Reed was nominated for best director by the Directors Guild of America. Pauline Kael of The New Yorker wrote: "There's vitality in Carol Reed's direction, and an exuberant sweep in Robert Krasker's camera work. Burt Lancaster and Gina Lollobrigida function as stars--they're magnetic." Bosley Crowther, one of the most outspoken critics of his time, panned the film in his review for The New York Times, writing that the story was "dismally obvious and monotonous", the direction no better and the dialogue "dull and hackneyed." He also criticized the film's leads, writing that Lollobrigida offered nothing beyond her beauty and that Curtis and Lancaster were both uninteresting. See also List of American films of 1956 References External links 1956 films 1956 drama films American drama films CinemaScope films Circus films Films based on British novels Films directed by Carol Reed Films produced by Burt Lancaster Films produced by James Hill Films produced by Harold Hecht Films scored by Malcolm Arnold Films with screenplays by Ben Hecht Films with screenplays by Wolf Mankowitz Norma Productions films United Artists films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films