Eddie Anderson (Kirk Douglas) is a successful ad-man who seems to have everything. He has his big home, his housekeeper, his well manicured garden, and his beautiful family. His latest ad is selling cigarettes. For some reason, he deliberately crashes into a truck and nearly dies. His marriage to Florence (Deborah Kerr) is passionless and he's having a workplace affair with Gwen (Faye Dunaway). His midlife crisis has turned into full-blown depression and psychological breakdown.
I like the start but I don't like the unnecessary flashbacks. This is written and directed by Hollywood legend Elia Kazan adapted from his book. Somebody should have gotten in there to give him a second opinion. I like the character study in its central premise but there is a jumbled mess all around it. The acting is overwrought. It's way too melodramatic in a bad way. The cast is top notch. I'm sure that Kazan has a stuffed rolodex. This would be better as a simpler story telling and character study. The opening is great and it actually explained his life without explaining anything. One already gets a sense of him. The movie only really needs Faye Dunaway to be introduced and their love affair. This is a jumbled mess.
The second half has fewer flashbacks and that helps. It's less of a mess but I still don't like it. Part of that is my dislike of Eddie. It would be more compelling if it's not about choosing between Gwen and Florence. I would like something deeper. It becomes a melodrama. It's a scenes from a marriage and I don't care about this marriage. The father suggests something different. The movie goes on for too long. This is a long, rambling grind.
I like the start but I don't like the unnecessary flashbacks. This is written and directed by Hollywood legend Elia Kazan adapted from his book. Somebody should have gotten in there to give him a second opinion. I like the character study in its central premise but there is a jumbled mess all around it. The acting is overwrought. It's way too melodramatic in a bad way. The cast is top notch. I'm sure that Kazan has a stuffed rolodex. This would be better as a simpler story telling and character study. The opening is great and it actually explained his life without explaining anything. One already gets a sense of him. The movie only really needs Faye Dunaway to be introduced and their love affair. This is a jumbled mess.
The second half has fewer flashbacks and that helps. It's less of a mess but I still don't like it. Part of that is my dislike of Eddie. It would be more compelling if it's not about choosing between Gwen and Florence. I would like something deeper. It becomes a melodrama. It's a scenes from a marriage and I don't care about this marriage. The father suggests something different. The movie goes on for too long. This is a long, rambling grind.