Pretty dull and boring, even De Niro cannot make it up, though he is doing his best.

Flawless recreation of 'old Hollywood' is let down by some ponderous stretches, but is overall a powerful drama sparked by a phenomenal mid-70s all-star cast (though Nicholson is essentially wasted and unusually subdued in a glorified cameo). De Niro, Mitchum and Pleasence share acting honours, and Kazan proves he remained a master of direction until the very end (and includes some perhaps telling references to those "damn commies"!)

50.250