Ada

Ada
No "Lawrence of Arabia" but throughly enjoyable for those of us who enjoy 50's and 60's movies. Susan Hayward is great as always.

Another Susan Hayward great!
Susan Hayward was always one of my favorite actresses, although I believe she was not given the credit she deserved for her movies. ADA is an excellent example of her work.

Minor political drama lacks depth
Ms. Hayward, Mr. Martin and a fine supporting cast are engaged thanklessly in service of a limp and predictable script that possesses neither the emotional intensity nor the intellectual grit which make classics of the genre so memorable ('Advise and Consent,' 'A Face in the Crowd,' 'All the King's Men,' et al). 'Ada' (MGM, 1961), while perfectly passable as light political drama, shows all the signs of Hollywood-product fatigue indicative of the late-studio period as its characters and situations are glossed over (e.g., had I not read the jacket blurb I would've been hard-pressed even to guess that the story was supposed to take place during the Depression) in favor of broad plotting, rich sets and painterly cinematography. Director Daniel Mann ('Butterfield 8,' 'The Rose Tattoo') has delivered much better. The Warner Archive DVD-R offers an acceptably clean anamorphic-widescreen print with only a few artifacts evident, though a restoration might sharpen what an overly warm color...

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