This film clearly shows why most remakes of classic films should not be made. Although the film is not bad, per se, it is missing the magic of the original. First of all, the casting (although they are super talented stars) feels off. Lana Turner, for instance, had a dangerous quality to her that Jessica does not. And John Garfield had a semi-naive quality to him that Jack definitely does not. Let's also talk about the sex. In the original, the sexual tension between Cora and Frank was palpable and didn't need the graphic display shown in this movie. It made it easier to believe that Frank and Cora eventually fell in love. With this movie, it felt more like the characters had fallen in lust. This movie also seemed far too long, with many superfluous scenes (aka the party after the husband is out of the hospital). My final quibble is the ending of this movie. It felt unfinished. I far prefer the ending of the original.
Review of The Postman Always Rings Twice
