This film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture, and it’s certainly a good one; however, despite clear ambition and some experimental choices, it doesn’t quite achieve everything it sets out to do. It's still undeniably well-made, consistently engaging, appealing over time, and boasts moments of genuine impact. The most noticeable flaws stem from those experimental sequences—they don't land effectively and prove distracting—and the fact that Miss Hayes is frequently given dialogue that feels overwritten, artificial, and theatrical. Even though she delivers a commendable performance demonstrating considerable talent, it often comes across as a stage performer’s approach, emphasizing technique rather than subtle, naturalistic movie acting. I’m not criticizing her acting specifically; my point is that she offers a version of understated film work characteristic of the stage, rather than what's expected on screen. It seems peculiar that this overly stylized dialogue was exclusively assigned to Miss Hayes, while other characters received much more realistic and believable lines. It’s possible Paramount sought to leverage her established reputation as one of the greatest stage stars of her era, instructing the writers to create particularly elaborate speeches for her. Another issue I've always had is that Cooper and Hayes don't seem like a convincing couple; his interactions with her feel natural and genuine, but hers toward him often come across as performative rather than authentic. Again, this isn’t meant as criticism of Miss Hayes, who was undeniably gifted. Her performance feels perfectly suited for the stage. Furthermore, I believe she was perhaps miscast, appearing neither convincingly British nor possessing the captivating beauty that characters describe in one another. The film's strengths are considerable. The cinematography (which earned an Oscar) is exceptional throughout, particularly during the roughly four-minute montage depicting their journey to Milan—it’s truly outstanding. The sets, also nominated for an Academy Award, are wonderful as well. Additionally, Cooper, Adolphe Menjou (as Cooper's friend Rinaldi), Jack La Rue (as the priest), and Mary Philips (as Catherine’s nurse Fergie) all deliver flawless and delightful performances. Be sure to watch the beautiful, near-pristine KINO release of this film rather than one of the degraded, frequently altered public domain versions. The picture and sound quality on the KINO version—which runs 89 minutes—are nearly perfect, allowing you to fully appreciate its visual splendor. Despite my reservations—and I haven’t mentioned its occasional, overt melodrama (like the letter-writing scene or the final scene)—I consistently enjoy watching this film whenever I revisit it and always find much to admire. I consider it a very good movie and appreciate it as such; I often feel compelled to watch it again annually, and usually do.

Source on TMDB