It’s an awkward film. James is the only one of its actors who knows how to modulate for the camera, though I strongly suspect he would have made a better Jamie 10-15 years later. Even Dee, who from what I’ve read was only hired for the filmed version, often seems to be indicating. Filmed theatrical productions inevitably face this challenge, but as the Olivier and Lemmon productions faced it successfully I will lay the blame for this on director William Woodman. I wonder if Freeman, who’d had a great deal of success on camera by then, would have made a difference.
It’s worth watching for curiosity’s sake if you love the play. It is still on the WatchTCM app.
