I came to this film as a fan of Charles Laughton's performances and through an interest in courtroom dramas. While it had its moments, I found it too slow-moving (it's nearly an hour before the first plot "twist") and insufficiently dramatic. The performances are fine - Laughton is as watchable as ever, although his accent fluctuated and disappeared at times, to the extent that I couldn't believe him as a southern senator. In the circumstances (he must already have been suffering from his final illness) it's still a remarkable performance.
People have talked of the film's "brave" treatment of homosexuality (in one of its sub-plots). On the contrary, to me this story came across as clichéd, predictable, and dated: showing attitudes probably typical of those of the time, today it's at best patronising to gay people, at worst offensive. For a film that had something new to say on the topic and genuinely tried to challenge attitudes, look at the British release "Victim" (1961).
Finally, the ending of this film seems arbitrary, even a cop-out, given the buildup. Advise and Consent is ultimately a disappointment.
People have talked of the film's "brave" treatment of homosexuality (in one of its sub-plots). On the contrary, to me this story came across as clichéd, predictable, and dated: showing attitudes probably typical of those of the time, today it's at best patronising to gay people, at worst offensive. For a film that had something new to say on the topic and genuinely tried to challenge attitudes, look at the British release "Victim" (1961).
Finally, the ending of this film seems arbitrary, even a cop-out, given the buildup. Advise and Consent is ultimately a disappointment.