One of The Hollywood Ten - Critical Reception

Critical Reception

The New York Times film critic, Stephen Holden, generally liked the film, especially its message, but found some of the acting and the screenplay problematic. He wrote, "One of the Hollywood 10 has a strong performance by Mr. Goldblum and a refreshingly sulfurous view of 1950s Hollywood caving in to fear. As hard-hitting as the movie is, some of its performances are thuddingly overstated, and its screenplay wears its didacticism on its sleeve. One of the Hollywood 10 may be a useful film, but it is far from a great one."

Leslie Camhi, writing for The Village Voice, liked the work of director Karl Francis and how he kept close to the true story, and wrote, "As Biberman, Jeff Goldblum mutes his considerable charisma; his stilted intellectual is so consumed by ideology that he hardly notices the harm done to his wife, actress Gale Sondergaard (played by firebrand Greta Scacchi), whose Oscar-winning career was cut short by his unflinching idealism. But director Francis shifts skillfully between scenes of glamour and oppression, sticking close to this compelling history."

Variety magazine film critic David Rooney was critical of the film's direction and believed the film is only worthy of cable television. He wrote, "A fascinating chapter in Hollywood history gets unremarkable treatment in One of the Hollywood Ten, which centers on blacklisted director Herbert J. Biberman... the pedestrian approach employed by writer-director Karl Francis gives it the look and feel of a lackluster cable movie, which would appear to be its commercial destination."