Follow Me (1972)

Mia Farrow stars as Belinda, a doe-eyed young American hippie in Britain. She is married to Charles, a nice but slightly pompous English accountant (Michael Jayston) with set values and a traditional outlook. Belinda prefers sunsets, horror movies and the dolphins at Windsor Safari Park.

Charles suspects his carefree wife of having an affair (she isn’t) and hires flamboyant macaroon-munching private detective Julian Cristoforou (Topol), who simply oozes continental charm.

It doesn’t take Belinda long to realise that she is being followed, and she begins to enjoy it. What follows is a charming and interesting relationship study.

There’s plenty of travelogue-style photography (filmed in and around London), a lovely score from Bond composer John Barry, and probably the most exclusive collection of one-line bit parts the British cinema had shown for years.

The offbeat modern love story was directed by the late great Carol Reed. It was released in the US and some other markets as The Public Eye.

Sadly, the film underperformed on release and was written off as a dud.

Belinda
Mia Farrow
Julian Cristoforou
Topol
Charles
Michael Jayston
Mrs Sidley
Margaret Rawlings
Miss Framer
Annette Crosbie
Mr Mayhew
Dudley Foster
Sir Philip Crouch
Michael Aldridge
Mr Scrampton
Michael Barrington
Parkinson
Neil McCarthy

Director
Carol Reed