Review of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) by Edwin P — 23 Mar 2011

Mike Nichols' "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?".

"Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" is about the tempestuous, love-hate relationship between George (played by Richard Burton) and his wife Martha (Elizabeth Taylor).

It is based on a play by Edward Albee, which opened in New York in October 1962 and went on to win the New York Drama Critics Circle and the Tony Awards for that season. The film itself garnered thirteen Oscar nominations and won five Academy Awards including Best Actress (Taylor), Best Supporting Actress (Sandy Dennis), Best B/W Cinematography, Best Costume Design and Best Art Direction.

The film is deserving of its Academy Awards. It is well written and the performances are impressive, with the real-life husband and wife team of Taylor and Burton as the main standouts. The biting and sharp dialogue characterized by name-calling, insults and accusations between the two main characters can be very sad and disheartening at times because of its cruel and condescending nature while at the same capturing the essence of their rocky 20-year marriage with unflinching honesty.

This is a black comedy where the humor is placed at just the right moments thereby giving audiences some comic relief from its grim subject - albeit, some nervous ones. As Mike Nichols' directorial debut, he is to be commended for successfully adapting a stage play onto the big screen. His choice of camera shots and angles is worth noting. He is able to show who has the upper hand in the numerous no-holds-barred exchanges while capturing the intensity of the verbal arguments that ultimately leads to an exploding climax along with the behaviors and hateful thoughts of the different characters. The film is an emotional roller coaster and a very intense one at that. Nichols' impeccable pacing keeps the viewers guessing as to which character will finally "lose it" and end up actually physically hurting the other.

In the year this film was released, Fred Zinnemann's "A Man For All Seasons" will go on to win the Best Picture Oscar. Maybe the content and language of "Virginia Woolf" was just too shocking for its time and the Academy as a whole. But I would have preferred Nichols' film to Zinnemann's for the top prize. Needless to say, Nichols would win the Best Director Oscar the next year for "The Graduate", which is also on AFI's Top 100 Films at #7. He will also go on to direct "Silkwood", "Biloxi Blues", "The Birdcage", among others.

Films that have a well-written screenplay, compelling performances, beautiful cinematography, fine direction and technical artistry will always stand the test of time. "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" is one of those films.