This movie's believability is severely challenged from the get go by the casting of Fred MacMurray as the eldest brother to Jeffrey Hunter and Dean Stockwell. No amount of hair dye can hide the fact that MacMurray could easily pass as their father or that he's similar in age to his supposed mother Josephine Hutchinson!
Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed MacMurray in many films over the years, but he wasn't right for this part. He's much better suited for comedy.
I'm also a big fan of Jeffrey Hunter. He's the reason I bought this film, but he's not talented enough as a dramatic actor to pull off the very tricky role of the coward. Someone like James Dean or Montgomery Clift would've been far better options.
Chill Wills is the only actor perfect for his role and is the standout in the film, although Stockwell does a good job as the rambunctious, hot-headed youngest brother too.
The script is bad as well. It's wishy washy at best and provides the audience with no understanding as to why Hunter became the man he is today until toward the end of the film. This information would've been helpful to know and could've been illustrated with a flashback sequence.
The above mentioned issues really ruin any chance of this film succeeding in telling the story of being different but still being valued and validated.
Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed MacMurray in many films over the years, but he wasn't right for this part. He's much better suited for comedy.
I'm also a big fan of Jeffrey Hunter. He's the reason I bought this film, but he's not talented enough as a dramatic actor to pull off the very tricky role of the coward. Someone like James Dean or Montgomery Clift would've been far better options.
Chill Wills is the only actor perfect for his role and is the standout in the film, although Stockwell does a good job as the rambunctious, hot-headed youngest brother too.
The script is bad as well. It's wishy washy at best and provides the audience with no understanding as to why Hunter became the man he is today until toward the end of the film. This information would've been helpful to know and could've been illustrated with a flashback sequence.
The above mentioned issues really ruin any chance of this film succeeding in telling the story of being different but still being valued and validated.