No film with Alec Guinness and Leo McKern in the leads, based on a Graham Greene novel can be bad. But this comes closer than I wish it did.
It's played far more 'cute' than it need be, from the dated, overly up-beat music, to the lack of edge given to either of the two main characters – a Roman Catholic Priest, and his friend, a communist. There's no reason not to allow these men more real, complex personalities.
In addition, the Don Quixote parallels are already quite obvious, but the film insists on pilling them on, and then explaining them.
But all that said, there are enough wonderful moments of acting to certainly make this watchable, and even worthwhile, even if it doesn't hit anywhere near the heights I was hoping for, after spending a long while tracking down a copy.
It's played far more 'cute' than it need be, from the dated, overly up-beat music, to the lack of edge given to either of the two main characters – a Roman Catholic Priest, and his friend, a communist. There's no reason not to allow these men more real, complex personalities.
In addition, the Don Quixote parallels are already quite obvious, but the film insists on pilling them on, and then explaining them.
But all that said, there are enough wonderful moments of acting to certainly make this watchable, and even worthwhile, even if it doesn't hit anywhere near the heights I was hoping for, after spending a long while tracking down a copy.