The fact that this was directed by John Frankenheimer also attracted me to this film. Angela Lansbury is excellent as Annabelle, bored and disappointed housewife, mother to Berry-Berry Willart (Warren Beatty).
Brandon De Wilde as the sensitive younger brother is almost heart-breaking to watch, as at first he worships, then questions, then later resents his older brother. He is to help Berry-Berry buy a shrimp boat, instead learning to enjoy the transient life in Key West Florida. ..."Why bother picking oranges when you're then too tired to enjoy the night life?"... Beatty says, as he cynically corners the next female he will choose to support him, for the moment.
Echo O'Brien is Eva Marie Saint, the name of the character itself infers a void. Indeed, she has suffered the suicide of her only serious boyfriend, she admits to Annabelle, as she is staying at their home for the holiday. She is also somewhat gullible, and susceptible to the manipulations of Berry-Berry.
Berry-Berry (Beatty), a drifter, finds numerous women to live off of, and winds up back home after landing in prison for beating his latest conquest. Beatty is certainly believable in the role, albeit a bit flat at times. He does seem filled with anger at his parents, his life. One scene is of a Christmas manger, and he becomes so disgusted he takes a pole and drives it through the window. He has had enough. His mother Annabelle is particularly tragic, treating him as the prodigal son and creating a shrine for him on Christmas Eve, when all that occurs that night is her husband (Karl Malden) returns home drunk yet again, he has, she tells her younger son, been committing suicide for the past 30 years with a bottle of bourbon.
All in all a story reminiscent of "Come Back, Little Sheba". Life's disappointments, and how various characters respond, or act out their despair. The De Wilde character Clinton, in the end seems the only character to be redeemed, and renewed. Highly recommended. 9/10.
Brandon De Wilde as the sensitive younger brother is almost heart-breaking to watch, as at first he worships, then questions, then later resents his older brother. He is to help Berry-Berry buy a shrimp boat, instead learning to enjoy the transient life in Key West Florida. ..."Why bother picking oranges when you're then too tired to enjoy the night life?"... Beatty says, as he cynically corners the next female he will choose to support him, for the moment.
Echo O'Brien is Eva Marie Saint, the name of the character itself infers a void. Indeed, she has suffered the suicide of her only serious boyfriend, she admits to Annabelle, as she is staying at their home for the holiday. She is also somewhat gullible, and susceptible to the manipulations of Berry-Berry.
Berry-Berry (Beatty), a drifter, finds numerous women to live off of, and winds up back home after landing in prison for beating his latest conquest. Beatty is certainly believable in the role, albeit a bit flat at times. He does seem filled with anger at his parents, his life. One scene is of a Christmas manger, and he becomes so disgusted he takes a pole and drives it through the window. He has had enough. His mother Annabelle is particularly tragic, treating him as the prodigal son and creating a shrine for him on Christmas Eve, when all that occurs that night is her husband (Karl Malden) returns home drunk yet again, he has, she tells her younger son, been committing suicide for the past 30 years with a bottle of bourbon.
All in all a story reminiscent of "Come Back, Little Sheba". Life's disappointments, and how various characters respond, or act out their despair. The De Wilde character Clinton, in the end seems the only character to be redeemed, and renewed. Highly recommended. 9/10.