This was an updating of the classic play and film from the early 1930s, with a good cast including Monty Markham, Yvette Mimieux, Melvin Douglas and Myrna Loy. It was certainly above average as a made for television film, and was in color. However, Mitchell Leisin's black and white movie still looks quite striking today, and the addition of color was hardly necessary for the story line.
The only points I wanted to add to discussing this particular version was that they added an element not in the original. Albert Casella's play was set in his native Italy, and Leisin had kept that in his film version. But in this update, it was set in the U.S., in modern times (since it was shot in 1970 let us say the 1970s). But Duke Lambert's family is now the Chapman family. The Chapmans are a wealthy and politically active family, with Douglas and Loy as Patriarch and Matriarch (and son Kerwin Matthews is a U.S. Senator) who have had serious losses and tragedies over the years. In fact, one of the early sequences (where two grandsons are on a boat that looks like it is going to be hit by an out-of-control speedboat) is typical of the type of family tragedies they have suffered. As Death (Markham) is now taking his holiday, the disaster is averted.
Of course, the idea behind this change was based on the number one political/wealthy family in America: the Kennedys. It was a curious, and I would say unnecessary change, but I suspect that the teleplay writers felt that it would help bring home the message more if we were thinking of American wealth and privilege at stake instead of old European aristocracy.
The only points I wanted to add to discussing this particular version was that they added an element not in the original. Albert Casella's play was set in his native Italy, and Leisin had kept that in his film version. But in this update, it was set in the U.S., in modern times (since it was shot in 1970 let us say the 1970s). But Duke Lambert's family is now the Chapman family. The Chapmans are a wealthy and politically active family, with Douglas and Loy as Patriarch and Matriarch (and son Kerwin Matthews is a U.S. Senator) who have had serious losses and tragedies over the years. In fact, one of the early sequences (where two grandsons are on a boat that looks like it is going to be hit by an out-of-control speedboat) is typical of the type of family tragedies they have suffered. As Death (Markham) is now taking his holiday, the disaster is averted.
Of course, the idea behind this change was based on the number one political/wealthy family in America: the Kennedys. It was a curious, and I would say unnecessary change, but I suspect that the teleplay writers felt that it would help bring home the message more if we were thinking of American wealth and privilege at stake instead of old European aristocracy.