I tuned in for Donald Sutherland, and stayed for the fantastic performance by Jane Fonda. So good in fact, that she took home the Best Actress Oscar. It’s a stunning turn, and she’s so good in it.

Sutherland plays the titular Klute. John Klute, a detective. He’s trying to rundown lead on a friend who went missing six months prior. The only connection is a high-profile call girl, Bree Daniel (Fonda), who may or may not have had him as a john. She has received a number of obscene letters that the police claim can from Klute’s missing friend, and she’s also getting breather phonecalls.

Is he still out there?

Someone is definitely keeping an eye on Bree. And it’s not just Klute recording her phonecalls. Together, and only together will the pair be able to get to the truth, but there is mistrust, paranoia.

Fonda turns in a wonderfully layered performance. Whether she’s seducing a john with confidence and power, confiding in, and opening up to her therapist about her dreams of modeling and acting, and her troubling and conflicting feelings about Klute. Bree is a layered and complex woman, and it’s all there on the screen.

I think the only thing I didn’t care for was Fonda’s hairstyle in the film. The rest of works great. It may be one of the first paranoid films of the 70s, and Pakula handles it with ease. The story works great, Fonda and Sutherland are well-paired but Fonda outshines everyone on the screen.

And that everyone includes Roy Scheider and Charles Cioffi in supporting roles. Man, I love Scheider in almost everything I’ve seen him in.

Like a lot of 70s films there’s a grittiness to it, not only because of the film stock, but also for thee way it is shot; location work, natural light. It’s got a seamy feel to it, Klute who comes from a small town, and the big city seems grimy by comparison, something that the cinematography, set design, and lighting all vividly create.

Because of the size of the cast, it’s not too difficult to figure out who the baddie is, but honestly, that’s not why you watch this film. You watch it for the amazing turn Fonda delivers. It’s something to see.

I remember seeing the VHS cover during my time in video stores, but looking at it, it never caught my interest. But like some things, you just need to come to them at the right moment. And if you’ve not seen it, I highly recommend it… Fonda is amazing. She is just so good in this film.

And you get Sutherland and Scheider? Come on! Do yourself a favour and check it out.