In one line, its good but not good enough!!
The movie does not do justice to the book. The characters barring Roark and Wynand no where come close to what they have been described – specially the physical appearance of Dominique.
At some places the characters mouth dialogues as if they are just reciting them, without understanding, to anyone who has read the book and understands it, this is very apparent with one exception of Ellsworth Monkton Toohey – he was just as despicable in the movie as he is in the book.
A big disappointment, was not finding any mention the Stoddard Temple and Dominique’s statue carved by Steven Mallory. Also no where to be seen were Mike the construction worker Catherine, Toohey’s niece and Austen Heller the man who first gave work to Roark.
In the book, Gail Wynand lives. He lives on as an emotionally dead being a defeated man who gave in to second handers. In the movie, he is shown to have committed suicide. I wonder what prompted Ms. Rand (the screenplay of the movie is by Ayn Rand herself) who have this change. I surely did not like this diversion from the book. It kind of redeems Wynand. The man saved Banner over his soul. He did the act knowing its full consequences, he did not deserve to be redeemed.
Movie recommended only if you have read the book.
Well Patricia Neal (who plays Dominique) has probably been made to look like Ayn Rand herself – in terms of hair style.
However her looks are too soft and her eyes lack the strength that I would associate with a heroine like her…
His body leaned back against the sky. It was a body of long straight lines and angles, each curve broken into planes. He stood, rigid, his hands hanging at his sides, palms out. He felt his shoulder blades drawn tight together, the curve of his neck, and the weight of the blood in his hands. He felt the wind behind him, in the hollow of his spine. The wind waved his hair against the sky. His hair was neither blond nor red, but the exact color of ripe orange rind.
After reading your review I would not like to see the movie. I like the strength of the characters as in the words above.