Cinema: Easy Was a Lady

The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders, a telescoped, tidied-up version of Daniel Defoe's bawdy 18th century classic, brazenly tilts its skirts toward Tom Jones. It begins with a cheeky protestation that "any similarity between this film and any other film is purely coincidental."

Moll Flanders has the high spirits and Hogarthian texture of its ribald predecessor, but lacks Tony Richardson's slashing satire and bold cinematic style. Nonetheless, Director Terence Young (Dr. No, From Russia with Love) proves that the beast in men brings out the best in him—and in Kim Novak as Moll....