Little scene movie is not very good. People, if they ever watch the movie will wonder what the hell Tony Curtis is doing in this movie. And will probably say the movie would have been better if they cut all his scenes. It wouldn't. It's not Tony's fault. The writer is using this mental institution as an analogy for the madness of war and Tony as a guy who with his antics is a sanity and respite from the madness. The juxtaposition of the serious scenes with Tony's clowning and slight naiveness are supposed to build to a crescendo with the final scene. It is a smartly constructed script. I could easily see a better director, like a Mervyn Leroy easily pulling this off. Main streamer but not talented enough, David Miller is not up to the task and the Peck coda is passable, the Curtis segs creak. Some of his stuff even looks to have been cut because he is not enough in the movie for his co-headlining role. Angie Dickinson is fine as the love interest and Bobby Darin shines in one particular scene that is very poorly directed. Bobby Duvall has a small role, but bigger than his role in other Peck movie, To kill a mocking bird. Screenplay is slightly cliched, dialogue wise but passable. Coulda been a contender.
Review of Captain Newman, M.D.
