One of a dozen or so classic movies that is hard to watch this version of the J. M. Barrie play is so stagey and talkie, featuring Overly dramatic performances by practically the entire ensemble, led by Katharine Hepburn and John Beal. He plays a new minister in the Scottish community braying at his congregation without even getting to know them, and quite tedious.
Hepburn by this point had several misfires ("Spitfire" and "Sylvia Scarlett"), so this one makes that period of her career her weakest time in film, almost a jinx after winning her first Oscar. Obviously they were promoting her as some sort of Garbo rival even without an accent, and she looks laughable in a gypsy costume, terribly miscast. Beal, the least known of her leading man, gives a performance that is truly embarrassing. The supporting cast Is overloaded with character actors directed to play to the rafters, oozing with gooey sentiment or righteous anger, and there's no middle ground. Alan Hale, Donald Crisp, Beryl Mercer, Eily Malyon, Mary Gordon (who popped up impractically every film requiring a Scottish or Irish character, even though her accent was strictly Scottish) and Lumsden Hare, all outlandish as directed by Richard Wallace.
This was obviously an RKO prestige picture, but it is so pretentious that it's very difficult to watch without laughing at. The set direction is very lovely with period structures really creating a believable atmosphere, and there's less wooden performances from the abundance of trees. This is the type of film that people probably walked out mocking all the outrageous accents, young Billy Watson the worst of the lot.
Hepburn by this point had several misfires ("Spitfire" and "Sylvia Scarlett"), so this one makes that period of her career her weakest time in film, almost a jinx after winning her first Oscar. Obviously they were promoting her as some sort of Garbo rival even without an accent, and she looks laughable in a gypsy costume, terribly miscast. Beal, the least known of her leading man, gives a performance that is truly embarrassing. The supporting cast Is overloaded with character actors directed to play to the rafters, oozing with gooey sentiment or righteous anger, and there's no middle ground. Alan Hale, Donald Crisp, Beryl Mercer, Eily Malyon, Mary Gordon (who popped up impractically every film requiring a Scottish or Irish character, even though her accent was strictly Scottish) and Lumsden Hare, all outlandish as directed by Richard Wallace.
This was obviously an RKO prestige picture, but it is so pretentious that it's very difficult to watch without laughing at. The set direction is very lovely with period structures really creating a believable atmosphere, and there's less wooden performances from the abundance of trees. This is the type of film that people probably walked out mocking all the outrageous accents, young Billy Watson the worst of the lot.