John Wayne, Patricia Neal, Kirk Douglas, Dana Andrews, Burgess Meredith and Henry Fonda in a movie directed by Otto Perminger.
The scenes with Neal and Wayne is what makes the movie. There is great chemistry between the elderly pair and Neal is an actress who can effortlessly hold her own against any leading man. I wonder whether this is why she did not act in that many movies. She really was a towering presence. A cruelly underrated actress. Wayne in a subtly melancholic role of a competent navy officer is perfect. This must be one of his best performances.
The film is off to a sizzling start with Barbara Bach (as Douglas' cheating wife) strutting her stuff. Alas, she dies within the first twenty minutes.
The bureaucratic tussles between Wayne, Andrews and Douglas were not that interesting to me. I am sure Navy fans would find them to be interesting. The action scenes with special effects have not aged too well.
It is one of those giant American movies (167 minutes) that shows off American power while also reflecting upon its dark side.
Brandon De Wilde was born in the wrong decade.
(7/10)
The scenes with Neal and Wayne is what makes the movie. There is great chemistry between the elderly pair and Neal is an actress who can effortlessly hold her own against any leading man. I wonder whether this is why she did not act in that many movies. She really was a towering presence. A cruelly underrated actress. Wayne in a subtly melancholic role of a competent navy officer is perfect. This must be one of his best performances.
The film is off to a sizzling start with Barbara Bach (as Douglas' cheating wife) strutting her stuff. Alas, she dies within the first twenty minutes.
The bureaucratic tussles between Wayne, Andrews and Douglas were not that interesting to me. I am sure Navy fans would find them to be interesting. The action scenes with special effects have not aged too well.
It is one of those giant American movies (167 minutes) that shows off American power while also reflecting upon its dark side.
Brandon De Wilde was born in the wrong decade.
(7/10)