I saw this film as a young girl in the sixties and never forgot it. One of the great pluses in this film is the very deep cast of English character actors who parade through the story. Not the least of which is Donald Pleasence. I consider this film the first to bear the, Donald Pleasence is in it, it must be good, rule. You know, that seal of approval that M.Emmet Walsh and later J.T. Walsh brought to their work.
I consider this to be Stephen Boyd's best work, and indicative of the career he could have had, had he not been saddled with the "too good looking for his own good" curse that ruined the aspirations of a lot of actors doomed to play shallow roles. As for Delores Hart's final screen performance, goodness only knows what she could have accomplished had she not committed her life to God. One of the great show biz what ifs. But the real star of this movie is the story, with its brutal for its time period, depiction of refugees problems in a post war Europe. Attempting to start anew while unable to escape the horrors of her war time experiences, Lisa is an unwanted and painful reminder of a society that wishes to move on but can't agree on how to handle the problems of thousands of extraneous displaced victims. And how this film refuses to sugar coat the ending, leaving its characters with choices that can only be described as excruciatingly heartbraking and yet uplifting at the same time. The post war experience in Europe was no picnic for the victims or the guilt ridden bystanders. This film will haunt you.
I consider this to be Stephen Boyd's best work, and indicative of the career he could have had, had he not been saddled with the "too good looking for his own good" curse that ruined the aspirations of a lot of actors doomed to play shallow roles. As for Delores Hart's final screen performance, goodness only knows what she could have accomplished had she not committed her life to God. One of the great show biz what ifs. But the real star of this movie is the story, with its brutal for its time period, depiction of refugees problems in a post war Europe. Attempting to start anew while unable to escape the horrors of her war time experiences, Lisa is an unwanted and painful reminder of a society that wishes to move on but can't agree on how to handle the problems of thousands of extraneous displaced victims. And how this film refuses to sugar coat the ending, leaving its characters with choices that can only be described as excruciatingly heartbraking and yet uplifting at the same time. The post war experience in Europe was no picnic for the victims or the guilt ridden bystanders. This film will haunt you.