Phil Leacock and Neil Paterson had a successful film in Nova Scotia so went back there, although the novel was set on Maine. The Little Kidnappers had splendid casting - this not so much. It's a woman's picture with Betta St John pursued by three men - sleazy Patrick McGoohan, no good charmer William Sylvester, true love Michael Craig.
Nothing wrong with that formular but you've got to give good stuff - a real star, glamour, pretty things to look at.
They don't do that here. Betta St John isn't up to it. All the crap roles given to potential Rank Organisation greats like Diane Cilento, Kay Kendall, Diana Dors and it goes to St John who is pretty and nice and fine but not a star.
Sylvester isn't handsome enough - McGoohan and Craig are. They miss Dirk Bogarde or Anthony Steel.
The pace is slack. This needed to be full blooded. Sex, passion, like Gainsborough. More Canadian feel or at least sense of community. Not there.
Gainsborough would've made this well in the 1940s - or needed to be made a few years later with more sex
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