This is a film I considered renting for a long time and then I always put it down and picked up something else. I must say I have never been a huge fan of Paul Newman, especially in his younger days when he always seemed to hesitate between Marlon Barlon and James Dean as his role model. Still, Patricia Neal happens to be one of my favorite classic actresses and I was curious to see the performance that brought her her only Academy Award. So I finally crossed the pond. I don't regret it, but I cannot say that I am enthusiastic either. First, Patricia Neal's performance is fine as always, but hers is definitely a supporting part. I am some dismayed at how the Academy nominated her as Leading Actress while she is billed after Melvyn Douglas, who still got nominated and won as Supporting Actor. The Academy decidedly has mysterious ways alien to our meager reason skills... Paul Newman delivers a good Brando-like performance and is not as irritating as he was in some contemporary films, although he has played that character several times before. The best performances in my view come from the aforementioned Melvyn Douglas and Brandon DeWilde whom I can't figure out why he didn't get a nomination. As to the film itself... Well, I have mixed feelings. Martin Ritt's direction is top-notch, with a masterful use of long-shots enhanced by James Wong Howe's inventive photography. Still, I found myself at the end wondering what I had been watching for the last two hours. This is a good film, even a great film in its own way but it has no point. I couldn't figure out what Ritt was trying to say and why he chose that story to put it. No driving force, no major theme surfaces.
