Suddenly is a 1954 american film noir and crime film directed by lewis allen with a screenplay written by richard sale. Suddenly, last summer is a 1959 american southern gothic mystery film based on the play of the same name by tennessee williams. Browse fun facts and trivia about at classic movie hub cmh. Montgomery clift is sympathetic as the doctor who delves into what happened to taylor suddenly last summer. Suddenly last summer by tennessee williams goodreads.
Despite being credited for the screenplay, tennessee williams denied. Katharine hepburn wants niece elizabeth taylor to get a lobotomy to protect the reputation of her dead son. This same double bill of oneact plays was presented on. In the play, catherine the young woman threatened with a lobotomy if she doesnt change her story has to fight for her life literally has to fight with the powers that be to first of all believe her incredible story. Suddenly last summer is a oneact play by tennessee williams.
Suddenly last summer, tennessee williams suddenly last summer is a oneact play by tennessee williams. Modern family suddenly, last summer tv episode 20 trivia on imdb. I watched the movie playing by heart and i understood the reference to this play, but i. John cukrowicz clift is a brain surgeon who specializes in lobotomies and has been recently hired at the. Brain surgeon montgomery clift is summoned to the home of fabulously wealthy.
On film, with taylor as the woman who saw something nasty and clift as the. If we have more information about motels, then we provide a link to the section where it appears the actual page whenever possible. Produced for the pbs anthology series great performances, this adaptation of tennessee williams suddenly last summer constrasts sharply with the previous 1959 hollywood version. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing suddenly, last summer near you. Whoever mentioned that the editing made the film was correct. Last summer will serve as the definitive criticism of the first time.
We will learn what really went on with elizabeth sorry i cant recall her film name and aunties son. Mankiewicz, starring elizabeth taylor, katharine hepburn, montgomery clift. Mankiewicz, with elizabeth taylor, katharine hepburn, montgomery clift, at turner classic movies. Read the full synopsis of suddenly, last summer, 1959, directed by joseph l. This lurid, somber, groundbreaking and fascinating melodrama concerned terrible secrets that had to be toned down for the screen homosexuality. A troubled production denounced by screenwriter gore vidal and author of the original oneact play tennessee williams, joseph l. Im going to address that in more detail later, but first the story. Tennessee williams was born on march 26, 1911, in columbus, mississippi, with the name thomas lanier williams. Suddenly last summer is a hit song by new wave band the motels. Suddenly, last summer was one of the first films he made after his return to acting, having spent several years recovering from both the accident and a subsequent alcohol and painkiller addiction. Some months ago i attacked a lousy movie, the first time, because it demonstrated no knowledge of how teenagers really talk and think.
First billed elizabeth taylor first appears 34 minutes into the movie. This is the most recent information about motels that has been submitted to amiright. Venable, an elderly widow from a prominent local family, has invited a doctor to her home. The horror movie, based on a stephen king novel, in which jack nicholson plays a writer who stays at a hotel with his family. Venable wants catherine lobotomized to cover up the truth.
Epics suddenly last summer is a standout performance. Robert stack or william shatner could have played the same role, and probably more believably. Suddenly, last summer is based on a oneact play by tennessee williams that originally was paired with something unspoken as part of the 1958 offbroadway doublebill titled garden district. Suddenly, last summer 1959 trailer elizabeth taylor. Mankiewicz and produced by sam spiegel from a screenplay by gore vidal and williams with cinematography by jack hildyard and production design by oliver messel. Due to his physical mobility issues, there were points during the production where he could only film a few lines. Suddenly last summer is a classic example of this art in action. It became an art form of sorts, for hollywood film makers to veil their nasty little subjects so that the censors who werent that bright anyway couldnt find it, but so that a smart audience could. Suddenly last summer was originally a long oneact play that was first performed in 1958, along with something unspoken, on a double bill entitled garden district. Suddenly, last summer as a contemporary movie would be scathed rightfully so as vile rightwing homphobic propaganda to villify, demonize and stigmatize gay people as dangerous. The drama stars frank sinatra and sterling hayden, and features james gleason and nancy gates the story concerns a small california town whose tranquility is shattered when the train of the president of the united states is scheduled to make a stop in the town, and a hired. Maggie smith in suddenly, last summer 1 of 6 duration. Literature movie trivia music trivia people religion science trivia sports trivia television video games world. At the age of 28, he changed his name to tennessee, primarily to distance himself from what he considered to be his early inferior work.
