At points in this abbreviated version of the European produced romantic drama, you think you're watching an early television version of "The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone", for Merle Oberon's character heads after gambler Richard Todd much like Vivien Leigh did for Warren Beatty's gigolo in that Tennessee Williams melodrama. The metaphors of Williams' story are missing, however, and in the faded black and white version of the color movie (trimmed excessively for video release) makes this look like an episode of an early television anthology series.
Told in flashback by an older man (Leo Genn) who obviously loves the heroine, the story traces the downfall of the sophisticated Oberon after striking up an interest in the somewhat melancholy Todd after he storms out of a gambling casino in Monte Carlo and she finds him a hotel room. He becomes excessively paranoid as Oberon's obsession with him gets deeper and deeper. There's really no motivation for her attraction to him beyond the obvious as he is actually pretty condescending to her and obviously using her in spite of his objections to the contrary.
Because of the slightly older woman/younger man theme, there's a definite comparison to many of Williams' works, particularly "A Streetcar Named Desire", "Roman Spring" and "The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore". If there's any indication in the obviously missing footage of something important from the plot that explains something deeper in the relationship, hopefully it will show up, along with a color print, as certain sequences (particularly a fireworks scene) cry for it. In its available print, it strikes a high cord of major mediocrity.
Told in flashback by an older man (Leo Genn) who obviously loves the heroine, the story traces the downfall of the sophisticated Oberon after striking up an interest in the somewhat melancholy Todd after he storms out of a gambling casino in Monte Carlo and she finds him a hotel room. He becomes excessively paranoid as Oberon's obsession with him gets deeper and deeper. There's really no motivation for her attraction to him beyond the obvious as he is actually pretty condescending to her and obviously using her in spite of his objections to the contrary.
Because of the slightly older woman/younger man theme, there's a definite comparison to many of Williams' works, particularly "A Streetcar Named Desire", "Roman Spring" and "The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore". If there's any indication in the obviously missing footage of something important from the plot that explains something deeper in the relationship, hopefully it will show up, along with a color print, as certain sequences (particularly a fireworks scene) cry for it. In its available print, it strikes a high cord of major mediocrity.