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Suddenly, Last Summer [VHS]

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2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Tennessee Williams SOUTHERN GOTH masterpiece a la dark black and white Hollywood film style with Joseph (All About Eve, Guys & Dolls) Mankiewicz at the director's helm and screenplay adapted by Gore Vidal.

Elizabeth Taylor plays beautiful and crazy Cathy and Mercedes McCambridge (the actress who provided the voice of the demon in The Exorcist) plays her protective mother. Katherine Hepburn is Auntie Venable and wants niece Cathy to have a lobotomy to help her forget what she witnessed in regards to her son and Cathy's cousin, Sebastian and his untimely & somewhat mysterious "death" involving Sebastian's sexual secrets...

This all happened in front of Cathy's young & virginal eyes, "Suddenly, Last Summer". Last summer, Cathy and Sebastian travelled to Europe on an extravagant, decadent & obviously quite hedonistic vacation. Mrs. Venable was already quite traumatized by a baby sea turtle massacre last summer on the Galapogos Islands and Kathy was raped that very summer but what happened to cousin Sebastian in Europe was something that completely broke Kathy's fragile mind.

Auntie Venable gets the help of Dr. Cukrowicz, played by Montgomery Clift to see if he can help poor Cathy out with a prescibed lobotomy and mainly to save the selfish & overbearing Mrs. Venable from having people know about her son's secrets that got him killed.

From the opening scene, the viewer is riveted to the screen and left wondering... wondering... WHAT really happened so suddenly, last summer? The film builds and builds into the last 20 minutes of this film where Taylor gives a tremendous soliliquy and overview of just what DID happen to poor Sebastian. The split-screen effect that is used in this ending scene is fabulous. You never see Sebastian so what you are conjuring up in your mind is MUCH MORE horrific than they could have filmed back then. Wonderful cast with excellent performances from all but Clift who was quite medicated during the grueling shoot due to an accident before filming. If you are a Tennessee Williams, Elizabeth Taylor or Katharine Hepburn fan this is a MUST SEE!

Happy Watching!

This 1959 film starred both Elizabeth Taylor and Katherine Hepburn. Each is a fine actress in her own right. But put them together, and the screen just sizzles. Each one has long monologues lasting for more than 15 minutes, but, because of their talents, I was riveted to my seat the entire time. Adapted from a play by Tennessee Williams who was joined by Gore Vidal in writing the screenplay, it's a strikingly weird story set in 1937 New Orleans and deals with the sensitive subjects of insanity, lobotomy and cannibalism.

When we consider that the film was released during a time of high censorship, we have to applaud the writing, which had to conform to the guidelines of the time. Perhaps for this reason though, some of the story is not quite crystal clear. But this doesn't matter, nor does it matter that the Southern accents seem either non-authentic or missing altogether. That's because of the strength of the performances. And not every detail has to always be tied up in a neat package. If you're looking for a lightweight, comfortable film, you won't find it here. Instead you'll find a disturbing controversial theme and some of the best on-screen performances by you'll ever see.

Watered down film version of Tennesee Williams' stage play that contains one of the most horrific storylines brought to the screen at the time (1959). Katharine Hepburn is memorable as the very weird Mrs. Violet Venable, a wealthy New Orleanian matron who keeps a monstrous jungle of carnivorous plants on her patio grounds. She attempts to procure the services of a new young neuro-surgeon (Montgomery Clift) with a radically new method of lobotomy to lobotomize her supposedly mad niece Catherine (a stunning Elizabeth Taylor) to shut-up her ramblings about the death of Violets' son, Sebastian, who died a grotesque death "suddenly last summer". Of course, Catherine isn't mad but still in shock since she witnessed Sebastians' death. While showing her "garden" to the doctor, Mrs.Venable relates a morbid story of she and Sebastian witnessing baby turtles being devoured by sea birds as they scrambled for their lives to the ocean. This tale is allegorical to the way Sebastian died but Mrs.Venable is in extreme denial about the nature of his death and the twos' true relationship. The doctor begins interviewing Catherine and discovers the truth through the use of truth serum. Sebastian was a sexual predator who used his mother while they vacationed to attract young men and when Violet was no longer young or pretty enough he turned to Catherine. This leads to the horrible revelations about his death that Violet Venable is determined to stop Catherine from revealing---even if it means a lobotomy. This is amazing subject matter for the time and daringly brought to the screen. The film is somewhat stagily done but fascinating to watch thanks to the awesome performances of Hepburn and Taylor. Essential viewing for truly off-beat psycho-drama and what could be gotten away with in 1959 when handled properly. Give this one a good watching.

