! 3 out of 5 stars

As a long-time fan of Robert Powell, I have to say he was fantastic in this little known film, which I saw under the title "Dark Forces." The actor's ability is far under rated -why, I'll never know. This tale of a mysterious being entering the lives of a family was curiously spiritual as well as supernatural. I even found Powell quoting a line from his masterpiece "Jesus of Nazareth." There were some unanswered questions in the film, but I wasn't bothered by this. After all, the supernatural leaves a lot of gaps for us to dwell on and come up with our own conclusions.

I saw this film in my youth and after years of searching for it, finally taped it off the telly. Robert Powel is exceptional as the title character as is David Hemmings as the senator. There are a few films out there that can just bewitch you as you're watching them, The Wickerman being the best example, but this one comes very close. If you see this little gem airing on your TV in the wee small hours I urge you to tape it.

Clearly not the greatest film ever made but very clear that a lot went into this to make it that little bit different. If it has a bit of a TV movie look to it that is because of the limited location shooting, much in the same rooms, and not because of the acting which is solid. Broderick Crawford holds his own, apparently with a little help from booze in between scenes, but David Hemmings and Robert Powell are very good indeed. I understand Hemmings also had a bit of a drink problem but it clearly didn't affect his acting here and as for Powell, I have never understood why he never made it so much bigger, maybe he got typecast as Jesus. There is much to enjoy here amid the magic and mayhem and with a convincing performance from the young boy and various shocks and surprises this is well worth a look. There, and I haven't even mentioned that it is Australian or that it is loosely based upon the story of Rasputin and the Czar!

Fascinating, dark study of a political family seduced by the powers of a traveling magician who befriends their ill son. The story works well on that level, and the acting is certainly passable enough to be entertaining. Even more fascinating when one realizes that this is a retelling of the historical plot of the fall of the Czar of Russia! In history, Nicholas (Nicky in this film) and Alexandra (Sandy) had and extremely ill son, Alexander (Alex) and allowed the "Mad Monk" Gregory Rasputin (Gregory Wolfe) into the family with his promises of a cure for the the boy. Viewed on this level, this interesting enough B-movie become a fascinating study in parallels. Well worth a rental and some time to enjoy!