Directed by Richard Brooks
USA 1962

 

  Brooks' second involvement with Tennessee Williams has Newman repeating his Broadway role as the no longer quite pristine gigolo who returns to his home town with fading movie queen (Page) in tow, scheming to establish himself as someone in the eyes of the corrupt political boss (Begley) who once ran him out of town for aspiring to marry his daughter (Knight). Like Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, the play gets the glossy clean-up treatment, so that Newman's comeuppance (what he hadn't realized in leaving town was that he also left Knight pregnant) no longer comes through castration, but simply by having his pretty face messed up a bit. It might still have worked, except that Brooks' direction seems a little too stolid for all the sleazy, flaming passions. These are, however, given full measure by an excellent cast. Geraldine Page, in particular (like Newman, repeating her Broadway role) is stunningly and wittily outsized in her rendition of the ageing movie queen seeking refuge in a haze of drink, drugs and sex.

Excerpt from TimeOut Film located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: March 21st, 1962

Reviews    More Reviews    DVD Reviews

DVD Review: Warner - Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC

DVD Box Cover

   

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This is also part of the Tennessee Williams Film Collection which contains A Streetcar Named Desire 1951 Two-Disc Special Edition / Cat on a Hot Tin Roof 1958 Deluxe Edition / Sweet Bird of Youth / The Night of the Iguana / Baby Doll / The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone 

              

Other Individual Reviews:
Distribution Warner Home Video - Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC
Runtime 1:59:48 
Video 2.35:1 Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 5.75 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate:

Audio English (Dolby Digital 1.0), DUB: French (Dolby Digital 1.0)  
Subtitles English, Spanish, French, None
Features

Release Information:
Studio: Warner Home Video

Aspect Ratio:
Original Aspect Ratio 2.35:1

Edition Details:

• Featurette: Sweet Bird of Youth: Chasing Time (11:42)
• Rip Torn and Geraldine Page Screen Test 


DVD Release Date: May 2nd, 2006

Keep Case
Chapters: 28

 

 

Comments:

Perhaps a notch below what you might expect visually from Warner's usually excellent output. The image is a bit dark and sharpness and detail are unremarkable. Colors are somewhat dull and a shade muted. Overall the anamorphic and progressive transfer appears to represent the film fairly accurately. Extras include an informative featurette and brief scene 'screen test' by Page and Rip Torn. Another competent job by Warner to bring us this film and the entire Boxset, complete with all the trimmings, for a dynamite price.

As for the film, it plays as quintessential Tennessee Williams - always giving appropriate latitude to the performances, which are excellent. Newman fans especially will enjoy.  

Gary W. Tooze

 





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DVD Box Cover

   

CLICK to order from:

The 2-disc SE is part of the Tennessee Williams Film Collection which contains A Streetcar Named Desire 1951 Two-Disc Special Edition / Cat on a Hot Tin Roof 1958 Deluxe Edition / Sweet Bird of Youth / The Night of the Iguana / Baby Doll / The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone) 

              

Other Individual Reviews:
Distribution Warner Home Video - Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC




 

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