Robert Shaw did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Aston nor did Donald Pleasence for portraying Mac Davies in The Caretaker.
The Caretaker is the most effective cinematic adaptation of the three Harold Pinter play's I've seen. This still, as with the other films, being largely a direct translation, though here with some careful cinematic additions within the film, most noticeably the film's eerie sound design.
Obviously, performances are essential with any play adaptation, however they seem to take on an even greater purpose within the ambiguous writing of Harold Pinter. His writing rarely spells things out, more of granting subtle shades of ideas, and alluding to things while rarely ever flatly telling you the direct truth of a matter. In this in mind we are introduced to two men walking down the streets as this film opens, observed by a third man. The first man appears to be a basic hobo played by Donald Pleasence. An actor who is best known today for his genre turns as Dr. Loomis in
Halloween or perhaps as one take on James Bond's arch nemesis Blofeld. Although even as those turns show the evidence of the man's talent, they barely even skim the surface of his great ability as a performer. If one were to witness his turn here, one will immediately see all the greater dynamic of a performer, who already seemed rather remarkable. Pleasence is a far cry from the troubled yet clearly affluent Doctor Loomis, this as a lower class man, that Pleasence immediately embodies in a wholly transformative turn. Pleasence's whole physical manner is of this retiring behavior, a manner clearly defined by a hardship of some sort, a messy existence of a man living in the cracks of society. There's a particularly brilliant way with one hand Pleasence keeps warm essentially, as the other, reaching for expressions, keeping the man protecting himself, while seeming to attempting a conversation of some kind with the other man.
The other man is Aston, played of course by Robert Shaw, an actor who thankfully is best known for his greatest performance, however the greatness of his ability is perhaps still under looked. Shaw here though seems perhaps this is within a certain element of his wheelhouse. This being the cold man. This as there is such a stark contrast between Pleasence and Shaw, as Shaw walks barely with a glance to Pleasence, with a careful step, every movement along their pathway. The idea of interaction even seems almost alien, as Shaw makes Aston appear ever so distance. This curious state continues as Aston shows the elder man into an apartment, which he claims is a place he'll be able to stay for at least the night. Shaw's performance in this film actually is one of the result, and a most fascinating one. Because again, this appears as Shaw is working within the idea of the refined English gentleman, who is so austere in his manner, that there appears a contradiction as Aston makes this invitation to Pleasence's Davies. Shaw seems most peculiar, almost as though he is perhaps a calm collected murderer, as he just quietly delivers each line, while keeping this rather consistent eye contact with him. This as Aston remains always so observant yet so detached within Shaw's portrayal, that seems contradictory, at first.
Speaking of contradictions, of the more obvious sort, is the man that is Davies, who gives the name of Bernard Jenkins, along with a variety of different claims, depending on the slightest hint of an idea from Aston. Pleasence is downright amazing in realizing the rather tricky dialogue, of sorts, at hand in Davies who when in conversation imparts a constant stream of various thoughts, typically half-thought. Pleasence thrives with this, with an entirely different accent from his typically posher sort, that is not only crasser but also a natural lisp fitting to a man whose teeth are familiar with the street than a dentist's chair. Pleasence's accent, along with aforementioned physicality is not only so naturally realized, but immediately grants you a sense of this man as any presumed notions of a Pleasence performance are wiped away. Pleasence's ability with that the tricky dialogue is part of this, as he manages to make it sing, in the properly disjointed way it should be. He grants this perfect rambling tempo, when no one gets in the way of Davies's speech, that evokes so effectively a man who has basically made a good portion of his life just blathering to whoever is in ear shot. A man you may believe seems is eager for conversation, establishing why it is perhaps that Aston is walking with him as the film opens.
As great as the transformation already is by Pleasence, it theoretically could be easy enough to stop it there and leave him just this flat kook of a strange sort. Pleasence though takes this performance far beyond that, and in many ways, makes the film through how dynamic his portrayal is in terms of creating the nature of Davies. This is especially within portraying the shades of the man depending on his audience and depending on his circumstance. In that opening Pleasence has a false affability, in that it is very much egotistical in the grand standing way he speaks every word as this accomplishment, however brought to life in this outgoing fashion that one might believe is friendly, if one is poorly experienced in such things. This changes rather subtly in Pleasence's work as Aston offers Davies a place to stay. Pleasence so cleverly begins to subvert the initial impression a bit as he starts to eye the place with both a curiosity and suspicion. This as he conveys so effectively that Davies isn't quite sure what to make of Aston's offer, yet given his current circumstances is more than willing to utilize it. As he continues with this process Davies quiets just a bit, only a bit, and Pleasence is fantastic in a moment of scoffing at the lack of a usable gas stove. This with a directness, that Pleasence emphasizes within his delivery, that establishes sort of the essential "secret" of his character.
There is more to Davies as he comes into interactions with our third character, the observing man from the opening, Mick (Alan Bates) who is Aston's brother. He initially comes in though hectoring Davies by trying to scare him. Pleasence capturing an initial vicious reaction to attempt to push off any real threat, fitting to a man of the street as though he would be attempting to scare off any mob of men harassing him. When Mick reveals himself, and plays verbal games as well, Pleasence is great in portraying Davies finding his gear of dealing with this brother as well. This initial with these more hostile ramblings, when it appears Mick himself might be hostile, ramblings that build himself up. Pleasence is excellent in each bit of banter as though it is this exact, slightly mad, yet still skilled attack to attempt to settle his place. This almost drowning out any attacks on him through the sheer amount of lies he can espouse in single conversation. Pleasence realizes this beautiful mess in his work, as he manages to create the right degree of mania, with also a certain astuteness. Pleasence doesn't exactly portray this as wholly a lie in the man, but rather the man's method of defense, and as we will also see, attack.
