The Holly and the Ivy

The Holly and the Ivy is a film that is as simple as its title. The story by now is well known: but because of that don't say you won't see this picture. It's D little gem, its moving, amusing, penetrating.

There are three Stirling performances from Ralph Richardson, celia Johnson and Margaret Leighton. They have all come from the larger arena of the stage, and do therefore appear a little larger than life on the screen; but they have grasped the essential of screen acting outward simplicity, inward subtlety. They were all quite human; unaffected, untricky, unsynthetic. Celia Johnson's performance was the most perfectly gauged—subtle gamut of movement and geture An "iceberg" performance; most of it under the surface.

The film is adapted from a play, so of course (producers are slow to learn ) there is too much talk. But the overloaded script is translated to the screen with simplicity and skill The director captured" the atmos-Christmas dinner, set the table, lit phere of Christmas, arranged the lights and decorations, cooked the the fire. Then he let his actors have their day. They didn't let him down. Sincerity rather than spectacle, integrity rather than technical ingenuity.

Grading: ****

Grading for Sincere Acting: *****