University of Virginia Library

Excellent Acting

The abrupt cut from the formal
sophistication of the greeting to the
absolute casual naivete of a basic
need is done very handily. Throughout
the movie there are other such
breaks and cuts which add up well.
Never once does the juxtaposition
of scenes or characters fail. Harvey
manages to bring added depth to a
predominately one dimensional
screenplay.

The acting is excellent. Peter
O'Toole and Katherine Hepburn
role out their lines with a precision
that the super-intellectuality of the
script demands. Their sons, John
Castle as Geoffrey, Nigel Terry as
John, and Anthony Hopkins as
Richard, beautifully act the
machine, the dolt, and the emotionally
wounded respectively. Hopkins
does a particularly good job. Jane
Merrow as Alais is something else.
Either her role is rather insipid or
she is. No character commands
much sympathy, but O'Toole, Hepburn,
and Hopkins are strong actors
in strong roles and they cannot be
ignored.