The Penthouse (1967) Claustrophobic International Brit Noir

Directed by Peter Collinson (The Italian Job (1967)). 

Written by Scott Forbes and Peter Collinson. Based on C. Scott Forbes’ 1964 play, The Meter Men.

Cinematography was by Arthur Lavis. Music by Johnny Hawksworth. It was Peter Collinson's first film. Low budget (under $100,000), and shot in less than a month. 

The film stars Terence Morgan (Tread Softly Stranger) as Bruce Victor, Suzy Kendall (Darker Than Amber, The Bird With The Crystal Plumage) as Barbara Willason, Tony Beckley (Get Carter) as Tom, Norman Rodway as Dick, and Martine Beswick as Harry.

The Story

Early morning before sunup. We see a building of apartment flats still under partial construction. A light flickers on in an already curiously completed penthouse. Two men in the street, Tom and Dick, glance up turn to look at each other and smile. They are up to no good.

Tony Beckley left as Tom and Norman Rodway as Dick

In the penthouse flat, Barbara a shop girl, has been playing hide the sausage all night with her current lover Bruce Victor, an estate agent who has appropriated the flat of one of his clients for his in and out sessions. 

Suzy Kendall as Barbara

Kendall with Terence Morgan as Bruce Victor

The  owners are away for holiday in the Bahamas. Barbara has been trying to get Bruce to finally commit and get a divorce. Bruce is an evasive weasel continually making up excuses. Bruce has a wife and two children.

While Barbara and Bruce first banter about breakfast and then about another session of sex, Tom and Dick drudge their way up twenty stories of drop light lit stairwells. As Barbara and Bruce begin to get it on the doorbell rings quite unexpectedly.

Since Barbara is still somewhat dressed, Bruce sends her to see who it is. At the door, in answer to Barbara's inquiry the voice beyond the door replies "Meter Man." Barbara replies to wait a minute and runs back to tell Bruce. Bruce tells her to let him in to do his job and get rid of him. 

Get rid of him

Barbara does so. She lets in the meter man to do his business. 

Tom asks her where's the gas meter? Barbara replies awkwardly that she doesn't know. Tom proceeds to search about the flat for it and finds Bruce hiding with the covers over his head in bed. Tom asks Barbara if she knows there is someone hiding in her bed? Bruce is not just a weasel but a spineless one too. 

Tom lets his offbeat partner Dick, who is carrying a tool satchel, into the flat explaining that he is the one that is good at finding things. 

Dick is good at finding things

Bruce and Barbara suffers these two fools only so long. Tom lets his offbeat partner Dick, who is carrying a tool satchel, into the flat explaining that he is the one that is good at finding things. Bruce and Barbara suffers these two fools only so long. When Bruce demands that they leave or he'll call the police the boys get nasty. They pull out a knife.

The boys grab Bruce and with a restraint strap from out of the satchel tie Bruce into a chair. Maybe they just want to rob the place. But no they also pulled out of the tool satchel are a couple of bottles of booze. WTF are our boys up to? 

Tom and Dick want to have a bit of demented fun!

With Bruce as their captive audience, they begin to ply Barbara with hooch. They of course also partake in the libations, and light up a joint to boot. 

Candy is dandy but liquor is quicker. Soon Barbara is tipsy and with all her inhibitions gone flirty, the boys start groping and dancing with her to the tunes they play on the stereo. They eventually strip her down to bra and panties.

They happily taunt Bruce who tries to get Barbara's attention by continuously yelling out her name, "Barbara." Foregedaboudit! Tom leads a compliant Barbara off to the bedroom and has his way with her while Dick babysits Bruce. 

When Tom returns his tag team partner Dick goes in for sloppy seconds. While Tom harangues Bruce with a monologue about baby alligators. So, Barbara gets raped both physically and psychologically, Bruce just gets the latter. Fun huh?

Most of the bedroom action is left to the audiences wildest imaginations.

Tom [whining to Bruce]: We're like those poor little alligators. We didn't want to be flushed into the sewers, but we were. And we can't help it if we're alligators.

Tension builds as the two cyphers Tom and Dick ratchet up their bizarre performance, we have no idea where they are heading. The torment of Bruce momentarily ceases when Barbara steps silently into the living room naked dragging a sheet. She sits down on the couch then covers herself with the sheet.

Dick leaves the penthouse momentarily and returns with a paper parcel containing a mink coat. 

Tom and Dick give it to Barbara and tell her to put it on. She does so. Is it a tip for her services?  Just as you think well the shit is going to finally hit the fan, Tom and Dick pick up and leave.

Stunned, Bruce asks Barbara to untie him. She doesn't respond. Is she traumatized? Still stoned and drunk? She reaches out seemingly to fondle her trussed up lover's crotch. Did the boys awaken some type of bondage S&M kink? 

When Barbara finally frees Bruce she slips off back into the bedroom. When Bruce follows, he finds her laying naked on the bed with the mink flung open and her legs spread in a come on pose. Bruce obliges, apparently having no qualms about sloppy thirds. Nice guy. 

Just as they are about to get it on the doorbell to Noirsville rings once again. Its Harry.

Noirsville

The Penthouse touches upon social classes, privilege, exposure, truth, selfishness, advantage, relationships, sex, delusion, absurdity, despair, and lunacy. Kendall is excellent. Beckley and Rodway do a convincing job playing looney degenerates, while Morgan plays a spineless worm (he did so also in Tread Softly Stranger). Martine Beswick makes a nice surprise appearance. 6.5/10, a better restoration would probably up it a notch, needs new release.