El repartidor de hielo

This film is part of the American Film Theatre series, where classic American plays were filmed, so it is not a classic film, but rather a recording of a theatrical performance, which is reflected in the setting of a single room and the chosen expressive means. I am not an expert on American theater, but I strongly doubt that this play was frequently performed on American stages, and if it was, certainly not in its original version. Eugene O'Neill wrote it in a somewhat different era when there was more time for everything. A four-hour marathon of monologues and dialogues would be a bit tedious for today's theatergoer, and even more so for a film fan. Just getting acquainted with the characters takes exactly one hour, and it is only with the arrival of the salesman Hickey that the narrative gets going. I don't mean to imply at all that it is bad theater, as it is, in fact, a masterful example of psychological character portrayal and a very subtle game with an ambiguous course and surprising culmination. But due to its length, it is not suitable for everyone, and it is good to be prepared in advance. The portrayal of the barroom losers is truly captivating, and everyone who has ever thought about New Year's resolutions should watch this. The inability to free oneself from one's weaknesses and mistakes is tragicomic but very realistic. Overall impression: 80%. (14.01.2008)