Interesting and Odd, this Movie is Much More than it Seems at First Glance. It is Rich with that 1950's Take on Psychotherapy and Plays it Very Serious but the Heavy Subject Matter Is Sidetracked, at Least on the Surface, with Much Ado About Nothing. The Drapes.
It Can be Insightful at Times and is Ripe for the Picking it Apart Crowd that are Not Willing or Able to Read Between the Lines. It is a Product of its Time to be Sure, what with the Cinemascope and Mega-Cast of Big Stars, and it does Come Across Today as a bit Hokey and Melodramatic, but there is Some Vintage Gold to be Mined from this Film that Got the Shaft, both Critically and Financially.
Some Good Performances from All Involved with Richard Widmark Trying to Steady the Rocking Boat Full of Passengers, both Patients and Staff, that are All Different Degrees of Neurotics. Gloria Grahame is Still Beautiful and Throaty, Lillian Gish Makes a Solid Comeback, and Lauren Bacall is a Pleasantry Among the Psychically Scarred.
The Direction is Hampered by the Expectations of the 1950's, Cinemascope, and a Heavy Handed Score, but Vincente Minnelli Manages to Simmer this Heated Stuff with a Light Touch of Irony and a Heavy Dose of Professional Acting.
Note...This Movie has gained some Retro interest among Film Buffs Today, and it has a Great closing line from "Stevie".
It Can be Insightful at Times and is Ripe for the Picking it Apart Crowd that are Not Willing or Able to Read Between the Lines. It is a Product of its Time to be Sure, what with the Cinemascope and Mega-Cast of Big Stars, and it does Come Across Today as a bit Hokey and Melodramatic, but there is Some Vintage Gold to be Mined from this Film that Got the Shaft, both Critically and Financially.
Some Good Performances from All Involved with Richard Widmark Trying to Steady the Rocking Boat Full of Passengers, both Patients and Staff, that are All Different Degrees of Neurotics. Gloria Grahame is Still Beautiful and Throaty, Lillian Gish Makes a Solid Comeback, and Lauren Bacall is a Pleasantry Among the Psychically Scarred.
The Direction is Hampered by the Expectations of the 1950's, Cinemascope, and a Heavy Handed Score, but Vincente Minnelli Manages to Simmer this Heated Stuff with a Light Touch of Irony and a Heavy Dose of Professional Acting.
Note...This Movie has gained some Retro interest among Film Buffs Today, and it has a Great closing line from "Stevie".