11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Tough Act To Follow, January 3, 2000
Paul Newman and Geraldine Page are memories impossible to erase, so I came to this movie with all the prejudice you can imagine. But I was pleasantly surprised. It's by far Elizabeth Taylor's greatest performance in over 20 years, and Mark Harmon is much better in this than you'd imagine possible. All in all, it's a much more explicit version of Tennessee William's work, and perhaps more accurate into the bargain. Some chemistry is lacking, the supporting cast only go through the motions, but still - kudos to Taylor & Harmon!
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28 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Star vehicle gets stuck in the mud, March 8, 2003
Though I'm only giving it two stars, this is not as bad a film as you'd think. And considering the price, I really shouldn't be complaining at all. After shining in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" and "Suddenly Last Summer," Elizabeth Taylor should be justified in claiming the crown as the quintessential Tennessee Williams actress. In one sense, she was a perfect choice to play the aging actress hiding behind the identity of the "Princess Kosmonopolis" in SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH. But Taylor is an actor who needs strong direction (think of what she an Mike Nichols accomplished in WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF). What could have been every bit as good as the performance Geraldine Page turned in for Richard Brooks in the 1962 film is, in fact, something of a campfest--more of an Elizabeth Taylor impersonation than a true dramatic performance. (But then, is there a non-campy way to deliver the line, "Stupid, beautiful young man, that's my hash"?) As best as I could tell, this made-for-tv version of the play is closer to what Williams wrote than Brooks' theatrical release. (Back then, theater took more risks than movies ever did.) Although the Taylor movie is set in the 1950s the same as the play, it doesn't capture the mood of that period very well. In fact, when the Princess's traveling companion Chance Wayne (played by Mark Harmon) tries to blackmail her into giving him a movie contract (by tape recording her confessions about her drug use), the act seems downright implausible. When Paul Newman did the same in Brooks's film, it struck me more as a pathetic and ineffectual act, one that revealed Chance's boyish naivite and charm. In general, the remake is a conglomeration of unexplored nuances andd missed opportunities. Much of the film is shot in close-up and softened amber tones, giving it the feel of a daytime drama. (Tennessee Williams's plays are already dangerously close to being soap operas; they don't need an extra push.)
As for the play itself, I consider it to be the best of the second-tier Williams plays (the first tier consisting of THE GLASS MENAGERIE, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER, and THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA). Many of the great Williams themes are here: abuse of power, the predatory nature of sexuality, the human fascination with youth and beauty, and the delicate nature of society's outcasts. What I find interesting about this play is how when the play opens we are exposed to the Princess's obsessive concern about growing old and losing her physical attractiveness, but by the end of the play this obsession has been transferred to the male lead, to Chance. The Princess is the steely survivor, Chance is the one who suffers and is destroyed (like Blanche DuBois before him) by his inability to adapt and move on. This play is definitely worth seeing. My hope is that Richard Brooks' superior (but not perfect) film will be made available on DVD (with extras!).
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18 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Tennessee Williams, June 22, 2003
You have to really get the mood set to be an adapt actor for a Tennessee Williams production. I have seen Elizabeth Taylor do a couple of his works. In Sweet Bird of Youth she is just not Elizabeth Taylor but the ageing actress the way Williams would have wanted it. I believe Mark Harmon gave a good performan much different from Paul Newman. As I was watching it kept me interested. Individuals could learn much from this film if they just listen. Tennesse Williams had a message and it sure comes accross.
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