The bloke who wrote the play on which this was based sounds interesting - Boer War service, top KC, high profile cases, Labor government minister, part time playwright.
I'm sure this was fine on stage - the tale of a libel trial. Its hard to get too excited about libel cinematically - it's all words. The back story of this does sound cinematic - ripping off post war programs in Prague. Hello Third Man. But we don't see it.
There's lots of clipped voices and slicked hair. The cross examinations are fine. Eric Portman is always decent value. I liked seeing Michael Denison at first but his character got on my nerves. Claire Bloom is lovely in a "girlfriend" part. Anne Todd's character has possibilities -a woman who had a fling with Denison and is willing to lie for husband Hugh Williams; if they'd trashed her up, had her sleeping with Denison, and being ruthless, then it might be fun. I did laugh how unconcerned Portman seemed to Williams' probable suicide at the end.
But this isn't a very good movie. I wouldn't recommend seeing it unless you love British libel trials or Eric Portman.
The film vanished from my mind not long after seeing it.
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