Paul Newman had previously directed Joanne Woodward and their daughter Nell in "Rachel, Rachel", and he then directed them in "The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds", which casts Woodward as the irascible head of a dysfunctional family. Seriously, her character is a maniac.
The title refers to a science project by the younger daughter, and also serves as a metaphor for society's effect on Woodward's character. Any goal that she has will almost certainly get impeded by her instability. Basically, she and her daughters cannot fit in with the world around them. The older daughter's (Eli Wallach's daughter Roberta) epilepsy and rebellious attitude appear to be dooming her to repeat her mother's life, while the younger daughter finds solace in her pet rabbit.
I've liked every role in which I've seen Joanne Woodward, and this movie is no exception. She plays the disgruntled Beatrice as someone who tries to do the right thing but whose flaws get in the way of everything. Her and Paul Newman's daughter Nell (who now appears on the front of Newman's Own products next to her father) is also really impressive as the idealistic younger daughter. This is a really good movie.
The title refers to a science project by the younger daughter, and also serves as a metaphor for society's effect on Woodward's character. Any goal that she has will almost certainly get impeded by her instability. Basically, she and her daughters cannot fit in with the world around them. The older daughter's (Eli Wallach's daughter Roberta) epilepsy and rebellious attitude appear to be dooming her to repeat her mother's life, while the younger daughter finds solace in her pet rabbit.
I've liked every role in which I've seen Joanne Woodward, and this movie is no exception. She plays the disgruntled Beatrice as someone who tries to do the right thing but whose flaws get in the way of everything. Her and Paul Newman's daughter Nell (who now appears on the front of Newman's Own products next to her father) is also really impressive as the idealistic younger daughter. This is a really good movie.