(Review originally written at 18 July 2007)
The movie started off really well and interesting enough but about halve way through it suddenly starts to make some unbelievable twists, that are just not credible, which is mostly due to the acting.
Real problem is that it's highly unbelievable that Irene Forsyte (Greer Garson) and Philip Bosinney (Robert Young) fall in love in this movie, which is about the most essential part and twist in the story. Garson and Young have absolutely no chemistry together and how their are being drawn together by their love for each other is therefor highly unconvincing. On top of that Robert Young really doesn't have the right looks for the part, he was at least 10 years too old at the time for this role really.
A positive casting note was Errol Flynn in a serious and demanding role. He in this movie also shows that he could actually really act. It's also a rare movie in which he plays a more 'bad' than 'good' kind of character. He's perhaps the only real true highlight of the movie.
The still young Janet Leigh also appears in this movie in one of her first movie roles. Definitely not her best role, she still had a lot to learn but that's not just her fault. The script just didn't gave her that much interesting to do.
The movie is definitely more classy and better looking and made than the average MGM genre movie, made in the same period. It therefor is also perfectly watchable for persons who normally aren't too fond of the formulaic kind of '40's MGM period drama's.
The story still has some interesting elements and characters in it but its weaker and unconvincing second halve prevent this movie from being a true classic and above average one.
6/10
The movie started off really well and interesting enough but about halve way through it suddenly starts to make some unbelievable twists, that are just not credible, which is mostly due to the acting.
Real problem is that it's highly unbelievable that Irene Forsyte (Greer Garson) and Philip Bosinney (Robert Young) fall in love in this movie, which is about the most essential part and twist in the story. Garson and Young have absolutely no chemistry together and how their are being drawn together by their love for each other is therefor highly unconvincing. On top of that Robert Young really doesn't have the right looks for the part, he was at least 10 years too old at the time for this role really.
A positive casting note was Errol Flynn in a serious and demanding role. He in this movie also shows that he could actually really act. It's also a rare movie in which he plays a more 'bad' than 'good' kind of character. He's perhaps the only real true highlight of the movie.
The still young Janet Leigh also appears in this movie in one of her first movie roles. Definitely not her best role, she still had a lot to learn but that's not just her fault. The script just didn't gave her that much interesting to do.
The movie is definitely more classy and better looking and made than the average MGM genre movie, made in the same period. It therefor is also perfectly watchable for persons who normally aren't too fond of the formulaic kind of '40's MGM period drama's.
The story still has some interesting elements and characters in it but its weaker and unconvincing second halve prevent this movie from being a true classic and above average one.
6/10
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