alexanderdavies-99382 "Klute" comes from the same director who gave us "The Parallax View" - Alan. J Pakula. The above film is easily in the same league as other early 1970s American cinema. There isn't much in the way of actual graphic violence but the suggestion of violence is clearly there. The film is quite explicit in its sexual content but that is mainly presented in the background. Alan J. Pakula uses dark photography and harsh lighting to excellent effect, especially with the gripping climax. There is a lot of detail to the plot and every scene counts for something. Jane Fonda rightly earned her Oscar for Best Actress - her performance is a convincing and multi- dimensional one. She conveys by turns, feelings of toughness, coldness but also those of vulnerability as the prostitute of the film. Donald Sutherland scored heavily in his role as the police officer who then becomes a private eye. He should have been nominated. Roy Scheider is excellent as the pimp and drug dealer. He doesn't have much screen time but he makes his presence truly known. Charles Cioffi is positively creepy and sinister in his role. The screenplay is an exceptional one. The thing about the dialogue, is that it takes actors and not stars to bring the well developed characters to life and provide some depth. A star simply isn't heavyweight enough for the job. The plot follows the efforts of Donald Sutherland who is employed to locate a missing research scientist. The latter was mixed up with Jane Fonda in the movie and the twists to the tale soon develop. There are a few graphic references to drug use. New York is the ideal setting for the film. We really see the seamy underbelly of the city - just like in "The French Connection" as an obvious example. This is the kind of film that Hollywood has long forgotten how to make - sadly.

Brian T. Whitlock (GOWBTW) A fine mystery movie it is. "Klute" is a movie to be reckoned with. John Klute (Donald Sutherland) is a detective looking for a friend who disappeared without a trace. He would travel to New York where he meets a high-end call girl named Bree Daniels (Jane Fonda). She deals with every sorts of clientele. When she and Klute gets together, she gets a weird feeling that she can't understand. This prostitute has been a lot: Jaded, stalked,beaten up, questioned by police, etc. Being in the world she knows well, Daniels is put in an upside-down world. I remember the part where Klute questions her, she unzipped her dress and he asked, "Do you mind not doing that?" That night, when Bree couldn't sleep, she goes by Klute's place and sleep over. The movie has a lot of twists and turns to it. Plenty of star power, a lot of raw energy as well. It's a mystery for adults. And there are lots of surprises to come with. It is a gem for mature audiences. 4.5 out of 5 stars

Jackson Booth-Millard I knew this film appeared in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, and I knew the leading actor and actress, and it was rated five out of five by critics, so I hoped something good, directed by Alan J. Pakula (All the President's Men, Sophie's Choice, The Devil's Own). Basically Pennsylvania executive Tom Gruneman (Robert Milli) has disappeared, an obscene letter was found in his office, addressed to New York prostitute Bree Daniels (Oscar and Golden Globe winning, and BAFTA nominated Jane Fonda), who had received several similar letters from him. Six months of fruitless police work pass, an executive at Gruneman's company, Peter Cable (Charles Cioffi), hires family friend and detective John Klute (Donald Sutherland) to investigate Gruneman's disappearance. Klute rents an apartment in the basement of Daniels' building, taps her phone, and follows her as she visits clients, she appears liberated by the freedom, working as a freelance call girl, but she often visits her Psychiatrist (Vivian Nathan), to talk of the emptiness of her life and that she wants to quit prostitution. Daniels refuses to answer questions that Klute has, he approaches again, revealing that he has been watching her, she does not recall Gruneman, she tells that two years ago one of her clients beat her, she cannot say for sure after seeing a photo of Gruneman. Daniels takes Klute to meet her former pimp, Frank Ligourin (Roy Scheider), he reveals that prostitute Jane McKenna passed the abusive client onto Bree, and also to prostitute Arlyn Page (Dorothy Tristan), McKenna committed suicide and Page turned to drugs and disappeared. Klute and Bree develop a romantic relationship, but she tells her psychiatrist she fears her feelings and wishes would mean her returning to "just feeling numb", she admits to Klute that being watched makes her deeply paranoid. They find Page, she tells that the abusive client was not Gruneman, but an older man, later Page is found dead in the water, Klute deduces the prostitute suicide and Gruneman's disappearance are connected, the abusive client will likely come for Bree next. Klute revisits Gruneman's contacts to find connections with the case, comparing the writing, the obscene letters are traced to Cable, who Klute has been meeting to report on his investigation, Klute asks Cable for $500 to buy the "black book" of the first suicidal prostitute, he is certain the book will reveal the identity of the abusive client. Cable corners Bree, revealing he sent her the letters, explaining that Gruneman interrupted him while he was attacking a prostitute, he attempted to frame Gruneman, and Cable admits to the killings, he also plays an audiotape he made while murdering Page. Cable attacks Bree, Klute rushes in, but it is unclear whether Cable jumped or was pushed out of the window, to his death, in the end, with Klute's help, Bree moves out of her apartment, but a voice-over with her psychiatrist reveals Bree fears domestic life, and it is likely she will return to talk again. Also starring Nathan George as Lieutenant Trask, Rita Gam as Trina, Morris Strassberg as Mr. Goldfarb, Anthony Holland as Actor's Agent, Richard B. Shull as Sugarman, Jean Stapleton as Goldfarb's Secretary and Shirley Stoler as Momma Reese. Sutherland is well suited to playing the gentle small-town detective, but Fonda is indeed the big draw of the film, and deserved her Oscar for the role of the call girl being stalked and unsure what direction to go in, it is a simple story, a hooker who is unsure of the difference between love and sex, she has a connection to a missing man and a homicidal maniac is on the loose, it has a suspenseful atmosphere almost all the way through, it is an interesting crime thriller. It was nominated the Oscar for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay Based on Factual Material or Material Not Previously Published or Produced, and it was nominated the Golden Globe for Best Screenplay. Very good!

Danny Blankenship I was never really all that big of a Jane Fonda fan, still if you are to see any movie of her's watch this 1971 picture called "Klute" as Jane glows and shines on screen in a best actress Oscar winning role. "Klute" is a tease film of suspense and mystery drama with themes of sex, lust, truth seeking and murder all of that is jammed into a plot that's a little hard to follow it can challenge a viewer so pay attention.Set in New York city the story centers around Bree(in one of Jane Fonda's best roles) who's a high class escort a call girl type who's life is full of secrets and it's ready to spin out of control, still Bree has wit and she's one sexy thing she's good at her job as her sessions with guys are like that of a socialite girlfriend type and to go with it she's blunt and outspoken with a sassy mouth. Her voice has been taped by a killer, so Bree had better watch out! Now enter detective John Klute(Donald Sutherland)who's hired as a private investigator to follow this case that involves a missing person and the murders of others. And along the way sparks of passion fly between him and Bree. You will be left asking questions who done it and wonder really what's going on as the film takes twist and turns. Overall really good picture of suspense, lust, and mystery that's carried by the performance of Jane Fonda.