Gregory Peck is one of my very favorite actors and if you were to skim my reviews of his films, you'd find that I often praised his movies as well as his wonderful acting. So, it is with deep regret that I say I have found another one of his films that I just didn't like (the other one that immediately comes to mind as well is his first film, DAYS OF GLORY). Now this movie started off very well and sustained its energy through the first half or so of the film. Seeing Peck fall for Ava Gardner and the movie's exploration of the evils of gambling was very interesting--though a bit heavy-handed. In particular, I liked the part played by Frank Morgan in one of his last films. His broken and dissipated gambling addict was heart-breaking and poignant.
However, the film just never knew when to stop. When Peck eventually gets the money to pay off Ava's and her father's gambling debts, I would have loved to see the movie end there. I would also have not minded if the movie had gone in the same direction it did--but had done it at a much faster and less tedious pace. Okay, having nice guy Peck save Gardner and her daddy from gambling only to be bitten by the gambling fever as well was interesting,...but not for another 30 or 40 minutes of the film--this portion of the film seemed to last hours!!! It was definitely a case of over-kill. Less would have definitely been more successful. But, instead, we are "treated" to watching Peck gamble again, and again, and again, ad nauseum. I can definitely see why this is one of Peck's lesser-known films. Take my advice and see him in any other film--it would be an improvement in most every case.
However, the film just never knew when to stop. When Peck eventually gets the money to pay off Ava's and her father's gambling debts, I would have loved to see the movie end there. I would also have not minded if the movie had gone in the same direction it did--but had done it at a much faster and less tedious pace. Okay, having nice guy Peck save Gardner and her daddy from gambling only to be bitten by the gambling fever as well was interesting,...but not for another 30 or 40 minutes of the film--this portion of the film seemed to last hours!!! It was definitely a case of over-kill. Less would have definitely been more successful. But, instead, we are "treated" to watching Peck gamble again, and again, and again, ad nauseum. I can definitely see why this is one of Peck's lesser-known films. Take my advice and see him in any other film--it would be an improvement in most every case.