Wednesday, April 27, 2011

One Looney Summer

I finally had the chance to watch the fine acting skills of Elizabeth Taylor, Katharine Hepburn, and Montgomery Clift in the picture "Suddenly, Last Summer". 

Katharine is a rich broad with an elevator in her house who has tons of cash and wears white to honor her dead son, Sebastian. Monty is a doctor who performs the occasional lobotomy for the local crazy house. But he needs money. Apparently, brain surgery costs a pretty penny, and he thinks Katharine is the perfect person to sign the check.



She takes him outside to her garden where there are skeletons and plants with their own glass houses. She tells him her niece is a nut ball and needs a lobotomy herself. Kat is willing to pay for a new surgical building in Sebastian's name. Monty jumps at the chance and goes to meet the niece.


The niece is no other than Elizabeth, who you quickly find out is not all that crazy, but just pissed off she is being held against her will. She tells Monty that she was with Sebastian when he died and it was too traumatic for her so Katharine locked her up. 




It is soon learned that everyone in this family is off their rocker and it is up to Monty to help Elizabeth and figure out every one's problems. Elizabeth has a few moments of weakness when she runs away from her ridiculous mother and brother when at the bin.





Monty finally gets Elizabeth to share her story about Sebastian's last day and it isn't pretty.




Monty discovers the truth and the audience learns who is really insane and who isn't. 




This film is mainly all talk but holds amazing acting skills by all three players. Elizabeth and Katharine were both nominated for Oscars by an actress but both lost. 

2 comments:

monty said...

This was one intense movie. I remember watching years ago and always wondered could Liz hold her on against the Great Kate...YES SHE CAN and DID! Like you said all three leads gave amazing performances. Need to check it out again now. Great post Emily.

Emily Hernandez said...

Thanks Monty! Yeah, the acting really makes this movie great, and Elizabeth and Kat are so good in it! Katharine is just weird enough that you want her to keep talking, and Elizabeth at the end is so well done. I think I want an elevator with a chair in it like the one in this movie. So regal :)