This new wave group of the early 1980s gave us suddenly last summer. Reportedly, hepburn so despised mankiewicz that she spit in the directors eye on. Godard tells us that the only valid act of film criticism is to make another movie. Suddenly last summer by tennessee williams focuses on the life and death of sebastian venable, a poet who had a secret life as a gay man and is brutally murdered while on a trip to italy with his. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. The film i want to talk about today, suddenly, last summer also has its share of deriders, this time concentrating on the stereotypical negative depiction of a homosexual man who figures at the center of a peculiar gothic plot. Critical response several people involved with suddenly, last summer later went on to denounce the film.
Mankiewicz on allmovie in this lush, lurid adaptation of the 1957. Er warf regisseur mankiewicz vor allem in bezug zum im stuck. Suddenly, last summer was originally a 1958 one act play written by tennessee williams. It was the leadoff single from their riaa goldcertified fourth album little robbers. Sixtytwo years after its initial release, this tennessee williams oneact is still going strong at epic theatre in cranston under the direction of geoff leatham.
In this adaptation of tennessee williams play, young socialite catherine holly elizabeth taylor is traumatized and. With elizabeth taylor, katharine hepburn, montgomery clift, albert dekker. Fun music information facts, trivia, lyrics amiright. In 1959, the year of the release of the 400 blows and the shooting of breathless, a film like suddenly last summer must have seemed quite far from the cutting edge, with its theatrical presentation and artificial, closedin feel. Suddenly last summer study guide contains a biography of tennessee williams, literature essays, quiz.
Cut that story out of her brain suddenly last summer. Sporcle has 75,047 movies quizzes that have been played 350,831,880 times. Sane but institutionalized catherine elizabeth taylor, makes trouble for the matron joan young, as she meets lobotomy specialist cukrowicz montgomery clift, visiting on behalf of her rich, evil aunt, in suddenly, last summer, 1959, gore vidals screenplay from. And in suddenly last summer tennessee took on the topic of lobotomies headon, for the first and only time.
Mankiewicz all about eve was fleshed out to feature length by another gay writer, gore vidal. The bulk of its dialogue consists of two monologues with frequent interruptions, one by catharine and the other by her aunt violet, concerning the death of catherines cousin sebastian during the previous summer. Since this question does not specify what aspect of suddenly last summer should be analyzed, i am going to focus on tennessee williamss purpose for writing the play and the most important symbols. Tennessee williams suddenly, last summer is a domestic drama concerning homosexuality, insanity and cannibalism. What the girl saw was so horrible that she went insane. Check out our list of items from yesteryear and see how many you can remember. The original stage production of suddenly, last summer starred anne meacham as catherine, hortense alden as mrs. The double bill was presented under the title of garden district and opened on january 7, 1958 at the york playhouse in new york. Suddenly, last summer features themes that are familiar to williams devotees including mendacity, mental illness, greed, homosexuality and the toxic effects of selfserving mothers who put. A young american couple peter gallagher and daryl hannah travel to greece for the summer and befriend a local woman. Mankiewicz compelling adaptation by gore vidal of tennessee williams 1958 southern dramaone act play. Suddenly last summer began its offbroadway run in 1958, and was adapted into a movie one year later. Literature movie trivia music trivia people religion science trivia sports trivia.
This contemporary hit was the theme song from a movie with the same name. Elizabeth taylor shines also in the very difficult and demanding role as hepburns deeply disturbed niece. Mercedes mccambridge and gary raymond round out a fine supporting cast. Play a movies quiz on sporcle, the worlds largest quiz community. Released 1959, suddenly, last summer stars elizabeth taylor, montgomery clift, katharine hepburn, albert dekker the movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 54 min, and received a score of out of 100. F irst produced off broadway in 1958, tennessee williamss oneact drama, in which a disturbed but apparently sane young woman is blackmailed into submitting to a. Get your team aligned with all the tools you need on one secure, reliable video platform. Suddenly, last summer 1959 trailer please sign elizabeth taylors birthday card. Dame elizabeth taylor chose this as her first movie after her contract with mgm ended.
Is suddenly, last summer the most homophobic film of all. Mankiewiczs baroque southern gothic was a surprisingly potent boxoffice attraction due to the stars and a somewhat salacious ad campaign. Need some easy fun trivia questions to stump your friends. Suddenly, last summer is a riveting psychological drama that remains. Trivia screenwriter gore vidal credits movie critic bosley crowther with the success of this movie. Great performances suddenly, last summer tv episode. Tennessee williams suddenly, last summer is a domestic drama concerning. She used her power as a top boxoffice draw to insist that montgomery clift.