Zandy’s Bride [For Better, for Worse] * (1974, Gene Hackman, Liv Ullmann, Eileen Heckart) – Classic Movie Review 10,309

Director Jan Troell’s 1974 romantic Western drama Zandy’s Bride [For Better, for Worse] tells the wispy, dull story of the love affair between spirited Scandinavian mail-order bride Hannah Lund (Liv Ullmann) and her grouchy Californian ranching frontiersman husband Zandy Allan (Gene Hackman).

Despite the sterling, valiant efforts of the admirable Hackman, Ullmann, Eileen Heckart (as Ma Allan) and Harry Dean Stanton – all in their prime – it is quite definitely a waste of time, money and the actors.

Apart from the actors and the gorgeous-looking Californian Big Sur locales, beautifully captured by cinematographer Jordan Cronenweth, this film marriage needs a divorce, despite its timely, relevant tale of a woman standing up for herself.

Marc Norman’s screenplay is based on the novel The Stranger by Lillian Bos Ross.

Also in the cast are Joe Santos, Frank Cady, Sam Bottoms, Susan Tyrrell and Bob Simpson.

The running time was originally 116 minutes, but it was cut by nearly 20 minutes, and available prints run 97 minutes.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,309

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