A half-decent story buried under a mountain of suds and soft focus, Parrish rates low on pure smoking satisfaction. It is glaringly apparent that Troy Donahue was valued more for his boy-next-door good looks than his acting range, and this film never misses an opportunity to linger on close-ups of his apparently optically-enhanced eyes. Playing the title character, he's too ivy-league come off as a believable farmhand, and there's at least three desirable dolls aching for his affections (production note- see if Elvis is available if Donahue drops out)
The grown-ups, blustery Karl Malden and always charming Claudette Colbert, manage well enough, and there are some potentially engaging plot elements, but they're too soggy to catch fire. The story rises and falls rather predictably, and it's all very good-looking even when it shouldn't be. The overall effect is like Douglas Sirk meets Tobacco Road, terribly over-long. glossy and episodic.
The grown-ups, blustery Karl Malden and always charming Claudette Colbert, manage well enough, and there are some potentially engaging plot elements, but they're too soggy to catch fire. The story rises and falls rather predictably, and it's all very good-looking even when it shouldn't be. The overall effect is like Douglas Sirk meets Tobacco Road, terribly over-long. glossy and episodic.