PHAEDRA no stars

High camp. Jules Dassin's updating of the Greek tragedy "Hippolytus", now called simply "Phaedra" after the central character, to modern times works only intermittently. It's mostly a shallow picture about shallow people and for that reason you never really care what happens to them; watching rich people suffer isn't much of a past-time although when it's done as badly as it is here it can be fun. On a more positive note, it looks good and the leads offer good, if hysterical, value. Mercouri is ... well, Mercouri. Like Magnani she was more a force of nature than an actress and she's all over the shop here. Unfortunately Anthony Perkins could never shake off the shackles of Norman Bates and he's a very unconvincing lover for stepmom Melina. He throws so many tantrums you begin to worry in case any of the cast decide to take a shower. Even if you are unfamiliar with the original you know it's all going to end in tears, or in this case in a lot of weeping and wailing.