'Adventure' should have been much better than it turned out. On paper you can't go wrong with such talented performers like Clark Gable, Greer Garson, Joan Blondell and Thomas Mitchell. As well as with Victor Fleming, responsible for two of the best films ever made 'The Wizard of Oz' and 'Gone with the Wind', at the directing helm.
Those are ingredients enough to make one want to see 'Adventure' and indicate that it would be a great film. That unfortunately wasn't to be. 'Adventure' is not terrible by all means, just couldn't help feeling disappointed when wanting to love it and that its unevenness and that its promise was not fulfilled properly was frustrating. Just as frustrating was that what 'Adventure' was seen for in the first place were not too well served and all have done much better.
From some of that paragraph, one would think that 'Adventure' was bad. As said already, it isn't. There are many good things. It does look good, particularly the beautifully done photography. The sets may have lacked authenticity but looked far from ugly or tacky. It's appropriately unobtrusively scored and there are instances where the script is witty and moving as well as surprisingly death with the philosophical elements.
Joan Blondell radiates with class and charm and Thomas Mitchell is excellent and the cast standout with two of the film's most likeable characters, Mitchell's role especially is perfect for him. The story does have moments, like the chicken hypnotising, the water tub and with the newborn baby.
It is a shame that 'Adventure' has some big faults. The story generally is confused and tries to do and be too many things that it feels like a hodge podge tonally. The script could have been sharper, tighter (sometimes it rambles) and much more subtle, things do get rather over-the-top and blustery.
Clark Gable's performance and the way the character is written (an unsubtle and indecisively written jerk) don't help in this regard, Gable tries too hard and it did feel a lot of the time that he was overplaying. His change is not believable, too sudden, too hasty and happens too late. Greer Garson tries, but comes over as too cold and shrill (not like her, put it down to how she was directed and how the character was written). Their chemistry agreed is a real mismatch and is one of the main things that brings down the film, it's rushed, over-egged, sometimes illogical and the personalities just don't gel. One doesn't buy the animosity or love, or what they see in each other in the first place. Fleming's direction is disappointingly undistinguished.
Overall, don't regret watching 'Adventure' but it was annoyingly uneven. 6/10 Bethany Cox
Those are ingredients enough to make one want to see 'Adventure' and indicate that it would be a great film. That unfortunately wasn't to be. 'Adventure' is not terrible by all means, just couldn't help feeling disappointed when wanting to love it and that its unevenness and that its promise was not fulfilled properly was frustrating. Just as frustrating was that what 'Adventure' was seen for in the first place were not too well served and all have done much better.
From some of that paragraph, one would think that 'Adventure' was bad. As said already, it isn't. There are many good things. It does look good, particularly the beautifully done photography. The sets may have lacked authenticity but looked far from ugly or tacky. It's appropriately unobtrusively scored and there are instances where the script is witty and moving as well as surprisingly death with the philosophical elements.
Joan Blondell radiates with class and charm and Thomas Mitchell is excellent and the cast standout with two of the film's most likeable characters, Mitchell's role especially is perfect for him. The story does have moments, like the chicken hypnotising, the water tub and with the newborn baby.
It is a shame that 'Adventure' has some big faults. The story generally is confused and tries to do and be too many things that it feels like a hodge podge tonally. The script could have been sharper, tighter (sometimes it rambles) and much more subtle, things do get rather over-the-top and blustery.
Clark Gable's performance and the way the character is written (an unsubtle and indecisively written jerk) don't help in this regard, Gable tries too hard and it did feel a lot of the time that he was overplaying. His change is not believable, too sudden, too hasty and happens too late. Greer Garson tries, but comes over as too cold and shrill (not like her, put it down to how she was directed and how the character was written). Their chemistry agreed is a real mismatch and is one of the main things that brings down the film, it's rushed, over-egged, sometimes illogical and the personalities just don't gel. One doesn't buy the animosity or love, or what they see in each other in the first place. Fleming's direction is disappointingly undistinguished.
Overall, don't regret watching 'Adventure' but it was annoyingly uneven. 6/10 Bethany Cox