Suddenly, Last Summer is an excellent film adaptation of Tennessee Williams' play of the same name. The cast couldn't be better: Katherine Hepburn, Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor star in this horrifying drama. Although two hours long, you'll never stir once in your seat. The excellent dialogue holds your attention and the convincing acting is nothing short of stellar.

When the film begins, a wealthy middle aged widow named Violet Venable (Katherine Hepburn) still suffers the pain from the loss of her son Sebastian the previous summer. Although Violet wants to remember her son as a "chaste" man, her niece Cathy Holly (Elizabeth Taylor) unconsciously remembers the actual events that led to Sebastian's tragic and untimely death. Violet can't stand the fact that Cathy remembers just a bit too much about Sebastian, so she tries to bribe a doctor (Montgomery Clift) to lobotomize Catherine so that her son's memory will never be defiled.

It's a race against time as Dr. Cukrowicz (Montgomery Clift) becomes intrigued by Catherine's story and unusual memory loss. The doctor is under intense pressure to lobotomize Cathy from both Violet Venable and his boss at the asylum where Catherine is being kept. However, Dr. Cukrowicz wants to see if Catherine can be made to tell the truth--and avoid a lobotomy at the last minute.

The plot moves along very well and certain images could scare sensitive people. Sebastian's garden is an eerie place that reflects superlative set design; and the split screen at the end when Cathy finally does remember exactly how Sebastian died will stay in your head for quite a while after you view this film.

The DVD contains few real extras; we do get the theatrical trailer for the film and you can select scenes to view and setup the audio as you wish from several options.

Suddenly, Last Summer is one of those rare films that are truly memorable well after you've seen them. Although you can't be squeamish in order to handle the ending of this film, I believe this is one of the best films ever made. When you watch this film you will be riveted by the action and plot development just as I was.

I highly recommend this film for film buffs and for people who want to see Katherine Hepburn perform a tour de force as a ghastly villain. People who enjoy films with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift will also appreciate this movie.

Groundbreaking and equally fascinating when it was released in 1959, this lurid adaptation of Tennessee William's play is most notable for the incredible performances of Elizabeth Taylor and Katharine Hepburn who play a seemingly insane, young New Orleans debutante and the wealthy aunt who is intent to lobotomize her.

Suddenly Last Summer is a somber, intelligent and fascinating film, which for the time, deals with some terribly controversial issues. There's some nasty work at foot as the terrible secrets of homosexuality, insanity, murder and cannibalism are gradually revealed.

Wealthy and ferocious New Orleans matron, Mrs. Violet Venable (Katharine Hepburn), is determined to have her niece, Catherine Holly (Elizabeth Taylor), drastically lobotomized. Catherine tells about a horrifying past incident during a vacation trip with her cousin Sebastian that has made her breakdown and become totally mad.

Sebastian was Mrs. Venable's son and a failed poet. The wealthy dowager urges neurosurgeon Dr. John Cukrowicz (Montgomery Clift) to act as a psychiatrist in the case. Dr. Cukrowicz is called in to seek the truth, treat and interview Catherine, and determine whether drastic measures are necessary. Mrs. Venable suggests a lobotomy to excise the memory of the incident and prevent the mad ravings from occurring, but Cukrowicz is strangely drawn to the tortured and misunderstood girl.

As the young doctor tries to get to the bottom of what happened to Catherine, Violet's steely demeanor and devotion to Sebastian present a formidable barrier. Catherine herself doesn't offer much help, her recollections jumbled by medication and the trauma of Sebastian's demise. Under pressure to seal the deal and cut into Catherine's brain, Cukrowicz's principles - and attraction to the young woman - prevent him from proceeding until he uncovers what actually happened to Sebastian.

