First of all (and it pains me to say this, because Franz Waxman is such an excellent composer), the musical score is incessant and intrusive to the point of being maddening at times, starting with the opening scene. The acting is predictably wooden given the choice of actors. Alas, the most brilliant actor on the set is Jose Ferrer, but he's behind the camera-a job he never did well. The cinematographer seems obsessed with trees and tree branches and, well, the whole film's a hot mess. The title song is pleasant, though. (It's sung by the director's wife, Rosemary Clooney.)
Review of Return to Peyton Place
