Luther

An extremely well-acted addition of the American Film Theatre project. Keach gives the performance of his career as the great 16th-century religious leader. He takes the character from a young, somewhat-muddled seminarian to the leader of the Reformation in a completely believable, mannered characterization. Unfortunately Osborne's play does not adapt well to film, which drags on longer than it should and reveals its theatrical intent through an awkward narration that links the acts together. This is a classic example of how some of the best written plays are inherently noncinematic. The uniformily excellent cast, however, makes this worthwhile viewing.