Customer Reviews

Tea and Sympathy [VHS]

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When MGM released its film version of the award-winning Broadway drama TEA AND SYMPATHY in 1956, the movie was seen as a fairly bold look at a controversial issue: how much non-conformity will society tolerate? Particularly when the expression of that non-conformity goes against acceptable standards of masculine behavior?

TEA AND SYMPATHY is the story of Tom Lee, a young student at a boys' prep school. Tom is a loner, interested in music and literature, shy around women, and not much interested in conventional "masculine" pursuits. As a result, he is cruelly taunted by his classmates and the headmaster of his dormitory. The headmaster's wife, Laura, becomes determined to help Tom, in part due to memories of her own "unmasucline" first husband. Her efforts lead to conflict in her present marriage and to a final, dramatic act intended to save Tom from despair.

TEA AND SYMPATHY's author, Robert Anderson, said that the work is not really about homosexuality but about our society's tendency to exclude and persecute those who are different for whatever reason (a pertinent topic during the hysterical, "anti-Red" McCarthy era). Still, it is Tom's lack of "conspicuous" masculinity, his presumed homosexuality, that is the reason why he is treated so cruelly, and the play's and film's use of this subject matter made it highly controversial.

Is TEA AND SYMPATHY dated today? Perhaps. The film's performances are uneven--Deborah Kerr gives a lovely, sympathetic performance as Laura; John Kerr as Tom is good although a bit stiff and somewhat too old for his role; Leif Erickson as the headmaster is bombastic and overstated. The script contains a few lines that are unintentionally funny. And the film's underlying attitude toward homosexuality (as reflective of the period in which it was made) is sad indeed. Homosexuality is a topic so shameful that it can't ever be openly discussed. And the possibility that Tom might actually BE gay can never even be considered.

However, the film's basic subject matter remains timely and, as a result, many will still find the film disturbing and thought-provoking. Yes, society has become somewhat more accepting of homosexuality. But that acceptance is far from universal. Young people who are different are still persecuted at schools every day, and "faggot" remains the most damning insult used to exclude those young men who don't fit in.

A final trivia note: Those familiar with the play know that it ends with one of the most famous lines of its era: "Years from now, when you talk about this...and you will...be kind." Yet in the film, there is an additional, final scene that takes place years later. MGM was forced to add this scene so the film would not receive a "Condemned" rating from the Catholic Board of Review. The scene makes little sense and is actually somewhat cruel, throwing a mantle of shame over Tom's past sufferings and Laura's tender act intended to "save" him.

Laura Reynolds (Deborah Kerr) is the lonely and frustrated wife of a prep school master; she feels a bond with Tom (John Kerr), a likewise lonely seventeen-year old who lives in her house. He is taunted by his classmates as well as his father because he isn't into the usual he-man things like girls and sports. Laura offers him tea and sympathy, and, in the end, a lot more in an effort to boost his confidence.

At 25, John Kerr looks way too old to play Tom, but he's so ernest and pitiable that we can overlook that flaw. Deborah Kerr gives a stunning performance in a role that could have been sleezy in less delicate hands. A film showing a woman crossing all boundaries of propriety with a child was, no doubt, quite controversial in its time; now it is less shocking, more of a tender cautionary tale of two unhappy people who reach out to each other. It captures the heartache of being different and is quite a lovely movie.

Rarely will you find a movie like this one which addresses the issue of stereotyping and making false assumptions about people in ways which can profoundly hurt them. The prep school boys in this drama, as well as some of their parents, are so concerned about their own masculinity--as is the boys' houseparent (Erickson) about his own--that they cannot comfortably face having a classmate ("Tom") who seems at all different. One or two small incidents suddenly take on special significance only because of the reactions of a few of the boys and even their fathers. It soon becomes obvious that there isn't a single boy or adult male who could not have had the same challenge made about his own "masculinity," if others had taken up the cause. From the start of the play, we can tell that Tom has special feelings for houseparent Laura (Deborah Kerr), who has been instructed by her husband (Erickson) to give the boys in their house "tea and sympathy." She is happy to do this, although already her new marriage is showing strain as she tries to understand why her husband seems to prefer spending every spare hour at school sporting events or taking groups of the prep school boys on rugged, outdoor excursions. His intolerance of Tom's preference for music and less muddy pursuits leads him to drop hints which serve to encourage the jibes of Tom's classmates,--and even Tom's father. As Laura sees this happening, she befriends Tom and tries to give him courage to face the hazing he experiences. Even so, Tom begins to crack under the pressure, and he tries a rash solution which backfires and only makes his self-doubts worse. This sets the stage for one of the most sensitive scenes ever filmed. For everyone who has ever felt the sting of unjust labeling, this is a masterpiece with tremendous potential for opening dialogues with teens--or adults.

This movie is the film version of the enourmously successful Broadway play, "Tea And Sympathy". All three leads repeat their performances in this sensitive tale of a troubled young man and the woman who sacrifices herself in order to help him. It is beautifully acted, with Kerr giving an especially powerfull performance, and very moving. A good love story combined with strong drama, it's a film all film-buffs will cherish.

