Copyright 3 May 1946 by Hal Wallis Productions, Inc. New York opening at the Paramount: 26 June 1946. U.S. release: 29 August 1946. U.K. release: October 1946. Australian release: 19 December 1946. Sydney opening at the Prince Edward: 29 November 1946 (ran 3 weeks). 9,669 feet. 107 minutes.
NOTES: Lillian Hellman's original stage play opened on Broadway at the Fulton on 12 April 1944 and ran a most satisfactory 326 performances (her 1941 Watch on the Rhine ran 378). Herman Shumlin produced and directed. Dennis King played the diplomat, Montgomery Clift his son, Dudley Digges the role he repeats for the screen. Cornelia Otis Skinner, Barbara O'Neil, Arnold Korff and Joe De Santis were also cast. This was the movie debut of Douglas Dick in the role originated on Broadway by Montgomery Clift.
COMMENT: A bore. The only decent actor in the entire cast is Albert Basserman who makes his brief scene as an aged German diplomat a tour de force - maybe it only seems so in comparison with the tepid portrayals put up by the rest of the cast. Robert Young has his usual role (as the indecisive and vacillating hero who means well, but can't see what's going on around him) which he plays with considerably less than his usual sparkle; Sylvia Sidney looks aged and tired as a nosey reporter; while Shirley Ann Richards (who is made up, costumed and hair styled to look like Barbara O'Neil - who played Sylvia Sidney's role on Broadway!) proves she is just as bad an actress in her American films as she was in her Australian efforts! Cornelia Otis Skinner had the Richards role on Broadway, while Dennis King had Young's role.
In the role of "Sam" on Broadway was a young actor named Montgomery Clift. But did Wallis sign up Clift for the film version? No, sir. Instead he signs up a young lad named Douglas Dick whose later career was as lackluster as the performance he gave in this film. The only player in the Broadway cast to repeat his role for the film version was Dudley Digges who blusters his way through it in a phony, over-theatrical manner.
In fact, theatricality is the film's main besetting sin. You can almost hear the curtain slam down between the acts and beyond the interpolation of newsreel footage and a few brief continuity scenes, little attempt has been made to open out the original play.
The direction doesn't help either. I don't think I have ever seen Dieterle direct with such little distinction. I wouldn't mind betting that a great deal of the film was directed by Herman Shumlin - either actually present or certainly in spirit.
Other production credits are likewise dull and uninteresting with the exception of the music score - that, especially the corny bringing up of "America, America" just before the fade-out, is a bit too much, even in the context of such a dated and blatant piece of proselytizing as this is.
Production values are moderate. I can't say that the film would be much improved by cutting as it's all so indigestible, nobody would have the stomach to sit through any of it.
NOTES: Lillian Hellman's original stage play opened on Broadway at the Fulton on 12 April 1944 and ran a most satisfactory 326 performances (her 1941 Watch on the Rhine ran 378). Herman Shumlin produced and directed. Dennis King played the diplomat, Montgomery Clift his son, Dudley Digges the role he repeats for the screen. Cornelia Otis Skinner, Barbara O'Neil, Arnold Korff and Joe De Santis were also cast. This was the movie debut of Douglas Dick in the role originated on Broadway by Montgomery Clift.
COMMENT: A bore. The only decent actor in the entire cast is Albert Basserman who makes his brief scene as an aged German diplomat a tour de force - maybe it only seems so in comparison with the tepid portrayals put up by the rest of the cast. Robert Young has his usual role (as the indecisive and vacillating hero who means well, but can't see what's going on around him) which he plays with considerably less than his usual sparkle; Sylvia Sidney looks aged and tired as a nosey reporter; while Shirley Ann Richards (who is made up, costumed and hair styled to look like Barbara O'Neil - who played Sylvia Sidney's role on Broadway!) proves she is just as bad an actress in her American films as she was in her Australian efforts! Cornelia Otis Skinner had the Richards role on Broadway, while Dennis King had Young's role.
In the role of "Sam" on Broadway was a young actor named Montgomery Clift. But did Wallis sign up Clift for the film version? No, sir. Instead he signs up a young lad named Douglas Dick whose later career was as lackluster as the performance he gave in this film. The only player in the Broadway cast to repeat his role for the film version was Dudley Digges who blusters his way through it in a phony, over-theatrical manner.
In fact, theatricality is the film's main besetting sin. You can almost hear the curtain slam down between the acts and beyond the interpolation of newsreel footage and a few brief continuity scenes, little attempt has been made to open out the original play.
The direction doesn't help either. I don't think I have ever seen Dieterle direct with such little distinction. I wouldn't mind betting that a great deal of the film was directed by Herman Shumlin - either actually present or certainly in spirit.
Other production credits are likewise dull and uninteresting with the exception of the music score - that, especially the corny bringing up of "America, America" just before the fade-out, is a bit too much, even in the context of such a dated and blatant piece of proselytizing as this is.
Production values are moderate. I can't say that the film would be much improved by cutting as it's all so indigestible, nobody would have the stomach to sit through any of it.