Talking Movies - BBC World

This is a most unusual movie from David Mamet who's most often associated with more edgy and politically charged work. Mamet said he was drawn to the craftsmanship of Rattigan's original play. Nigel Hawthorne said he thought Mamet had delivered a film that was different than the 1950 production directed by Anthony Asquith, and at the same time managed to stay true to Rattigan's intentions:

"I think that he's been very truthful to it, he's been very honest with it, he's been very respectful of Rattigan. You won't find a single jarring moment in the movie. He's also brought a huge intensity to it, which I think the original movie didn't have. He's brought an obsessive quality to the picture, because this is really about a family's obsession with their child's innocence."

A characteristic of the individuals portrayed in this film is that they are not what they seem to be on the surface. Jeremy Northam explained: "It's the idea that one can determine people or make a judgment of people on surface issues, rather than really understanding what they're about, and I think that's a very important part of the story - and the movie."