This is a touching film about a young man at college who is a sensitive male and doesn't quite fit in with the regular males (this is the 1950's mind you). He likes to hang around with the women, likes to listen to classical music, and even takes a role in a play portraying a woman, which his father almost disowns him for. He also knows how to sew, but in regards to what one of the reviews said below, none of these attributes mean he's a gay man. He's just a sensitive kind of guy. John Kerr gives a fine performance as the young man. Deborah Kerr (no relation I understand) is the woman who tries not to become attached to this student, but eventually gives in (I won't spoil the ending).

I find myself watching this movie every time it airs on television and each time I feel I come away learning something new from it. I highly recommend buying the video.

Vincente Minnelli weaves a tale like no one but Nicholas Ray,Samuel Fuller,Robert Aldrich and Douglas Sirk.Confining his camera to a strict boys boarding school, a world of competition and contempt, a sensitive boy hated and mocked by his peers connects with the gentle, neglected wife of a staff member. Brilliantly triumphant treatment of taboo subject matter, ripe with sexual tension, vivid with bright colors. A sad, courageous film about youth and the loss of innocence.A truly astounding work from Mr. Vincente Minnelli, a true master at his craft.

I was in my early 30s when I first saw this film. At that crucial moment near the end, I wept like a child, as if all my own repressed feelings of loss of maternal care were suddenly unblocked. The eruption of emotion and tears left my eyes burning. It took a long time to recover. For me therefore, the film had a powerful impact. This Spanish edition is in English so nothing is lost. The acting maybe slightly dated but the story remains, for me at least, profound. The central character ends up writing a book about 'this experience'. In a different context but within the same underlying theme, I have recently done the same.

Ian Hunter.
Author of `e-Love'.

I saw this movie on tv in the late 60s. It was a time when I was going through much of what the protaganist Tom Lee was going through.
Its a film about being "different". About being bullied because
you are different. by friends,foes and even your family.
I liked this film a lot. and hope that it will someday wind up on dvd. It may be dated by todays's films on the subject of homo
sexuality. (although Robert Anderson claimed that it was not about that subject per'se.)
It still has a timely message on the subject of tolerance. That
should be watched for that message today.
My only three critiques of the film are;
1. that it should've been filmed word for word from the original play. (Read the play. Its more powerful than the film is.)
2.That Darryl Hickman should have played the part of Tom Lee,
rather that John Kerr.
I agree with the other reviewers that Kerr was just too old for
the role. And Debra Kerr was as always enchanting in the role of Laura Reynolds. Leif Ericson, as the headmaster of Tom's dorm was in my opinion also a little too old for his part.
His part should have gone to a younger man in his late twenties or very early thirties. Because its implied in the play that Bill Reynolds, may be a latent homosexual who married Laura for cover! It was, and sill is a common pratice today.
As for that last scene? Well I know I have changed that
scene a thousand times since I watched it. I leave it to you to
do the same!

I re-read my review of Tea Sympathy. and I have re-watched my now fading vhs copy. ( Please will whomever owns the distribution rights to this very touching film,
re-release it on dvd before the last of it's stars passes on. So that we can have an actor from the film, commentary in the dvd extras on it.)
For the most part, I stand by my review. But I will change one part of it. The film is not about homosexuality. I used the term per'se. that was an inaccurate
term to use. Robert Anderson was right when he said this. So please view the film with this in mind.
However, while I am not a fan of re-makes. I would like to see a remake of this film. Done the way it should have been performed.

Seems that with the death of Deborah Kerr that there are still a number of her films that have never been transferred to DVd and this would be one at the top of that list. Despite its age, its horrific ending (that tacked on guilt ridden ending should be burnt and let the film end the way the stage play did), there is still some great work here from Deborah and John Kerr (despite looking late 20s at the time which he probably was) I recently transferred my old video off- the -TV print to DVD and whereas it is nice to have it on a DVD format, with a scratchy print, it badly cropped for TV, its like watching half the movie. Other films of Ms Kerr that should also travel quickly to DVD would be "Chalk Garden"and "Bonjour Tristesse"

Although I've seen this movie probably 20 times over the last decade, I've hesitated writing a review. The first time I saw it, I GOT it and it made me quite sad. I got that Tom was very smitten with Laura, but all of the males in his life saw something completely different because he happened to be a sensitive young man in a testosterone fueled environment. He was especially sensitive to women which women weren't use to getting and men weren't use to having to give. Despite the somewhat bogus ending to the movie, I would give anything to have seen Deborah Kerr play Laura on the stage. I have no doubts that it was even more sensitive and luminescent than the movie. Laura was a woman who saw the truth and risked her whole way of life to reveal it. That risk may have ultimately saved Tom, but at great cost to Laura.

Both Kerrs were fantastic. I know that a lot was made of John Kerr's age, but that wasn't a distraction for me at all because his portrayal of Tom was so real to me. Of course, I can't say enough good things about Deborah Kerr who is one of my favorite people to watch on screen. All you have to do is watch her eyes and the gestures of her beautiful hands to get the gist of what is going on inside the characters she portrays. She was an amazing talent.