For the second time, I have been lucky enough to view the beautifully captivating drama Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? A brutally honest tale about an older couple who's games may seem a little out of the ordinary for a young couple. Opening to the public in 1962 at the Billy Rose Theatre, written by Edward Albee and directed by Alan Schneider. Little would they know at what a hit it would become, stemming into cinema and receiving 5 Academy Awards and being nominated a total 13 times. When I came down to the gist of this project and saw that Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf was available, I jumped at it, running to my sister's boyfriend's Netflix account and immediately searching for the film. I sat back for the next two hours and nine minutes completely captivated by every scene.
At the core of it this is a drama of the century, the entire experience from the viewer is raw and painful. I think in every scene, there is some heated battle between two of the greatest actors in cinema history, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. You feel so much emotion from the very first scene, when Martha and George, coming back from a party, and upon entering the house you hear the words "what a dump." Immediately you are whisked away into a heated conversation (one of many) involving the whereabouts of that line. It's emotional to the very end, especially from Dame Elizabeth Taylor breaking down when finding out that Richard Burton's character George had killed their "child." All in all this is not for the light of heart, it is a heavy slap to the face, and a damn good drama.
In some of the scenes it purposefully drags in pace, leaving us, the viewers, only lusting for the rectitude, or more so, the quiet after the storm. You can't help but be attracted to them, as the young couple, played by Sandy Dennis and George Segal become even more enthralled in their volatile behavior. I especially loved Sandy Dennis as Honey, the sweet, naive, and in-denial wife of the new biology teacher George. The two actors were able to hold their own against the powerhouse couple Liz and Richard. But there ended up being two scenes which moved me so too tears, both by Ms. Taylor, burning their images in my mind. First one, as she stands at her kitchen screened-door, leaning her head upon it. We're immediately bearing witness to another side of Martha, as she begins to confess her love, no matter how screwed their relationship may be. She says this, "George and Martha: Sad, sad, sad. Whom I will not forgive for having come to rest; for having seen me and having said: yes, this will do." And confessing her want for happiness. She reveals to Nick that their has always been one man for her and that man is George. The second scene, had me so disgustingly pitying Martha, as George revealed to her that their "son," I believe a symbolism for a game she held dear, had been killed. Martha breaks down in a fit of tears and screams falling limp to the floor, screaming "no no, you can't do that." Tears swelled up my sight as I saw a muddled image of Martha grabbing hold of her arms and burying her head. From the very first scene to the very end, you don't see quality actors, but a disturbed, cruel couple whom finding it best to quarrel then to show actual affection. Rating all four performances one of the greatest and intense, and emotionally adequate of all cinema history.
I love that the script is witty and smart, it catches on like a cat and dog fight. George and Martha constantly slashing remark after remark. They want to hurt each other and it's obvious and it's sad and it's painful. But still you hold on till the very end because in a weird way, you've fallen in love with them. I love how George spouts scientific and literary comparisons toward every situation. For instance right after Martha screams "up yours," George replies with, "You take the trouble to construct a civilization, to build a society based on the principles of... of principle. You make government and art and realize that they are, must be, both the same. You bring things to the saddest of all points, to the point where there is something to lose. Then, all at once, through all the music, through all the sensible sounds of men building, attempting, comes the Dies Irae. And what is it? What does the trumpet sound? Up yours." Even our young couple soon reveal a more vulgar and mean side as the night wilts into the early morning. We come to know to dangerous and sad facts, one being the supposed child of George and Martha's and of the mysterious "puff" Honey had that disappeared after she and Nick wed. You are fed little by little secrets of these two facts, making you yearn for more. You're curious as to why the puff went away and who their son is. I love that they keep you coming back for more. Throughout the film you are a sort of fly on the wall peering into the lives of two couples, the older more vulgar couple who have lived at the college for years, and the young naive couple new to the school coming over for a nightcap. You get a glance at what the young couple may become in years ahead.
The cinematography played an extremely important part as if it were a character itself. The black and white aspect built so much contrast to the situation and depth to the matter as a whole. I think that the views, the close-ups, the swaying of the camera, all make the experience for the viewers more real, more emotional, more on edge. For instance, anytime Martha began to scream at George or anyone for that matter, they shot a close-up on her. You immediately get the full experience as they bring into focus the wrinkles under her eyes when she glared. And the intensity of her voice vibrating through the camera and into the viewer's ear. The scene taking place at the bar, half-way through the movie was extremely intense, as both Nick and Martha begin to dance, swaying their arms and pressing their bodies upon each other. Also one of my favorite scenes, as Martha begins to reveal the story of George when he was a boy, banging a huge base drum that sat at the end of a darkened stage, she is raised above the other three, symbolizing her position amongst them. The camera shakes throughout the dance scene and even more so as Martha raises her voice. I love the close-ups on their faces, and the sharp focus. Ms. Taylor and Mr. Burton aren't afraid of looking even the most harsh, revealing their wrinkles, most who would cover up with make-up, and veins which popped as the situations intensified. That is very important to the overall theme of the film, the story, which is about a gross, vulgar, and raw couple living a bland lifestyle at a school.
If I were to rate this film over all, scaling 1=bad to 5=superior, there would be no other way then to rate it a perfect 5. The acting being top notch a 5. The script a fun intense and witty work of art, 5. The directing only perfected by director Mike Nichols, a 5, who was able to dig deep and reveal what lies beneath the skin of the viewer. The technical effect, which played more to the film in aspect of the cinematography and theme, a 5. Overall I give this a HUGE 5++++.
This film comes in high recommendation not for the faint of heart, but for the brutal, raw viewers of this age. When I went to view this, I jumped for joy, talking brainless, at why my sister and her boyfriend should watch it. I told them that it was a fantastic beautiful film. A powerhouse, top notch performance by Taylor and Burton. And upon viewing it, I came out of my room drying my eyes, so not to look as though I was crying, running to my mother asking her if she had ever seen it. She replied to me with a gleeful expression "yes!" I would recommend this film to those aspired to be actors. To those of artistic attributes, who know how to beautifully capture this film as the gem it is. Or for anyone who is looking for a good quality film of high standards. This should be viewed by all in general so that we all may see quality art in its finest.
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