The realization that Sebastian and Violet are not all that they seem is at the heart of the film, and provides the story's darkest secret. Catherine and Violet bookend Dr Cukrowicz and tear at him with their considerable powers. Violet has charisma and money to burn, while Catherine has her passion, beauty, and perfect breasts. In a memorable confrontation, Catherine reminds Violet that she's too old to "attract", a skill highly regarded by Sebastian, who apparently loved to have a beautiful woman nearby to lure sexy guys for his own use.

The film's most memorable scene, and the one in which I must confess was totally mesmerized, is when Catherine, under the influence of some kind of hypnotic truth serum describes the bizarre murder of the predatory Sebastian. While traveling with him in Spain during their vacation the previous summer, he used her as a means to attract and lure boys. The young boys turned on Sebastian and he was murdered. She describes how she watched his body being ravaged and cannibalized by angry young boys at the Spanish coastal resort:

Suddenly, Last Summer unrolls creakily like a one-act play - there are only half a dozen major scenes in the film, some running for well over fifteen minutes, and featuring great actors - Clift, Hepburn and Taylor - in spectacular Williams duologues.

Bizarre highlights include Violet descending in a one-person elevator, Catherine stumbling across an asylum catwalk grabbed at by horny, lobotomized male inmates, and a surreal Mediterranean cannibalism scene that's sensational while also being quite disturbing. Mike Leonard October 05.

Never has there been a more vividly arresting study into the workings of the disturbed mind than in Tennessee William's 1959 excursion into Gothic drama "Suddenly, Last Summer". Taking a decidely non-commercial topic Williams has created a real eye opener blessed with two very powerful performances by Elizabeth Taylor and Katharine Hepburn who created some of their very best work on screen here. Stagey it may be in parts, "Suddenly, Last Summer", however contains very heady subject matter for the times and intense sincere performances which make a viewing of this film both a draining and rewarding experience.

Adapted from Tennessee William's short play, "Suddenly, Last Summer" was bold in concept and execution dealing as it does with such taboo topics as homosexuality,cannabalism, controversial views on mental illnesses and complex family relationships. Heavily controlled by the censors at this time in the late 50's credit must go to both the talented cast and to the sure guiding hand of veteran director Joseph L. Mankiewicz in bringing off this controversial story so successfully with only a minimum of "softening" of the subject matter being implemented. "Suddenly, Last Summer", tells the story of the unseen Sebastian Venable, who has died under mysterious circumstances while on holiday in Spain with his beautiful cousin Catherine (Elizabeth Taylor). Driven into shock by the incident Catherine finds herself committed to an institution for the insane. Living in her own fanciful dream world Sebastian's mother Violet (Katharine Hepburn) clashes with Catherine and sets out to silence her niece's babblings once and for all to save the family name from disgrace. She makes the acquaintence of famed Surgeon Dr. Cukorwicz (Montgomery Clift), a renowned pioneer into new radical forms of mental illness treatment. In return for a much needed financial incentive for his research institute Violet asks Dr. Cukorwicz to perform a lobotomy on Catherine to remove forever her recollections of what really happened to her son last summer in Spain. Upon meeting Catherine the doctor begins to feel that Catherine is definately not insane and that with proper treatment can make a complete recovery without surgery. In the midst of a family gathering the truth is uncovered upon which Violet herself crumbles further into the comforting world of unreality that she has enclosed herself in for so long.

Even for Tennessee Williams, no stranger to controversial matter in film subjects, this theme was a brave one to tackle in a major mainstream production in 1959. Elements of the subject matter of course are only hinted at in a bow to the censors of the time but what is displayed is done so to startling effect. The two lead female performances are what brings this very dark topic alive. Elizabeth Taylor delivers a devastating performance as Catherine, a tortured girl living with a terrible secret. Katharine Hepburn is stunning in an extremely difficult part which creates very little sympathy for her situation. The scenes of these two women playing off each other are the real tour de forces in this story with Elizabeth Taylor, fresh from her earlier triumph in the classic "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof", in particular reaching a quality level in her acting rarely matched. On another level Elizabeth's beauty is almost unreal in this production and with this film her breathtaking beauty forever placed her in the top level of legendary screen beauties despite the very troubled character she plays in this film. Montgomery Clift on the other hand is the weak link in this acting trio. Still not properly recovered from his horrific accident of two years previous here he fails to really grasp the character and make something of this brilliant young Surgeon caught between two very different women. Another standout in the cast is gifted actress Mercedes McCambridge playing the money hungry Mrs. Holly, Catherine's mother who is willing to authorise her own daughter's lobotomy in return for the generous money payment from Violet for herself and her worthless son (Gary Raymond).

