Now Barabbas

Written by the brother of a future prime minister, Now Barrabas is a fairly risible prison drama with progressive elements in the script. It's unashamedly sentimental in parts, giving each prisoner in a selected group a chance at redemption or not. Mostly it's interesting because it features early performances from two future stars - Kenneth More and Richard Burton. More plays fairly to type - a light-weight fantasist who drifts out of the film early on. Burton plays an Irish terrorist in a performance so grim that he's excruciating to watch. For all that, he's still the best thing here.

Not recommended unless you enjoy a good wallow.