The Offence

1973
R
1h 52m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Sean Connery and Ian Bannen in The Offence (1973)

A burnt-out British police detective finally snaps whilst interrogating a suspected child molester.A burnt-out British police detective finally snaps whilst interrogating a suspected child molester.A burnt-out British police detective finally snaps whilst interrogating a suspected child molester.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.9/10

8.2K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
- 1 nomination total

Trivia
When Sean Connery agreed to return as James Bond in Diamonds Are Forever (1971), as part of his deal, United Artists had to back two movies of his choice that would cost $2 million or less. This was to be the first; a Connery-directed version of "Macbeth" was to be the second. When this movie failed at the box office and Roman Polanski beat Connery to the screen with Macbeth (1971), Connery's version of "Macbeth" was cancelled.

Goofs
A ladder leaning against the wall in the hallway outside of the police interrogation room is clearly labeled "TFS" for "Twickenham Film Studios."

Quotes
Kenneth Baxter: Nothing I have done can be one half as bad as the thoughts in your head.

Connections
Featured in The Battle of the Bonds (1998)

Soundtracks
Groupie
(uncredited)
Music by Barry Stoller
De Wolfe Music Ltd

User reviews77

Review

Featured review

8/10

Grim but rewarding character study with a great Connery performance.

Arguably the best of Sidney Lumet's British films, this one benefits from a brilliant script by John Hopkins and a tour-de-force performance by Sean Connery as a cop who's been pushed too far. The interrogation scenes between him and an excellent Ian Bannen, as the prime suspect in a child molestation case, are riveting. Hopkins' dialogue is uncannily subtle in its gradual illumination of the psychological states of its two antagonists. Vivien Merchant is exceptional as Connery's emotionally-drained spouse. Gerry Fisher's cold, muted photography perfectly captures the sterility and bleakness of post-modern England. This is not a fun film, but its truths about the fragility of the human psyche are eloquently conveyed.