Plot

A prosaic filmization of George Orwell's cautionary novel, 1984 is set in a futuristic totalitarian society where individuality is forbidden. The ruler is the never-seen "Big Brother," whose minions have monitored and bugged the activities of the populace so that no one can harbor any "subversive" thoughts. Edmond O'Brien plays Winston Smith, a government functionary satisfied with his lot, until he commits the illegal act of falling in love with Julia (Jan Sterling), a member of the anti-sex league. The lovers try to escape the all-powerful influence of Big Brother, but their every move is recorded by listening and viewing devices. Both are captured and sent to rehabilitation centers; preying upon Winston's and Julia's innermost fears, the lieutenants of Big Brother break down their resistance and force them to betray one another. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Review

This version of 1984, the George Orwell dystopian masterpiece, is decent enough, but not the cinematic treatment that the material deserves. Part of the problem is that in 1956, some of the novel's more extreme situations couldn't be presented onscreen in an "honest" manner. Ralph Gilbert Bettinson's adaptation also suffers from veering back and forth between being faithful to the book and deviating from it, making it somewhat wishy-washy. The writer would have made a stronger contribution had he made a decision to be more slavish to the book or to depart totally from it and come up with a cinematic equivalent that captured the spirit and message, even if it had an atmosphere and life of its own. That said, the horrors of Orwell's vision are even more relevant today, with some people preying on fears about safety and security to justify surveillance and information-gathering techniques that have the potential to be used for ill as much as for good. Michael Anderson's direction of the film is solid, if unexceptional, and he has a fine Winston Smith in Edmond O'Brien. If O'Brien is perhaps not the perfect age and physical type, he more than makes up for it with his effective, nuanced performance. Jan Sterling does less well as Julia, perhaps because of the necessary bowdlerization that has befallen her part. Michael Redgrave is, surprisingly, a bit off form as O'Connor, but Donald Pleasance does very well in the small role of Parsons. If this 1984 is flawed, it still packs a decent punch -- and in several scenes, it packs quite a bit more. (Viewers should beware that there were different endings shot, and there are at least two versions which show up on the rare occasions the film is televised.) ~ Craig Butler, Rovi

Cast

• Michael Redgrave - Gen. O'Connor
• Edmond O'Brien - Winston Smith
• Jan Sterling - Julia
• David Kossoff - Charrington the Junk Shop Owner
• Mervyn Johns - Jones

Donald Pleasence - Parsons; Carol Wolveridge - Selina Parsons; Ernest Clark - Outer Party Announcer; Patrick Allen - Inner Party Official; Ronan O'Casey - Rutherford; Michael Ripper - Outer Pany Orator; Ewen Solon - Outer Party Orator; Kenneth Griffith - Prisoner

Credit

Terence Verity - Art Director, Barbara Gray - Costume Designer, Michael Anderson - Director, Bill Lewthwaite - Editor, Malcolm Arnold - Composer (Music Score), Louis Levy - Musical Direction/Supervision, C.M. Pennington-Richards - Cinematographer, N. Peter Rathvon - Producer, Norman Warwick - Special Effects, George Blackwell - Special Effects, Barry Langley - Special Effects, Ralph Gilbert Bettinson - Screenwriter, William P. Templeton - Screenwriter, George Orwell - Book Author

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