Tender Is The Night

Famed author Fitzgerald's semiautobiographical novel of the woman-induced downfall of a man who once saw a brilliant career in his future, set amidst the decadence of post-WWI Europe with its many American expatriates, is given a slow, syrupy cinematic treatment here by director King (whose habit was to dwell unduly on noncritical visuals). The story opens at the posh French Riviera villa occupied by affluent young Jones and her husband, Robards. Among their party guests is a beautiful cinema starlet, St. John, to whom Robards takes a fancy. Jones's jealousy at this occurrence brings on a relapse of a mental disorder to which she had once been prey, and she creates...