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These two major actors carry this film very ably. Everything else depicted is just detail and window dressing, all very nicely done. The sexual tension rises steadily and inexorably and it is quite a catharsis when the lovers finally kiss. I believe in Francesca's torment and deep dilemma. Robert's character, maybe not so much. As a freewheeling, creative mature single man he could have been more realistically depicted as a bit of a cad, or at least as a man who eschews commitment. When Francesca starts emoting about the hopelessness of their relationship, I was ready for him to get uneasy and hit the road. It would have resonated more strongly with my life experience. As it is, the last part of the film sinks into bathos. I don't believe Eastwood is a sentimental man, as by all reports he has behaved pretty badly to the women in his life. I know he didn't write the book, but the end product here reeks of phoniness, playing as it does to the limitless appetite for sentimentality of American audiences. 7/10 for its quality and strong first part, but ultimately disappointing.

There comes a time in the careers of beautiful actresses when it's time to move of from "ditzy girl" roles to roles more befitting their maturity. Neither Cameron Diaz nor Leslie Mann had gotten this memo at the time that "The Other Woman" was filmed. The characters are shallow and puerile, the action exaggerated, and to call the humour broad is putting it mildly. The revenge theme has been done before, and wears pretty thin as the movie drags on. It's pretty to look at, but that's about all you can say. I believe Cameron Diaz subsequently retired from the screen, which I can understand if this is the sort of thing she was being offered.

I thought this film stood up very well for current viewers despite its age (wow, more than 50 years now). It benefited from the availability of details from the then current Apollo space program, and wisely didn't innovate far beyond that. By comparison with more recent space operas, it's maybe a bit slow-paced for the first half, but does not shortchange on suspense in the second half. I thought the distinguished cast was very good. They mostly avoid any temptation to ham it up (except for a bit of excusable oxygen deprivation). Gregory Peck gives full value, and David Janssen is understated with a touch of grittiness. In fact I think Janssen is underused and could have been given more hero stuff to do. I am grateful that the story stays within the bounds of plausibility. The special effects are perfectly acceptable for those of us whose brains haven't been terminally damaged by the likes of Gravity and Interstellar. I have a beef in that the average rating is too low, maybe because of the whizzbang expectations of the younger generation. For me it was a solid effort and perfectly watchable, particularly to see some familiar faces.