Okay, I kind of cheated with this one. The whole point of this release is to be able to compare to versions of the same movie: the 90-minute original version that De Sica previewed (to mostly negative reviews) and the severely reedited 60-minute version completed by producer David Selznick, which didn't fare much better. But after having watched the Selznick version, I'm going to find it near impossible to legitimize slogging through the same film, only 50% more, even if most do say that the De Sica version is far superior.
This is baaaaaaad. I mean really near the point of unwatchable, an experiment in contemporary trends that just doesn't work, period. Think a strange mix of De Sica's earlier neo-realist work with Douglas Sirk-style melodrama, minus the authenticity of the former and the self-aware flourishes of the latter. Then add laughable performances by Montgomery Clift (honey) and Jennifer Jones.
Soooo yeah. I think I'm done with this one.
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