Negative Positive
Title: Not impressed
Review: Dave Hirsch (Frank Sinatra), an ex-soldier and writer whose best work is in his past, returns to his small-town roots only to be confronted by hypocrisy at every turn. Every element of this meandering drama is predictable and every character a stereotype. We never get under the skin of Sinatra's character to understand why he is so moody and brooding, thereby compromising his role as a foil for the community at large. It was difficult to understand the intense loyalty he provokes in the gambler Bama (Dean Martin) and the floozy Ginny (Shirley MacLaine). Magnificent work by MacLaine and supporting actor Arthur Kennedy, as Sinatra's brother, are not enough to save the film. The climax is overwrought and predictable.
Is the review positive or negative? 