We've seen this premise many times, and sometimes it works but many times it does not. This time is one of the later, simply because of the way that Leonard Whiting stalks Jean Simmons throughout the first 20 minutes of this film, which would have him arrested for sure. Even with hidden snickers of amusement on the train while avoiding his attentions, it's obvious that Jean Simmons for the most part is annoyed by him.
But after the incident on the train, he follows her around to various shopping places and before long, she's putting on a fashion show for him and he's picking out clothes for her to try on. They then end up at the home of her mother's (a terrific Evelyn Laye) and then in one of his acquaintances Apartments, where everything between them explodes into passion and later anger.
Whiting is charming for sure, but his childish antics would annoy any serious adult, even one in a troubled marriage like Jean's. It only begins to make sense briefly when they are at her mother's, and Laye indicates that she too had her own flings which shocks her daughter. This is basically the two leaves and a few smaller parts, and it gets frustrating to watch Simmons keep trying to leave him and later returned to his arms. She is certainly gorgeous, but this wasn't the happy continuation of her success after her Oscar nomination the year before for "The Happy Ending".
Even though she is only on screen for 5 minutes, it is the 1930's leading lady Evelyn Laye who walks off with e film, especially when she gets Whiting to dance with her. In spite of how I hated the first 20 minutes of the film, I couldn't completely dismiss it with the later sequences, and those terrific London locations are quite stunning. There is also a nice musical theme that results in a beautiful, melancholy song that accompanies the bittersweet ending.
But after the incident on the train, he follows her around to various shopping places and before long, she's putting on a fashion show for him and he's picking out clothes for her to try on. They then end up at the home of her mother's (a terrific Evelyn Laye) and then in one of his acquaintances Apartments, where everything between them explodes into passion and later anger.
Whiting is charming for sure, but his childish antics would annoy any serious adult, even one in a troubled marriage like Jean's. It only begins to make sense briefly when they are at her mother's, and Laye indicates that she too had her own flings which shocks her daughter. This is basically the two leaves and a few smaller parts, and it gets frustrating to watch Simmons keep trying to leave him and later returned to his arms. She is certainly gorgeous, but this wasn't the happy continuation of her success after her Oscar nomination the year before for "The Happy Ending".
Even though she is only on screen for 5 minutes, it is the 1930's leading lady Evelyn Laye who walks off with e film, especially when she gets Whiting to dance with her. In spite of how I hated the first 20 minutes of the film, I couldn't completely dismiss it with the later sequences, and those terrific London locations are quite stunning. There is also a nice musical theme that results in a beautiful, melancholy song that accompanies the bittersweet ending.