This movie,hadn't been upto the standard I will put on Borzage, may be he hasn't yet matured, it will take another couple of year, from 7th Heaven onward.
The trouble of the movie is - not only it hasn't been quite faithful to script. It has somehow juxtaposed the lady Windermere's fan on The Circle. It wasn't too difficult, considering both are on similar concepts, only the take and the ending on the two were different.
But that ending set aside (it didn't really was jarring), what jarred more was a bit frivolous take on Elizabeth's and Luton's behavior. No one could but frown upn as director going overboard - the way they were cuddling and kissing in open, where they were constantly being caught by all, including her husband and FIL.
The behavior of Catherine and Hugh too was a bit jarring, more so, for one who has read the original. They seemed to be more of anagonist than attached (except at the end sequence). True there was a friction - due to her missing the society, being outcast, but the attachment - of habit probably - remained. Somehow that was missed in this narrative. In that case, the chances of Elizabeth rethinking, and deciding against elopement was more that her final decision to elope with her lover. And the end - the triumphant act of Catherine's two husbands too wasn't right, the way the movie ended. Still - if I don't mind the change in the ending - vis a vis original - Elisabeth's activity as well as Luton's open love-making was too jarring to forgive.
Review of The Circle
