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Though "Rifkin's Festival" can't compare with Woody Allen's greater works, it is nonetheless full of intelligent observations and polished direction. Wallace Shawn is a weak leading player and the film would have been a lot stronger had Woody himself played the part. Gina Gershon fares better as the ditsy, distracted wife, though viewers will find themselves picturing previous female partners in the role. The fantasy sequences - loving tributes to classic films - enliven what at times becomes rather slow going. The glorious San Sebastian scenery alone is worth watching.

This film doesn't quite succeed as a comedy or a romance, though it tries to be both. What it does well is create an engaging 1950s Greenwich Village atmosphere, full of offbeat art and beatnik cafe society. The French performer (Philippe Clay) at the Zodiac Club is a highlight. Cat lovers will enjoy the ever-present Siamese Pyewacket. Great set designs and costumes. All of which make this movie very watchable for those with a taste for this sort of thing. James Stewart and Kim Novak are an odd pairing, as they were in "Vertigo," though Novak looks a lot better here. Time well spent on a lazy afternoon.

While this film would never set the box office on fire in today's world, there still remains a place for serious, intelligent, albeit talky ventures such as this. Plot is presented as a series of case studies, none of which are particularly convincing. Montgomery Clift's portrayal reveals just as much about the troubled actor himself as it does about Freud. If you've ever wondered what happened to Susan Kohner after her knockout performance in "Imitation of Life," she turns up here in her final film appearance in a very low-key minor role as Freud's wife. Too much attention is paid to Susannah York's character, plagued with a host of psychological ailments. David McCallum's Oedipus complex is far more compelling. The dream sequences are artfully conceived and photographed, adding a spark of excitement to the proceedings. Kino Lorber DVD transfers contain some truly awful commentaries, but this time film historian Tim Lucas' fact-filled narration is as interesting as the film itself.