Interesting film from Ford, more for its failures than its successes. The latter are primarily visual--the moody rooftop scenes are standouts. Many of the supporting players are also quite good. However, Stanwyck is badly miscast, with an accent that goes in and out, and a one-dimensional character that comes off shrill and selfish. Further, the various threads never quite seem to add up to a cohesive whole, offering disparate, if interesting, looks at this moment in time.

My expectations were low, but this wasn't total dud I was expecting. The story just doesn't have it (was O'Casey as good as they say? none of the adaptations work), but Stanwyck gives her level best. Ford manages to throw in a few haunting moments - the women listening to the distant gunfire, the man sliding off the roof. The whole urban combat aspect in general is unique and eerie. It's one of Ford's lesser works, but it's relatively harmless.