The Appointment is a 1969 psychological drama

Drama

Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...

 from director Sidney Lumet

Sidney Lumet

Sidney Lumet was an American director, producer and screenwriter with over 50 films to his credit. He was nominated for the Academy Award as Best Director for 12 Angry Men , Dog Day Afternoon , Network and The Verdict...

 and writer James Salter

James Salter

James Salter is an American novelist and short-story writer. Once a career officer and pilot in the United States Air Force, he abandoned the military profession in 1957 after successful publication of his first novel, The Hunters.After a brief career at film writing and film directing, Salter...

, based on the story by Antonio Leonviola.

Plot synopsis

After stealing the fiancée of a business acquaintance, lawyer

Lawyer

A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...

 Federico Fendi (Omar Sharif

Omar Sharif

Omar Sharif is an Egyptian actor who has starred in Hollywood films including Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago and Funny Girl. He has been nominated for an Academy Award and has won two Golden Globe Awards.-Early life:...

) becomes consumed with suspicion that his new wife Carla (Anouk Aimée

Anouk Aimée

Anouk Aimée is a French film actress. Aimée has appeared in 70 films since 1947. She began her film career in 1947 at age 14. In 1958 she portrayed the tragic artist Jeanne Hébuterne in the film Les Amants de Montparnasse...

) may be moonlighting as a high-class prostitute. His attempts to entrap her lead to disaster.

Cast

Actor	Role
Omar Sharif Omar Sharif Omar Sharif is an Egyptian actor who has starred in Hollywood films including Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago and Funny Girl. He has been nominated for an Academy Award and has won two Golden Globe Awards.-Early life:...	Federico Fendi
Anouk Aimée Anouk Aimée Anouk Aimée is a French film actress. Aimée has appeared in 70 films since 1947. She began her film career in 1947 at age 14. In 1958 she portrayed the tragic artist Jeanne Hébuterne in the film Les Amants de Montparnasse...	Carla
Didi Perego Didi Perego Didi Perego was a statuesque actress who appeared in over 80 films and television shows. She made her debut in 1959's Death of a Friend and followed it up in the same year with perhaps her best-known performance, as Sofia in Kapò for which she won the Silver Ribbon for Best Supporting Actress...	Nanny
Fausto Tozzi Fausto Tozzi Fausto Tozzi was an Italian film actor and screenwriter. He appeared in 70 films between 1951 and 1978...	Renzo
Luigi Proietti	Fabre
Paola Barbara Paola Barbara Paola Barbara was an Italian film actress. She appeared in 62 films between 1935 and 1978.She was born and died in Rome, Italy.-Selected filmography:* The Appointment * We Were Seven Sisters...	Mother
Inna Alexeieff	Old woman on train
Ennio Balbo Ennio Balbo Ennio Balbo was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 45 films between 1958 and 1988.He was born in Naples, Italy and died in Rome, Italy.-Selected filmography:* Agent 077 From the Orient with Fury...	Ugo Perino

Film Facts

• This film has three original scores. Michel Legrand
  Michel Legrand
  Michel Jean Legrand is a French musical composer, arranger, conductor, and pianist...
  
   composed the film's first score
  Film score
  A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film, forming part of the film's soundtrack, which also usually includes dialogue and sound effects...
  
  . That score contained only a single theme, with variations, and was ultimately rejected. A replacement score was composed by John Barry
  John Barry (composer)
  John Barry Prendergast, OBE was an English conductor and composer of film music. He is best known for composing the soundtracks for 12 of the James Bond films between 1962 and 1987...
  
  , which was used in the film's theatrical release. Ironically, Barry's score also contained a single theme with variations, with the exception of select location scenes. The film had a very limited release in the United States, and when the rights were purchased for U.S. television airing by CBS
  CBS
  CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
  
  , the network re-edited the film and commissioned an entirely new score by Stu Phillips. All three scores were finally released on CD in 2003.
• The Appointment was nominated for the Palme d'Or
  Palme d'Or
  The Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival and is presented to the director of the best feature film of the official competition. It was introduced in 1955 by the organising committee. From 1939 to 1954, the highest prize was the Grand Prix du Festival International du...
  
   (Golden Palm) at the 1969 Cannes Film Festival
  1969 Cannes Film Festival
  The 22nd Cannes Film Festival was held on May 8 - 23, 1969. At this festival a new non-competitive section called "Directors' Fortnight" is added, in response to the cancellation of the 1968 festival.-Jury:*Luchino Visconti...
  
  . The prize was instead awarded to the British
  United Kingdom
  The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
  
   black comedy
  Black comedy
  A black comedy, or dark comedy, is a comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor. The definition of black humor is problematic; it has been argued that it corresponds to the earlier concept of gallows humor; and that, as humor has been defined since Freud as a comedic act that anesthetizes...
  
   If.... (1968).
• The film was also featured on Lionpower from MGM (1967), a 27-minute promotional film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
  Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
  Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
  
  , showing highlights of the studio's upcoming releases.