"Suddenly Last Summer", was also a brave attempt to show clearly the horrors of mental illness and the terrible treatment methods used at this time. In some respects it is not a film for the squeamish and the institution scenes are quite harrowing. The film boasts superbly stark black and white photography that enhances the downbeat story and situations. For those who enjoy powerfully wrought acting performances in non glamourous settings then "Suddenly, Last Summer", is a viewing experience to cherish. The fine acting of the two female leads will draw you further into the character studies explored here and could leave you both fascinated and a bit drained by the experience. For a journey into the dark workings of the human mind you cannot do better than Tennessee Williams "Suddenly, Last Summer".

While the over-subtle handling of the film's unstated theme (h_o_m_o ... well, you know! wink! nudge! ... let's just call it That Subject we didn't discuss cinematically for the better part of the 1900s) may be anathema to modern sensibilities, "Suddenly, Last Summer" remains a dynamic film because of the talents involved in its production. Based on the play by Tennessee Williams, it boasts a screenplay written by Williams and Gore Vidal, was directed by the ever-stylish Joseph L. Mankiewicz ("The Ghost and Mrs. Muir", "All About Eve"), and features an incredible cast led by Elizabeth Taylor and Katharine Hepburn. Miss Taylor, looking every inch A Movie Star (her beauty is almost impossible to describe), gives a forcefully raw performance in the role of Catherine Holly, whose cousin Sebastian died under mysterious circumstances while the two of them were traveling abroad; while Miss Hepburn, every inch An Actress, is equally fascinating in the role of Sebastian's manipulative mother, Violet Venable. These two actresses, each arguably the biggest star-icon of their generations, are introduced in long individual sequences, and when they finally confront one another, the thespic sparks really begin to ignite the screen! Both received Best Actress Oscar nominations for their performances, and either would have been a worthy winner, but Simone Signoret got the trophy for "Room at the Top", possibly in part because Taylor and Hepburn split the votes.

The DVD is yet another example of why Columbia/Tri-Star is the best company at packaging its classic films. The disc offers: both widescreen and full-frame formats; theatrical trailers for this movie and three others ("Pal Joey", "Queen Bee", and "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington"); a video montage featuring production photographs and scene stills backed up with voice-overs from the soundtrack; a small selection of original release advertising materials; and brief talent files on the director and stars. A superlative disc in both content and presentation, this is one DVD that surely belongs in your classic cinema collection!

Acted with violent enthusiasm by Liz Taylor and Katharine Hepburn as the arch-rivals for the savagery poet, "Suddenly, Last Summer" is a steamy blend of venality and insanity, a truth and falsehood of a very high order...

Her homosexual cousin used her as a procuress; her vindictive aunt demands that she be given a lobotomy: Liz is again the unappreciated beauty... But she's also the abandoned innocent, a girl fighting to remember what happened to her cousin Sebastian Venable died suddenly, in North Africa, during the summer...

Taylor's performance is like a melody, rising toward the end to an emotional crescendo of desperation and release... And Taylor handles it expertly; she is ironical, self-deprecating, and self-aware...For all that Catherine Holly starts out as a neurotic kid in the woods, she ends the film as a courageously woman set free by her confession...

The film belongs to the women; even McCambridge, in her relatively small role, has a showier part than Clift's... Clift is thoughtful, considering, and considerate... Hepburn's performance is quite restrained... Feeding insects to a carnivorous plant in a gesture that is a metaphor for the incestuous nature of the relationship with her son, Hepburn is all cool rationally and sweet reason... Violet Venable is an expert at getting her own way and Hepburn makes her most outrageous actions seem those of a moderate and kind-hearted woman...

