It's a lot better than Harper. Newman has fewer tics and the story moves along smoother. Harper had no dynamism because Jack Smight is a terrible action director; the only excitement came from the exchanges between Newman and Arthur Hill in the car. Stuart Rosenberg can be relied on to throw enough kinkiness and ambiguity at us to keep our interest.
Melanie Griffith was used better by Arthur Penn in Night Moves; it's too bad the kitten with a whip persona had to end when she grew up. Andy Robinson was so good as the villain in so many pictures--that sensual face worked well for him, as it does here. You'd expect to see him at Andy Warhol's Factory. Gail Strickland and Murray Hamilton as the rich couple were enjoyable to watch. If Joanne Woodward's part had been better written, she could have given us more than just the nervous belle. An average picture, affording some pleasure for Paul Newman completists.
Melanie Griffith was used better by Arthur Penn in Night Moves; it's too bad the kitten with a whip persona had to end when she grew up. Andy Robinson was so good as the villain in so many pictures--that sensual face worked well for him, as it does here. You'd expect to see him at Andy Warhol's Factory. Gail Strickland and Murray Hamilton as the rich couple were enjoyable to watch. If Joanne Woodward's part had been better written, she could have given us more than just the nervous belle. An average picture, affording some pleasure for Paul Newman completists.