This is a very fine William Faulkner adaptation set in circa 1910 rural Mississippi. Duvall fans, like me, should be thrilled to see and hear his masterful piece of humble and unpretentious acting. I must say there is a level of disappointment in reading the few negative or cursory reviews. I think one of the most overlooked elements in this film is the outstanding acting by Olga Bellin (Sarah). Frequent commentary of being cast too old is unfounded. Women in rural environments of this depicted era were a little worn around the edges. Sarah is actually quite beautiful in close ups, and she dispels any age related bias in the subtleties of her great acting. Where Duvall is masterful in delivering rural and colloquial dialog, Bellin equals the performance with outstanding facial expressions and body language. It is like having a window to her heart and mind. Together, they compelled me to care about them. In some ways, a nice motif on opposites attract. As for the purported, slow pace of this movie, I might just say life in the woods of Mississippi for 103 minutes did not seem too deliberate for me. This film is a very good and focused character study on love and loyalty. The monochromatic cinematography is appropriate and adequate. The on location, props and screen captures are great. Cinophiles should appreciate it. Despite some critics perceived B-movie imagery at times, this film has 4-star acting and a meaningful story.
