This is an inferior attempt at a film noir, directed by Mervyn LeRoy, who really should not have bothered. The film stars Jean Simmons, whose attractiveness is ruined for most of the film by the most odious wig imaginable. She has a difficult role to play, for the script is not very good, and one minute she is meant to be sane and the next minute she is meant to be crazy. Admittedly, this is true of many people, but in films we are meant to keep things simple so that the audience can follow the plot. This plot wanders around in a daze like a drunken script writer. I must confess myself to have been deeply annoyed by Dan O'Herlihy, who plays the indifferent husband of Jean Simmons. Not only can he not act very well, but when he tries, he is often more offensive than when he is not trying. I would have preferred him to sit in a corner and let the story take place without him. Rhonda Fleming is present as a flaming femme fatale, and although we cannot see her red hair because the film is in black and white, she blazes nevertheless. She plays a most unpleasant, vain, pinhead of a woman who glides along on her rather too obvious glamour like a ship on a calm sea of soapsuds. Efrem Zimbalist Junior falls for Jean Simmons but does nothing about it except look earnest and offer his friendship. His father was much better at playing the violin than he was at playing the heartstrings. Poor Jean Simmons has come out of an insane asylum where she spent an entire year without treatment. Now, upon returning home, she has what can only be called a delayed reaction, one year delayed to be precise. She begins to realize just how intolerable her home situation really is. Or maybe she watched this film, which is why she looks so uncomfortable. A surprising number of people think this film is wonderful, so it clearly speaks to others, and that shows just how different we all are. But would so many people say how they loved the film if Jean Simmons had not been in it?
Review of Home Before Dark
