Peter Finch appears comfortable and well-suited to the character. He portrays "Johnnie Byrne," a Labour member of Parliament who has returned successfully to represent the working-class district of "Urnley." Passed over for a position within the government, he leads a somewhat dissolute life, frequently having affairs with women younger than his wife. The situation escalates when he obtains information that could be damaging to his own party; planning to utilize it, he is distracted by an acquaintance named "Pauline" (Mary Peach) and misses his chance. One of his associates disapproves of this course of action and reveals the information to the local party, which then initiates a vote of no confidence against him. He must now reassess his situation—otherwise, he risks losing everything. Although there's a respectable supporting cast including Stanley Holloway, Donald Pleasance, and Billie Whiteaw who make occasional appearances, the film largely rests on Finch’s performance. While he performs adequately, I felt that the movie declined into ordinariness after an encouraging beginning. The standard of the writing noticeably decreases as the narrative unfolds, and there's a sense of artificiality about the conclusion that leaves it feeling somewhat empty. Perhaps for its time in 1961, it might have seemed provocative, but that impact has faded now. It’s worth seeing for Finch’s work, though I am not sure I would choose to view it again.

Source on TMDB