Year Of Release: 1954Country of Origin: USA
Director: William Dieterle
Cast: Elizabeth Taylor, Dana Andrews, Peter Finch
Plot outline: The young bride of a rich tea planter finds herself the only white woman at Elephant Walk, British Ceylon (IMDb).
Based on the novel of the same title by Robert Standish, menacing elephants and a father-in-law's dark shadow is the situation in Elephant Walk. No wonder Taylor acts so scared. No wonder she soon finds her new husband, Peter Finch, just a bit of a bore and starts riding out with Dana Andrews to see how the tea plants are coming along. And, we might add, no wonder the picture becomes a bit of a bore, too. This sort of menace melodrama has to be done awfully well to hold. Unfortunately, the script is lengthy and hackneyed in the build-up, and William Dieterle's direction does not provide anything more than gaudy panoramas of a tropical palace to fascinate the eye. Taylor's performance of the young wife is petulant and smug. Andrews is pompous as the manager. And Finch, as the husband, is just plain bad. Abraham Sofaer as the native major-domo wears moustachios like a Turkish highwayman's and has the best chance to be intriguing. But he does little more than roll his eyes. In the last fifteen minutes, however, the fireworks are made to explode. Cholera breaks out and the native villages are put to the hygienic torch. Then the elephants, taking advantage of the absence of the native guards, respond to their old frustrated instinct and come lumbering down their ancient walk. Is there anything more you'd like to know? (NYT)
My judgement: ** out of 4 stars
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