I've been a fan of the book since I was a kid, and saw this movie on TV only a few days ago. I was impressed by how well it's stood up to passing decades, and how close to the book it stayed. The syrupy sound track and obviously non-outdoor sets were annoying, but no different from what was standard fare at the time. The cast is excellent.The omission of the older brother Howard was rather startling, but understandable. In the story, Howard was present in almost all the scenes where the whole family was together, but never was brought forward as a major character; the sibling rivalry was more implied than shown, other than in a few scenes. Howard would have had very little to do in most scenes unless they added dialogue, and the little girl who was substituted could be included in scenes or not.Gave it four stars, and recommend it!