Wilkie Collins purists will take exception to many of the liberties taken in bringing the classic tale of The Woman in White to the screen, and not without reason. The chopping and rearranging this has been enacted on the story results in a somewhat confusing and not always convincing plot. However, there's enough of the story left that most viewers will find it a fine and fairly engaging mystery-cum-ghost story. Much of the dialogue comes off as rather stilted, and one is tempted to blame scenarist Stephen Morehouse Avery for not realizing that Collins' dialogue was not only of a different period (and would need to be refitted so that it didn't sound too obscure) but of a different medium (and would need to be refitted so that it came across as more natural). However, eventually one realizes that it is more often the actors who are to blame than the writer, for the likes of Sydney Greenstreet and Agnes Moorehead have no problem making the words seem perfectly fitting. On the other hand, Gig Young and Alexis Smith don't seem to know how to stretch their mouths to make the dialogue seem unforced and natural. Young is hopeless all around, a major detriment considering the importance of his role. Smith is better, but still far from what is required. Greenstreet is a delight, Moorehead a treat, and John Abbott a somewhat bizarre treasure. The Woman in White has its ups and downs, but overall is worth catching.