Richard Brooks stood out as one of the most remarkable directors of his time by at the same time showing a great understanding and engagement in literature. He was the one who brought Dostoyevky's greatest novel "The Brothers Karamazov" to Hollywood on screen with great artistic success with Lee J. Cobb as the father, Yul Brynner as Dimitri and Maria Schell as Grushenka, and he successfully managed to condense the great novel into a film not too long - with a completely different ending. So he tampered with literature but not without intelligence. "Lord Jim" was perhaps his greatest literary effort, taking up a project that already Orson Welles had dreamed about, and here also he wrote a completely different story from the original. However, the skeleton is all there, Jim couldn't have been made more convincing in his incurable predicament of conscience turning him dangerously over-sensitive than by Peter O'Toole (rather fresh from "Lawrence of Arabia"),and the cinematography is marvellous the whole way. Whatever objections you might have against the manipulations with the novel, this is a cinematographic and artistic masterpiece, and the crown jewel in the fictional additions is Eli Wallach as the general, a character that does not exist in Conrad's novel, while he is a replacement for the Rajah and the Sherif Ali, the leading tyrants there. The Muslim ingredients in the novel are substituted by Buddhist temples and ceremonies, which actually is a great improvement, especially as the most visually impressing parts are filmed by Angkor Vat in Cambodia, one of the greatest and most beautiful temples.in the world. The brutal pirate Gentleman Brown is replaced by a real English gentleman represented by James Mason, one of his many great villains in disguise, while the one character that is not an improvement is Curd Jurgens as Cornelius. In the novel he is a despicable creature, while Jurgens is far too stately for that character. The girl could have been given a greater part, like she is in the novel, but it is marvellous to include her portraits of her parents in the film - the book must make you wonder how they were. Doramin is also played down here, while his significance in the novel is vital, and also Jack Hawkins as Marlow is given too small, actually just an introductory part. On the other hand, Paul Lukas as Stein is given prominence, which he deserves. In spite of the considerable departures and alterations of the novel, this should be the best of all screenings of Conrad, although they are all outstanding. The Patna incident is highly dramatised, in the novel the 800 pilgrims were all asleep during the entire crisis, while the weight of the dramatization is given to the siege of liberation, which amounts to a formidable battle. In brief, although very different from the novel, the film is a consummate and most admirable paraphrase of it, maintaining more than well all the basics.

In 1900, Joseph Conrad published his extraordinary novel Lord Jim. Since then it has traveled around the world and received inter-national recognition and acclaim. In 1925, it was superbly adapted into a film called " Lord Jim ", which was re-made in 1965. In this version we have Peter O'Toole as Lord Jim. Basically, it tells the story of a young English sailor who joins the British Merchant Navy and feels he has found his calling. Having been injured, he is sent to recover in a hospital. Upon his discharge, he is anxious to return to sea, he signs on the first available ship called The Patna. The aging vessel has been assigned to transport Arab pilgrims to the middle East. A huge storm strikes the floundering ship causing the Crew to abandon ship. Jim is forced to choose and he jumps. The ship, however does not sink and the cowardly crew goes into hiding, all except Jim who insists on being court-martial-ed and disgraced. For the rest of his life, Jim must live with the consequences of his fateful decision. He travels deep into the jungles of Malasia, where he seeks solace, redemption and a second chance to prove himself. The movie cast includes, James Mason, Curd Jürgens, Eli Wallach and Jack Hawkins. The film has become a benchmark for O'Toole and a definite Movie Classic. It is filled with suspense, dark drama, physical action, explosions and spectacular sequences. The sum total of which created a not-to-be missed Classic for all. ****

Joseph Conrad's Lord Jim made it to the big screen for a second time, the first being a silent screen version. The tale which is about the split second difference between being a hero and a coward which is the time it takes to either give in or control your fears.

Peter O'Toole who recycled some of his Lawrence Of Arabia persona plays the title role of the cashiered British merchant marine officer who abandons his ship during a storm with the rest of the white crew leaving a boatload of Moslem pilgrims to Mecca to fend for themselves. The ship doesn't sink however, it's survives and is salvaged by the French in the Red Sea.

In fact O'Toole further compounds his problems by owning up to the decision forcing a court martial and a cashiering.

But fates give him a chance to redeem himself somewhat when he becomes a deliverer of sorts to a Malaysian tribe being subjugated by a bandit general played by Eli Wallach recycling his bandit character from The Magnificent Seven.

Other folks in the cast are Paul Lukas, Curt Jurgens, Akim Tamiroff playing parts they are well typecast for. Although he doesn't come in until 80% of the film is done James Mason is memorable as a rather cultured but deadly river pirate who Wallach makes common cause with to regain control in his area. Mason to be compensated by some hidden treasure the natives are reputed to possess.

In the end O'Toole has set some impossible standards of human behavior for himself and feels he has to live up to them.

Conrad as author is almost as difficult to translate as Hemingway. This was certainly a better effort than the version of Victory that Fredric March did. I think that O'Toole was fortunate to have burst on the big screen in a breakout role of T.E. Lawrence that was similar to his character here. It was well brought out by director Richard Brooks.

Fans of the listed players should like Lord Jim.