Cliff Robertson, & Piper Laurie give fine performances in this drama. It is the terrific story of two alcoholics who fine each other through the bottle at the party. Through some miracle they manage to have a baby girl despite the drinking. Then the tale tells its story of the toll the bottle would take on both of them.
In a way, John Frankenheimer tells the story in classic Hollywood flashback style by starting off with a sober Clay (Robertson) getting up to speak at an AA meeting. The meeting sequences are the only ones filmed as the rest is done live. At least it appears this is the way the story is going and for most of the time it does.
Both leads get great support acting from Malcom Atterby & Charles Bickford as the AA Leader & Kirstens dad. The story shows how AA works and at the same time the pitfalls to alcoholism in classic dramatic fashion. After seeing this, it is a shame Frankeheimer did not direct the movie.
One thing that indicates the difference between eras is the fact that once Joe got sober and stayed that way, he was able to get a job and pull him & his daughter out of despair. The story then stops being flashback and goes into Kirsten's rejection of help from Joe (her husband) or to do it for her daughter. The drama ends on a strong note as she comes to her husband & daughters house one more time, sober, and pleads for him to join her back drunk & he turns her down.
When you compare this with other dramas done live in the 1950's, it holds up well but is just a notch below Requirem For A Heavyweight, & Patterns which are in the same set of DVDS. Still, this is the type of drama that is no longer made, and the AA message still applies.
In a way, John Frankenheimer tells the story in classic Hollywood flashback style by starting off with a sober Clay (Robertson) getting up to speak at an AA meeting. The meeting sequences are the only ones filmed as the rest is done live. At least it appears this is the way the story is going and for most of the time it does.
Both leads get great support acting from Malcom Atterby & Charles Bickford as the AA Leader & Kirstens dad. The story shows how AA works and at the same time the pitfalls to alcoholism in classic dramatic fashion. After seeing this, it is a shame Frankeheimer did not direct the movie.
One thing that indicates the difference between eras is the fact that once Joe got sober and stayed that way, he was able to get a job and pull him & his daughter out of despair. The story then stops being flashback and goes into Kirsten's rejection of help from Joe (her husband) or to do it for her daughter. The drama ends on a strong note as she comes to her husband & daughters house one more time, sober, and pleads for him to join her back drunk & he turns her down.
When you compare this with other dramas done live in the 1950's, it holds up well but is just a notch below Requirem For A Heavyweight, & Patterns which are in the same set of DVDS. Still, this is the type of drama that is no longer made, and the AA message still applies.