Three stars maybe high for something low budge (the sets are very basic) but it's very comptent, well realised. Unpretentious. Plot follows logically. Muriel Steinbeck marries dead beat Peter Finch - her mum believably unsympathetic. He drinks. Travels. Their son prefers him. She walks out, son stays with dad, dad dies, son grows up to be bitter, wants vengeance by seducing daughter of Mum's new bloke (John McCallum).
Finch is very good as is Steinbeck - she's a little soap actory but it suits story. Randell is brilliant - handsome, evil, charismatic. He marries Jane holland intending to root her and dump her. That's full on. They don't have sex here - McCallum and Steinbeck get to the church. Boo!
It ends in New Guinea. Randell becomes a Good Person rather quickly via war service. There's some terrific Damien Parer photography and action. The ending does work.
Kitty Bluett, the maid, had an affair with Randell IRL.
Holland is likeable. McCallum looks the part but is a little stiff playing "old".
But just a really good solid film. Location filming helps immeasuably.
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