Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

I decided to knock a classic off the list, so I watched;

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966).

This movie, based on a play by the same name, stars Elizabeth Taylor as Martha who is married to George, played by Richard Burton. They receive two guests, Nick and Honey, played by George Segal and Sandy Dennis. There's also a roadhouse waitress and a manager played by Agnes and Frank Flanagan, and that is the entire cast. That's it, six people and two are barely in the movie.

I've been trying to figure out how to explain this movie without spoiling it. Essentially, the older couple George and Martha are both alcoholics, and they receive Nick and Honey as guests. What follows is two hours of drinking, screaming, crying and the most vicious, sadistic emotional attacks I've ever seen in a movie. It is at times horrific to watch, but you kind of can't look away. If it wasn't for the amazing acting talent on display, this would have been a real flop, but it is in fact brilliant.

George Segal and Sandy Dennis both do a really good job, but they are up against Taylor and Burton at the height of their craft, and it's no shame to be overshadowed by such talent.

This is the first movie by director Mike Nichols, who had previously worked in theater, and according to many of the crew, he worked incredibly hard and it shows. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? isn't a cinematographic masterpiece, but it is incredibly solid as a movie. It is also shot in black and white, but unlike say Psycho (1960) which was shot in black and white for economic reasons, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is shot this way for technical reasons. Both Taylor and Burton wore heavy makeup to age them, and this makeup didn't look good in color. Nichols also decided that Burton looked more brooding and sinister in monochrome, and he wasn't wrong.

The story is simple in its complexity. There are layers within layers and you are never really sure what is real and what is a cruel lie designed to cause or hide pain. Just when you think you have it figured out, the movie runs off in another direction, leaving you to follow along as best you can. If any element had failed, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? would have gone down like a lead balloon, but all the pieces matter and fit perfectly.

So, do I recommend this movie? Yes, I really do. Unless the subject matter is too heavy for you, you should take the time to watch it. It is a hard watch, but it is also at times strangely beautiful, and seeing great actors pull out all the stops and really go for it is a treat.

That's that and all that. Join me again next time, and until then, have a great week!