Meanwhile we have Shaw's Aston who continues to seemingly be rather friendly in terms of his offerings to Davies. This is as he gives the man a place to stay and recommends that he have a job as well as the caretaker. This while also consistently mentioning his need to build a shed, a exceptionally performed and especially important line for him. This as he delivers it with this certain fixation on the idea, which matches this fixation we see in his eyes upon Davies. This as Shaw speaks as though he constantly looking for something from the man, something that Shaw doesn't portray as intense outwardly, but rather this internalized intensity towards an interest. This is the key to Shaw's performance though as we find in Shaw's major moment within the film, and the most concrete bit of information within the story. Once again proving the master of the monologue, Shaw's delivery of Aston's story is spellbinding. This is as he finally really speaks and Shaw pulls you into every word. This being another harrowing story of the past, but with a different tilt to the one he would become legendary for. This is as Shaw reveals a man essentially broken mentally, relating the story of the electroshock given to him. Shaw is haunting in every word by finding this most unique emotionalism, within just his eyes, and even the sharp distance of his story. This as he fashions this searing pain of the past within his words, that ends up being reflected into the present. This as he grants sense to the entirety of his performance, as explaining a man who has been stunted and detached emotionally. Shaw realizes this as man though, with still emotion, that still exists within him, but hidden within his hide damaged by perhaps illness, perhaps this trauma. Shaw's quiet intention to harm the man who had done this act to, he brings as this moment of remarkable clarity, as he conveys it as a bit of something Aston can hold onto in his difficult state. This is especially well realized as Shaw then segues back to Aston's statement of shed building, again as fixation he also uses as his base attempt at communication.
Shaw manages to convey the real purpose of Aston's long stares, and kindly actions as he seeks for human interaction yet struggles to find it. This making Davies seem the ideal candidate from his boisterous words, that again could seem affable enough, particularly for someone as socially stunted as Aston. Pleasence excels as he slowly portrays Davies not so much as changing, but revealing himself. This as he begins to slowly find friendlier terms with Mick, at the same time Aston attempted to reveal more of himself. With the former brother Pleasence fashions this almost good old boy attitude, as he revels in joy with the back and forth with almost this maniacal glee. This turns even more so to this as Pleasence speaks with quiet venom these little words of antagonism towards Aston to Mick, and reveals a subtle manipulation within the man. This is against his scene with Aston, as even when Aston really reveals his deepest vulnerability to him, Pleasence is terrific actually by making Davies's reaction so limited. This as this almost confusion of why the man would share such information, almost a disinterest as Pleasence reveals the secret of Davies, which that he's an entirely self-serving freeloader. I especially love the moment in which Davies's ramblings, which are usually false pleasantries, fake bake stories and general odd ego stroking, fall into threats. Pleasence rambles these off as he would any other, making them particularly cruel as Davies mentions he could have Aston returned to the electroshock, as though it is just a casual idea to him, and revealing just how little Aston's moment of vulnerability meant to him. This however making Davies's game becoming a bit more obvious as the manipulator, as he attempts to pit the brothers against one another for his benefit. There's a particularly simple scene in this regard where in the night Davies makes random noises while Aston is trying to sleep, again to be another manipulation. Pleasence is an amazing weasel as again he brings just such a casual earnestness in the self-serving suggestions, claiming an alternative job offer from Mick, even with the act having this fiendish intelligence revealed within his eyes as he makes his seemingly noises. Shaw is also great in this scene in portraying Aston's distaste finally with Davies's behavior, again through so little, that Shaw excels with in still conveying this disappointment in his eyes, rather than the eyes of interest and a hope for connection that we had seen before.
This eventually leading to the final confrontation of sorts as Davies duplicity perhaps gives a chance for connection for the brothers as Aston decides to evict Davies. Shaw does so much with so little in this scene as we are granted the one major interaction between the brothers, where Shaw finds a real poignancy in just the smallest sense of familiarity and affection he grants in the tiny glance between the brothers. This showing that perhaps Aston finally has found his connection with another person. This against his moment with Pleasence, where Shaw speaks volumes through his retiring manner, that distance himself as much as possible. This without uncaring deliveries, that are so notable, and make actually the sense of his earlier ones all the more. This now showing there's a truly detached Aston, from a sense of uncaring, rather than that early detachment in Aston due to his damaged mind, the two sides that Shaw flawlessly brings to life. Shaw says very little, but shows that Aston has no interest or purpose for Davies who abused his kindness. Pleasence offers one more magnificent scene, which is almost not necessary to say I suppose as Pleasence is outstanding every second he's onscreen here. I love what Pleasence does though as we have him again riffing through different terrible self-serving ideas, that are particularly obvious at this point, towards Aston to allow him to stay. As much as Pleasence does allow one to see just how despicable he is, he manages to find just the modicum of humanity in conveying a very real fear between each suggestion, of man with a very uncertain future. Both actors give downright brilliant performances. This is as each realizes a very tricky character, but grants a real sense to them and power to their existence. Shaw through a rather minimalist yet impactful turn of slowly revealing the truth of a broken, and Pleasence through a grand, yet nuanced and oh so complex portrayal of a broken man of an entirely different sort.
