I saw this in the theater, I was an usher. spoiler.

I was 16 when this movie came to our theater. I enjoyed it but it is extremely slow moving and the "Shadow of your Smile" still haunts me today.

However, Richard Burton in my opinion gave a truly outstanding performance. His quiet tender humility as Rev. Hewitt is unforgettable. It is easy to love a performance that has lots of meat in action and dialogue. But a quiet reserved performance by Burton who had a tendency to be too dramatic it is a wonderful piece of art. Especially considering his fall from grace through infidelity ruining his marriage, career, and life. A great piece of acting with a truly sad ending.