I think this movie - being based on an F. Scott Fitzgerald short story - is more about a set of people (ex-pats in Paris after both the wars) then the individuals. That's why the characters don't convey themselves well. They represent ideas - the dissipation, boredom, incessant claim that they're "having fun,"(a sort of post-traumatic reaction to being in war - at least from Fitzgerald's point of view.) Helen's father is really the emblematic character, He lives for the moment - who knows what happened to the wife - he doesn't earn his money and is rather childish after having survived WWI. (The name of the short story is "Babylon Revisted.") I never liked this movie much - in spite of the great cast. I decided to check out again, to see Elizabeth Taylor and she really did do a fantastic job. It's hard to believe that she was only 23 when she performed in this role - she is so womanly!   See 2 other replies

I liked Van Johnsons in Brigadoon which he filmed the same year he filmed this picture--1953 I think and I am an admirer of the works of Richard Brooks (Blackboard Jungle, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, In Cold Blood, Looking for Mr. Goodbar among others). .The screenplay is writen by the Epstein brothers who also wrote Casablanca and I would expect that between the weight of the cast, the writing team and the Directors this should have been a film with greater depth. It does seem to be weak and you are probably right about whose fault that is; but perhaps it is just one of those films that just doesn't carry well and is a little to mundane for the modern public.   See 2 other replies

It's hilarious to read the comments of the confident and sure who state how horrible this film looks "colorized" and that the B&W version is superior when it blatantly states "Color by Technicolor" in the opening credits as one person pointed out.   See 7 other replies

its a bad print , not colorized. MGM didnt renew the copyright, so its in public domain, you can copy print and SELL copies yourself as there is no existing copyright. Thats why most free movies are poor quality or crap.theyre public domain   See 7 other replies