The life story of Dublin playwright Sean O'Casey (here called Johnny Cassidy!) has a sweeping, arty direction by Jack Cardiff, with assistance from John Ford, but it is full of characters who fail to come to life despite a sterling cast of players. Adapted from O'Casey's autobiography "Mirror in My House", film is saddled with too much melodrama and sideline romances. The location filming is excellent, and Maggie Smith gives a standout performance as a spinster bookseller, but there's not enough heart in the handling. In the lead, Rod Taylor brings his rugged handsomeness to the screen but little else. *1/2 from ****
Review of Young Cassidy
