A likable cast and an unusual story promise entertainment with enough food for thought, but the whole static affair proves a disappointment.
An excellent Colman shines in an otherwise extremely contrived plot with naive (pseudo-)intellectual pretensions. In the second half the timing is all off, Arthur's flightiness and Grants lordliness grow tiresome while a discriminating audience certainly loses interest as a freshly shaved reborn sunny boy Colman saves the day by confronting a laughably Hollywoodesque lynch mob in the worst Capra-fashion.
All in all, a rather heavy-handed attempt at seriousness, typical for "Shane" director Stevens, with only some amusing lines and moments to guarantee average viewing pleasure.
(One of the writers was Irvin Shaw. Give me his namesake George Bernard any time instead!)
5 out of 10 borschts with egg
An excellent Colman shines in an otherwise extremely contrived plot with naive (pseudo-)intellectual pretensions. In the second half the timing is all off, Arthur's flightiness and Grants lordliness grow tiresome while a discriminating audience certainly loses interest as a freshly shaved reborn sunny boy Colman saves the day by confronting a laughably Hollywoodesque lynch mob in the worst Capra-fashion.
All in all, a rather heavy-handed attempt at seriousness, typical for "Shane" director Stevens, with only some amusing lines and moments to guarantee average viewing pleasure.
(One of the writers was Irvin Shaw. Give me his namesake George Bernard any time instead!)
5 out of 10 borschts with egg