It's hard to take your eyes off an impossibly beautiful, 27-year old Elizabeth Taylor, especially in her skintight white bathing suit, and the fact that she gives a powerhouse performance, likely her best prior to "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?", is reason enough to watch this 1959 Gothic melodrama from the fulsome pen of Tennessee Williams. She plays Catherine Holly, a mentally unstable young woman traumatized by a violent incident which ended with her cousin Sebastian's death last summer in a Mexican beach resort.

Trapped in a mental hospital that recalls the bowels of the asylum presented in "The Snake Pit" ten years earlier, she cannot remember what happened and is constantly drugged but manages to exhibit enough credibility to make Dr. Cukrowicz assess that she may not be disturbed enough to warrant a lobotomy. The procedure is being pushed by the late Sebastian's grande dame mother, Violet Venable, who wants to silence Catherine lest she reveal the shocking secrets of Sebastian's life and death. A doyenne of New Orleans society, Mrs. Venable dangles a tempting carrot of a $1 million donation to Cukrowicz's hospital for brain research if the lobotomy is done.

As was common under the production code in the 1950's and similar to what was done to dilute Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof", the film only alludes to Sebastian's homosexuality, using rather graphic symbolism to bring across the dramatic tension of the situation. In this case, it works because it's consistent with the Baroque style of the entire movie. Taylor goes toe-to-toe with the formidable Katharine Hepburn playing against type as Mrs. Venable, a cold and manipulative character whose flamboyant hypocrisy hides her own unsteady state. Each actress gets a showy monologue with Catherine's climactic description of that infamous summer the true capper of the story.

Saddled with the purely observational role of Cukrowicz, Montgomery Clift seems rather passive as he has to explain the more convoluted plot points in a becalmed manner. Co-adapted for the screen by Gore Vidal and Williams, the film is dialogue-heavy as most of Williams' works are, and director Joseph Mankiewicz ("All About Eve", "A Letter to Three Wives") is a master at this type of character interplay. Jack Hildyard's crisp black-and-white cinematography works well for this story as color would have emphasized the melodramatic excesses (note how pale Taylor's violent eyes look). The only notable extras on the 2000 DVD are some vintage photo stills. Unfortunately, this film was not included as part of the recently released, six-film Tennessee Williams Film Collection.

"Suddenly, Last Summer" is one of my favorite films for many reasons. The lush writing is Tennessee Williams at his best. The Screenplay is far superior to his original work, which was a short stage play. Due the bizarre subject matter of the story and because it was the late 1950's, much of the plot was considered taboo by the film censors. William had to then mask and conceal much of the questionable and unpleasant subject matter in a way that would insure getting the film approved. For example instead of using the word rape, Williams had to describe a character as "loosing her honor". Gore Vidal helped Williams adapt his work for the film and these great writers produced a script that is both poetic and dripping with lurid prose. Because of this the film takes on a surreal and dreamlike state that is heightened further by the glorious black and white photography. I don't think this film would have been nearly as effective in color!

The basic plot, without giving away too much, concerns a New Orleans Brain Surgeon (Montgomery Cliff) who is asked by a wealthy widow (Katherine Hepburn) to perform a lobotomy on her demented Niece (Elizabeth Taylor). Hepburn wants to erase from Taylor's mind a horrific memory of what happened the prior summer while Hepburn's beloved son was on vacation with Taylor. Taylor witnessed his death on a tropical island. There is much more to the story but half the fun of this creepy film is letting it unfold to its unbelievable climax. I especially love the last twenty minutes which is shown in flashback. We get to see exactly what Elizabeth Taylor experienced that made her go crazy. Both Taylor and Hepburn were nominated for Academy Awards for their work in this film...and it shows! Special mention goes to Taylor for allowing herself, in the first half of the film, to be photographed looking disheveled and a bit frumpy. Later though we are treated to seeing her in all her glory as one of the most beautiful women ever put on film!

This movie isn't for everyone though. You must love old black and white movies and invest some thought into just what Williams and Vidal were trying to say. There are long deliciously written monologues that some may find boring. To me it's a well acted gothic mystery that only gets better with repeated viewings.