(1940)
3
Craig Butler
21 Days (also known as 21 Days Together is a fairly routine little melodrama that is given much more interest thanks to the presence of then-husband-and-wife Laurence Olivier andVivien Leigh. The stars are far and away the film's biggest assets; with them, it's a modestly entertaining way to pass a bit of time. Without them, it would be quite a bore. As it is, even their presence and charisma can't keep a viewer from checking his watch occasionally, despite the film's fairly brief running time. Basil Dean's direction is a bit stiff in places, which accounts for the pacing issues. When he's dealing with the court room shenanigans and with moments that actually propel the plot forward, he keeps 21 moving well. But when the lovers must go through their tortured paces, it gets a bit dreary. Blame must also be shared with the screenplay; despite having Graham Greene as a co-writer, it's not especially exciting and much of the dialogue is simply trite. Which brings us back to the stars, who do what stars are supposed to do: light up the screen with enough personal magnetism to keep the viewer engaged. Neither is turning in a sterling performance, but they're both quite good and entirely watchable.
cast-crew for 21 Days on AllMovie
21 Days (1940)
crew
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Basil Dean
- Director, Screenwriter, Associate Producer
