University of Virginia Library

Gould's Possibilities

Gould's performance is quite
good. He doesn't mug as much as
he did in "Getting Straight," and he
seems to have better control over
his character than he's had before. I
believe if he is directed by someone
with a forceful yet guiding hand, he
may develop into a more versatile
actor.

Brenda Vaccaro has some fine
moments as Jody. She is amusing as
she screams at her husband while
attempting to drown herself by
plunging into a pool while wearing
a flannel nightgown and her mink
coat. Angel Tompkins plays Helone,
an actress and Burrows' mistress, in
a manner suited for this character,
namely as an icy, demanding bitch.

Stuart's direction bothered me
quite a bit, in that his film looks
more like a product for a television
"world premiere." There is one
fairly interesting scene, however.
Gould and Tompkins are opposite
each other during a conversation.
Stuart pans from one to the other
as they talk, in what I guess is
supposed to show their relationship
is doomed since they can't even get
together in the same frame. That's
not a bad idea, but for it to be
effective, if that's what it's meant
to convey, there should have been
more imagination used throughout
the rest of the film.