Edmond O'Brien was a good actor but he is too chubby and, frankly, looks much too old to play a convincing Winston Smith. When he comments to David Kossof's antique store owner that he must remember the days when Winston was a small child... well O'Brien was four years older than Kossof and even with the latter's old age makeup, there does not seem to be an age gap in the opposite direction. I generally like O'Brien but this is severe miscasting.