wigley

There is certainly more humour than horror in this rather slow moving offering from Michael Powell. The acting is, in general, on the wooden side, although Gordon Harker as Sam Higgins does his best to lift the pace. The plot is predictable after the first 15 minutes, although there are enough twists to keep the interest. I was surprised at the number of people required to run a lighthouse only half a mile offshore, and the apparent number of hiding places on a bare rock, but this is just a detail. Overall, nothing special, but pleasant enough not to be considered a waste of time.

Having read the IMDb comments for this film, I am wondering if I was watching the same film. The acting was reasonable, if nothing special, the setting and direction were good, although not to my mind outstanding, but unless you are a fan of Ireland at the beginning of the 20th century there is no way the dialogue and action could pass for reasonable entertainment.

To my mind there is always a problem in transferring to film a play or story where the action takes place in a single location, with a play or story one interacts with the characters far more than with a film, where one is much more of an outsider.

I am not an action movie fan, but I had to go and make a cup of coffee to stay awake through this valium substitute. One star for the direction and that is it.