I always had problems with Bernard Shaw as I never could take him seriously, as he never was serious. This is brilliant and entertaining indeed with breathtaking dialog all the way, but it actually leads to nothing. It's a social satire but there is no real point in it, especially as it was made during the Blitz and made a trifle out of the war business. Wendy Hiller makes a magnificent performance (as usual, she always does,) and so does Robert Morley as her father, but all the others are also perfectly excellent, there is a young Deborah Kerr, there is Robert Newton as rowdy as ever, Rex Harrison shows off as usual, there is Miles Malleson as a factotum like in so many films, and there is William Walton's music to gild the frame. It's not a great film, it's not a great play, but it fills up two hours with splendid entertainment, and whatever Bernard Shaw doesn't do in his plays, he sure never is disappointing.
Review of Major Barbara
