What a SLOG

TCM last night. I tried and only got through half of it, and I believe I have a pretty high pain tolerance.
Poor Montgomery Clift should have really been re-cast. Had the movie been shot in sequence maybe the drastic change in his appearance may have worked, but just randomly one scene to the next of pre and post accident Clift was just disturbing.
Why was the nutty Professor even in the movie? What was the point?
The most annoying thing to me was that it seems like a 1950's movie. The acting, the sets, the hair, the costumes. It's all expensively done, but it just looks like the 1950s instead of 100 years earlier.
The way the men and especially the women walked freely around the town on their own and even managed to have sex? Would that have even been possible?
I can't comment on the second half but it was obvious to see what was coming with Taylor's character.
I have wanted to see this film for years, and wow, was I stunned at what a mess it was.
A friend told me the second half improves, maybe I will try again one day.