It comes to something when the set outperforms the acting. It is one of the best pieces of stage design I have ever seen. There is one brief scene where we are transported to that famous Edward Hopper painting Nighthawks, even down to the barman, the couple and the lonely man. This time we see from behind the bar as the two leads invade their space.
But it was such a shame that they were so mediocre in these roles. I'm not a great fan of British actors using American accents but it was more their delivery that I found so irritating. Chris Harper bordered on the maniacal as Charles Bruno and we had to listen hard to hear Jack Ashton as Guy Haines. Now I think about it, the rest of the cast was fine.
The script by Craig Warner seemed clunky, as if he was cut and pasting too much of the book's dialogue. It's not surprising that Hitchcock changed so much of the story, particularly the ending. But I just loved the set!
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