Perhaps this is a screwball drama-of-manners. I'd tune in again for parts of this film. Such a long set-up..for any pay-off, I was ready to turn away as it took quite long into the movie to be absorbed into the characters and situations. Imagining bigger stars or unknowns instead of either of the male leads is futile. The plot needed more fixing than the casting.
Professor Hathaway (Don Ameche)- throughout played an educated fool. Maybe this type was of distinctive interest back then, I have no patience now for that. There are so many people like that, now, in reality. He did not deserve a happy ending; I would have him killed off by accident at some point - which presented itself in a perfect set-up for a grisly death by a caught tie in an outboard motor.. it turned into a meaningless plot device. He was 'teflon' through the whole film until the point when this dapper, rather dandyish professor, moments before his avoidance of turning his head into chopped meat, got boo-boos from running around outside barefoot chasing Eliot Morgan Van Heflin)! I haven't seen many Heflin movies; he was so despicable - relatively, he did not deserve a happy ending either.
Russell and Francis.. well, they should have told off Heflin and tied him up and taken his clothes...and start to go at each other, but after the first slap should have walked off into the sunset together. The End. Or at least for the 2014 version. Which part for Jodie Foster?
Beard[?!] Then I guess I'm growing a fur coat on my face. Real full beards or long 'goatees' must have been quite unusual and radical then.
Professor Hathaway (Don Ameche)- throughout played an educated fool. Maybe this type was of distinctive interest back then, I have no patience now for that. There are so many people like that, now, in reality. He did not deserve a happy ending; I would have him killed off by accident at some point - which presented itself in a perfect set-up for a grisly death by a caught tie in an outboard motor.. it turned into a meaningless plot device. He was 'teflon' through the whole film until the point when this dapper, rather dandyish professor, moments before his avoidance of turning his head into chopped meat, got boo-boos from running around outside barefoot chasing Eliot Morgan Van Heflin)! I haven't seen many Heflin movies; he was so despicable - relatively, he did not deserve a happy ending either.
Russell and Francis.. well, they should have told off Heflin and tied him up and taken his clothes...and start to go at each other, but after the first slap should have walked off into the sunset together. The End. Or at least for the 2014 version. Which part for Jodie Foster?
Beard[?!] Then I guess I'm growing a fur coat on my face. Real full beards or long 'goatees' must have been quite unusual and radical then.