Roseanna McCoy

For this big, classy production, Sam Goldwyn transposed the Capulet/Montague conflict to the Hatfield/McCoy story. John Collier concocted a quirky screenplay with eccentric details of mountain magic, as well as some droll humor at the expense of the rustics ["Don't talk with your knife in your mouth!"] These efforts sink under the ploddingly literal direction of Irving Reis and the disastrous casting of Joan Evans in the title role [only marginally competent even as an ingenue]. Farley Granger has the appropriate dash for Romeo, but seems too squeaky clean for the squalid Hatfield family. It's still interesting for the exceptionally fine supporting cast and the graceful location camerawork of old master Lee Garmes.