Vladimir Pozner's skillful adaptation for the screen of Lillian Hellman's original stage play Another Part of the Forest is an almost forgotten classic, that deserves a wider audience. Performances are uniformly excellent, even in the smaller roles. Superb editing helps to create an absorbing and compelling drama of a particularly nasty family in post-Civil War Alabama.
Fredric March nearly steals the picture, with his malevolent portrayal of a tyrannical father, who enjoys pitting his offspring against each other. Ambitious older son Benjamin ( Edmond O'Brien) wants to get up in the world and make money, something his controlling father Marcus is determined to prevent. Weakling younger son Oscar ( Dan Duryea) is a joke to everyone else in the family. Spoiled daughter Regina ( Ann Blyth) is the only one of the three children to win any favor from their dictatorial father, but she is also expected to remain under his thumb. Both Regina and Ben have big plans they are keeping secret from Marcus. But a family as full of intrigue and conspiracy as this one is like a bomb with a slowly burning fuse. Eventually, there is going to be an explosion.
There are fine supporting performances by John Dall as the restless former soldier John Bagtry, who wishes to find a war somewhere to go fight in, Betsy Blair as his nervous, fragile cousin Birdy, Dona Drake as the floozy girlfriend of the weaselly Oscar, Fritz Leiber as the sadly dignified Colonel Isham, and most of all, Florence Eldridge as the ignored and ill-used wife of Marcus Hubbard, Lavinia.
Razor sharp dialogue and performances makes this a true delight to savor. Hard to find, but well worth the effort.You won't like this family, but you won't forget them.
Fredric March nearly steals the picture, with his malevolent portrayal of a tyrannical father, who enjoys pitting his offspring against each other. Ambitious older son Benjamin ( Edmond O'Brien) wants to get up in the world and make money, something his controlling father Marcus is determined to prevent. Weakling younger son Oscar ( Dan Duryea) is a joke to everyone else in the family. Spoiled daughter Regina ( Ann Blyth) is the only one of the three children to win any favor from their dictatorial father, but she is also expected to remain under his thumb. Both Regina and Ben have big plans they are keeping secret from Marcus. But a family as full of intrigue and conspiracy as this one is like a bomb with a slowly burning fuse. Eventually, there is going to be an explosion.
There are fine supporting performances by John Dall as the restless former soldier John Bagtry, who wishes to find a war somewhere to go fight in, Betsy Blair as his nervous, fragile cousin Birdy, Dona Drake as the floozy girlfriend of the weaselly Oscar, Fritz Leiber as the sadly dignified Colonel Isham, and most of all, Florence Eldridge as the ignored and ill-used wife of Marcus Hubbard, Lavinia.
Razor sharp dialogue and performances makes this a true delight to savor. Hard to find, but well worth the effort.You won't like this family, but you won't forget them.