bloated potboiler

Rating: Null/10 (27 November 2003)

This film has not aged well;the characters are by and large cardboard representations, the dialogue terribly stilted, marginally helped by O'tooles breathless diction. At the time it was certainly one of the better epic films, but seen today just seems belabored. Some of the scenes are beautifully photographed, but the music intrudes on the sense of space and solitude. Compare the scene in North by Northwest, just before the cropdusting for what can be done. A good editor could do wonders with this film.