The psychological dramas that Tennessee Williams specialized in were not for everybody, but there was more than enough audience--then and now- to make them timeless. Some film versions of his work hold up better than others; this one maintains its emotional power, in spite of the screenplay being trimmed to adapt the subject matter to 1959 audiences. The performances are superb in spite of it: few but Kate Hepburn could have delivered Violet's flowery (sorry, I couldn't resist) dialogue as believably as she does here. Taylor turned in yet another excellent, Oscar-nommed performance after a string of consecutive hits, and really should have won for this. It's a thinking-man's melodrama, so it won't entertain anyone looking for action, but if you appreciate good acting and writing in older films, give it a watch.
Review of Suddenly, Last Summer
