That "The Chalk Garden" is still so eminently watchable is solely due to its superb cast. Enid Bagnold's play is a stodgy, pedestrian affair to which time has shown little charity, revealing every psychological cliché embedded amongst its labored symbolism. The screen adaptation is directed by the always reliable but equally labored and pedestrian Ronald Neame.
Still, it boasts a powerful cast; indeed the best of British. Deborah Kerr's is a commanding screen presence. Her reading of the role is almost identical in its restraint and deliberate monotone as to the one she delivered the same year so effectively in "The Night of the Iguana"; which was so wonderfully served by John Huston. One can only wonder what a Huston or the likes of, could have done with "The Chalk Garden".
John Mills as the self effacing butler is spot on, as he always was. Daughter Hayley fares less well. Her best scenes are opposite her real life father who seems to instill in her the confidence to expand her range with greater ease. They were in a few movies together, beginning with "Tiger Bay" in which a very young Hayley turned in what might be her best performance ever. She was a terrific child actress and to her credit, (unlike many others) managed to survive her youthful stardom. But her acting ability became less and less impressive as she aged., levelling off into what could be called solid and reliable, but with little evidence of the instincts which imbued her childhood roles. Surrounded by theatrical heavyweights, rather than Disney lightweights, the deficiency of her talent is more noticeable.
Rounding off the cast is the grand dame of British theatre, Edith Evans. Evans like numerous stage luminaries made sparse appearances on film. She was certainly no beauty, far from it, which probably has much to do with the fact that it was only in her latter years that she began to accept film roles, winning immortality as the definitive Lady Bracknell (a handbag !!??.....) in "Importance of Being Earnest".
Malcolm Arnold 's music is truly appalling, tainting the scenes in which it's applied. It's intrusive, clichéd, unimaginative and really annoying.
All in all a mix bag, but worth seeking out for the acting alone.
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