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Reviews
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
Best play and film of the 60's!
I am a high school English teacher and have used WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? on my senior writer's craft course for many years now.This is probably the most brilliantly written play of the 20th century. Edward Albee went to the core of the American soul with this one, laying bare all life's traps and traumas dressed up in social issues. There are four characters in the play. George and Martha are the central characters. George is a professor at a New England college whose president is his father-in-law. His wife, Martha, married George, to enhance further her own social status, but fell far short of this because George was content to be "in" the History department, rather than "run" the History department. This unhappy union produced a peculiar fantasy centered around their "child" in relation to which they play a particular game. There is one rule to this game: no one must know about it. Martha, in a drunken moment, slips, and reveals it to her guest, Honey, the wife of Nick, a new, young "good looking" professor who, as Martha would have it, is "in the Math department or something". A vicious, soul-cleansing game ensues for all. The fantasy lies in tatters at the end-or does it? This play was turned into a superb film in 1966, starring Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Sandy Dennis, and George Segal. It received 13 Academy Award nominations, and won six of them, including a richly deserved Best Actress Oscar for Elizabeth. If you've never seen this one, make sure that you wrap your body in a thick layer of padded velvet. The film is in black and white, and your whole being will be too, by the end of it! Superb!
Midnight Lace (1960)
Oscar-worthy role for Doris.
Whereas "Pillow Talk" introduced us to the "glamorous" Doris Day, "Midnight Lace" certainly focused on both the glamorous and the outright beautiful woman. This is the Doris Day movie that, over the years, has come to be my favourite. No expense was spared in its presentation. Physically, everything in it suggested beauty, from the set to a stunning ensemble of costumes worn by Doris, who could, and did, give every then current model, a "run for the money"! All of this was set up brilliantly to contrast the evil surrounding the villain involved in nefarious scheming. (The elevator scene, and the "stairs" scenes were particularly effective.) This "chiller-thriller" was engrossing in its presentation, and was able to rely on the varied talents of all the fine actors who were used to present it to the public. I feel that it was an Oscar-worthy attempt on Doris' part and she can certainly stand proud for her efforts in the role. Bravo!
The Tunnel of Love (1958)
Positive comments for an unusual piece of work.
I hadn't seen this film since it was first released, and had forgotten most of its content. I received a copy of it recently as a belated birthday gift (I'm between 30 and death-closer to death!) and, unlike the writer from Washington, I found this film to be a rather adult and mature approach to a sensitive topic, interspersed with moments of gentle and/or imagined calamity. I feel that there is a touch of the "film noir" here. By the way, what's wrong with a "stagy" effort? It works for this ol' English and Dramatic Arts Teacher! I feel that this was a rather good piece of work for Doris at that time, and stands well after all these years. That was one of the good things about Doris; give her a role and it became uniquely hers. I hope she will delight us all and involve herself in some new film work!