Review of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) by G G — 24 Sep 2010
Mike Nichols' first attempt at directing a film boasts one of the best casts I have yet seen assembled for a movie. Richard Burton and his then-wife Elizabeth Taylor vent so much passionate vitriol and turbulent anger that one can easily belive this is the kind of stuff that fueled their two real life separations.
Making a film so simple with such limited sets and a small number of characters means the movie has to be attention-grabbing and stay that way. This movie is strange in that because it is so caustic and bitter, it becomes horrifying and then dull in the sense that you soon get it: this type of arguing happens all the time and there is no end in sight.
As a result, the movie is too long in some parts, with it simply being a series of arguments that are separated by brief lowkey moments. The script is razor sharp and full of caustic wit; it's too bad the film wasn't trimmed down a little.
The audience can only take so much yelling and malice. It's a very unflattering and sad portrait of a loveless marriage, and it's worth seeing if only for the writing, performanes and direction.
But I guarantee you won't be smiling afterward.
This review of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) was written by G G on 24 Sep 2010.
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? has generally received very positive reviews.
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