Laughter in the Dark (film)

Laughter in the Dark (French: La Chambre obscure) is a 1969 French-British drama film directed by Tony Richardson and starring Nicol Williamson and Anna Karina. It is based on the novel of the same name by Vladimir Nabokov. Nicol Williamson was brought in as a very late replacement for Richard Burton, who had already shot several scenes. The director, Tony Richardson, found Burton's lack of punctuality intolerable.

Contents

• Laughter in the dark 1969 sample clip
• Laughter in the dark 2014
• Cast
• References

For the film, the story’s setting was changed from nineteen-thirties Berlin to the swinging London of the sixties. The film drew respectable reviews, but for reasons that are unclear, it was subsequently removed from distribution. The film has only twice been shown on British television, (in 1974 and 1981 on BBC2), and has not been released on video or DVD. Laszlo Papas was slated to direct a 1986 remake of the film which would have starred Mick Jagger as Axel Rex and Rebecca De Mornay as the young seductress; De Mornay was replaced by Maryam d'Abo after disagreements with the director, but ultimately the project went nowhere and the film was never made.

Cast

Nicol Williamson as Sir Edward More

Anna Karina as Margot

Jean-Claude Drouot as Herve Tourace

Peter Bowles as Paul

Siân Phillips as Lady Elizabeth More

Sebastian Breaks as Brian

Kate O'Toole as Amelia More

Edward Gardner as Driver

Sheila Burrell as Miss Porly

Willoughby Goddard as Colonel

Basil Dignam as Dealer

Philippa Urquhart as Philippa

Helen Booth as Maid