Sleeping Tiger, The

2154. THE SLEEPING TIGER (1954-ENGLAND).WITH alexis smith, dirk bogarde, alexander KNOX, Produced and directed by VICTOR HANBURY (JOSEPH LOSEY). Alexis Smith has never been belter in one of her most complex and demanding roles. She plays Glenda Esmond, wife of the famed psychiatrist Dr. Clive Esmond. What with his exacting job responsibilities and constant lecture tours. Dr. Esmond has long been neglecting Glenda. Now he wishes to subject her to a most unusual “experiment.” A petty criminal and ex-convict named Frank Clements has just tried to rob him. If Clements is returned to jail, Dr. Esmond is certain that his life would be “finished.” So the docÂtor decides to take Clements in as a house guest for six months, where he would be able to undergo intense therapy. The doctor keeps rationalizing Clements’ behavior because of his “bad childhood.” “I’m trying to destroy his urge to hate and fight back,” he explains. A police inspector thinks that Clements is too dangerous a man to be living in such a situation. His presence puts Glenda on edge. While you might figure that Dr. Esmond will have to pay a personal price for his benevolence toward Clements, that price is not what you think in this ironic and emotionally riveting drama. The film’s director is credited as “Victor Hanbury.” Actually it is the American-born filmmaker Joseph Losey, who was blacklisted during the McCarthy-era witch hunts and was continuing his career in England working under a pseudonym. 88 minutes. Drama