Noel Coward couldn't put a foot wrong in World War Two in cinema as well as the stage - In Which We Serve, This Happy Breed, Brief Encounter, Blithe Spirit. He couldn't seem to put a foot right after the war. He wrote and starred in this and directed it so he can't duck responsibility.
Some of this isn't bad. The story is simple but meaty - a shrink who is used to dealing with human emotions can't handle his when he falls for a woman (Margaret Leighton) while his wife (Celia Johnson) looks on. It's the same storyline as The Deep Blue Sea only with the guy breaking down. Maybe it would've been more effective with it as a woman breaking down. Actually no, there's nothing wrong with it being a guy if it had the right actor.
Michael Redgrave was cast, but kicked out during filming and replaced by Coward. I didn't see any Redgrave footage but Coward doesn't work. He was looking old, which isn't fatal, but is too restrained and never believably in love with Margaret Leighton. He has some effective-ish moments (there's some witty gags) but it's all in lower gear. He needed stronger directors to push him. Anthony Darborough and Terence Fisher are the credited directors but I can't see them pushing Coward. Coward himself regretted Carol Reed didn't direct.
Leighton looks beautiful (she wasn't often shot flatteringly) and is good as is Johnson. The central flaw is Coward. Who else could've played it? I think John Mills could've cut loose - maybe. James Mason, definitely. And Trevor Howard, even Robert Newton. Coward's limitations didn't matter in In Which We Serve because he was protected by the uniform and action and also there were other protagonists - here it weighs on his shoulders. All the action is emotional. And he doesn't have David Lean.
Because it deals with sex, obssession and suicide there is plenty of raw material here, but it's not exploited.
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