Patricia Neal is a fine actress; but her accident (she nearly lost her life in a serious accident) generally ruined her career. I have now seen two of her films as a romantic lead that are completely unbelievable. This film and Hud have a great deal in common; both had a handsome lead star (Paul Newman) and this poor fellow who are supposed to be in love with Neal. I am so sorry, but Neal's romantic lead days were over the day she was involved in that accident. No one in their right mind believed for a second that Paul Newman was smitten with Neal in Hud; nor would anyone reasonably believe that a young, good-looking man would fall for a woman old enough to be his mother. This is just a pure female fantasy; nothing wrong with that, of course, but a fantasy, nevertheless. A film and role have to be believable; this one and the role she had in Hud were not. What a shame. There were so many worthier roles she could have tackled. Like the role of the blind woman, who did an excellent job.
Review of The Night Digger
The Night Digger
(1971)
Patricia Neal; FIne Actress, but can't rescue weak screenplay
23 February 2021