A gripping story ,very well acted , with a great sense of exoticism and beautiful colors .
Peter Finch ,in a part of a devoted doctor (he would have a similar role in "the nun's story" ,two years later) shines all along the way : his commitment to his work is extraordinary but he has a tendency to side with the rebels such as his protégé ,Jan .In Malaya , the humble natives are exploited by a rubber planter : the opportunity of growing rice may give them independence and may end starvation; although Jan tells Windom that you, occident people, have your factories,universities,and great things,as for us, rice represents our wealth , it's only a symbol : in fact,they want to free themselves from the hold colonialism has over them.
The movie has a remarkable progression; after the death of the "wise old man" , the escalation of violence knows no bounds ,as the high and the mighty call the army ( the soldiers are the agitators' compatriots though ). Mary Ure's character may seem pointless and trite in the first part of the movie: the former socialite trying to pick up the pieces with her husband whose work took the best of him; and to the viewer's eyes ,she 's nothing but decorative ;but further acquaintance shows a determined woman ,whose first attempt (as a nurse ) is self-conscious ,but who plays a prominent part in the final scenes. Avoiding the de rigueur happy end , the screenplay shows that war has only begun. And the husband/wife roles are reversed.
Ronald Neame's directing is efficient ,with a good sense of space;I'd like to recommend another movie of his,the excellent "the prime of Miss Jean Brodie"( 1968) with creme de la creme actress Dame Maggie Smith.
Peter Finch ,in a part of a devoted doctor (he would have a similar role in "the nun's story" ,two years later) shines all along the way : his commitment to his work is extraordinary but he has a tendency to side with the rebels such as his protégé ,Jan .In Malaya , the humble natives are exploited by a rubber planter : the opportunity of growing rice may give them independence and may end starvation; although Jan tells Windom that you, occident people, have your factories,universities,and great things,as for us, rice represents our wealth , it's only a symbol : in fact,they want to free themselves from the hold colonialism has over them.
The movie has a remarkable progression; after the death of the "wise old man" , the escalation of violence knows no bounds ,as the high and the mighty call the army ( the soldiers are the agitators' compatriots though ). Mary Ure's character may seem pointless and trite in the first part of the movie: the former socialite trying to pick up the pieces with her husband whose work took the best of him; and to the viewer's eyes ,she 's nothing but decorative ;but further acquaintance shows a determined woman ,whose first attempt (as a nurse ) is self-conscious ,but who plays a prominent part in the final scenes. Avoiding the de rigueur happy end , the screenplay shows that war has only begun. And the husband/wife roles are reversed.
Ronald Neame's directing is efficient ,with a good sense of space;I'd like to recommend another movie of his,the excellent "the prime of Miss Jean Brodie"( 1968) with creme de la creme actress Dame Maggie Smith.