Substantially edited down content wise from the novel to be approved by censors, this film is almost unrecognizable from the source material. Only a few characters retain the same names and stations, but gone is the journey of a flawed man stumbling through life. Instead, we're left with a noble and seemingly perfect man that does noble things to try and rescue his love from her life of sin. Dove Linkhorn's upstanding quality as a man was most certainly necessary to sell the film, given what did remain of the setting, but sadly, it leaves him a substantially flat as a character.

All that said and done, it's still a well made movie. If you haven't read the book or can detach yourself from the source, it does an excellent job of constantly alluding to more mature elements of prostitution and debauchery without being explicit. It reminds me quite a bit of Lolita in this manner. Where by being less explicit, more is conveyed without being distracting or a crutch. Fonda and Stanwyck unsurprisingly carry the show, and I enjoyed my time.