when one consider that carson mccullers be one of the foremost literary figure of the 20th century and it seem that it need a very great lack of talent to be able to ruin one of her story and but this movie show it can be do . how do actor ingratiate their way to become director . wooden and unatmospheric and unsympathetic and totally out of sync with the poetic compassion of mccullers write and my jaw drop with horror and disbelief that such a mish mash of a movie could ever have find finance and backer . the only redeeming feature be some moderately good acting and ( although that say and vanessa redgrave seem to permanently render much the same performance whatever character she play ) and and some good cinematography in place and but otherwise it be a bitter and bitter disappointment and and it could and and indeed should and have be a contemporary masterpiece . simon callow should hang his head in shame and stick to act .