The Glass Menagerie

Unfortunately, I am unable to "buy into" Hepburn's Southern Belle interpretation, being that her Yankee steeliness and resolve is simply too strong to overcome.

Furthermore, this presentation is far too static. Granted, stage plays are often difficult to translate to the screen, but this ABC TV-movie feels far too confined. Many of Williams' other plays have made the trip from boards to celluloid quite effectively, opening up with the freedom allowed by location filming.

Yes, this film is definitely worth seeing. However, I am now curious to see Gertrude Lawrence (1950), Shirley Booth (1966) and Joanna Woodward (1987) in the lead role.

Waterston is a bit of a scene chewer here, and I'm surprised at the Emmy wins for the other two leads, but in 1974, TV movie and series drama nominations were combined in the supporting categories. For Best Actress in a Drama, Hepburn was up against Tyson for "...Miss Jane Pittman," Elizabeth Montgomery for "A Case of Rape," and Leachman for "The Migrants." Tyson rightfully won.

"A Glass Menagerie" is a play by Tennessee Williams that has been adapted into various movies, namely a made for television edition starring Katherine Hepburn. The play conveys a captivating story that can only be described as Hepburn's thick southern accent. It just about made the movie for me. The play focuses on a fatherless, poor family featuring a daughter who is incredibly shy, a mother whose sole goal in life is to find a man for her shy daughter, and a son whose hobbies consist of getting drunk and going to see movies. Naturally, this creates some friction within in the family which is highlighted by the arguments between the mother and son, played by the wonderful Sam Waterston. No sarcasm, the chemistry between Waterston and Hepburn make this movie worth watching (and so do the accents). As with many other plays, "A Glass Menagerie" lacks in its climax, which directly precedes the curtain, though the play is by far not the worst offender in this respect. "A Glass Menagerie" blows away any expectations that I had for it, mostly because of the fantastic acting from Hepburn and Waterston, but I also had very little expectations going into the film. If you're a fan of theater I highly recommend this movie, if for nothing except the star power.

This 1973 version is better than the David Naughton/John Malkovich version. Katherine Hepburn does an excellent job playing the mother who is frustrated by the "generation gap". It also shows Michael Moriarty and Sam Waterston very early in their careers, both went on to win many awards. If you are able to get your hands on this version, it will be worth the search.

Early in the story, a loquacious Amanda (Katharine Hepburn) and her two twenty-something children, Tom (Sam Waterston) and Laura (Joanna Miles), are eating dinner in their dining room. In her long-winded, nervous chatter, Amanda abruptly notices that son Tom is eating too fast. "You must chew your food; animals have secretions … But human beings must chew their food; a well-cooked meal has many delicate flavors, so chew, chew, chew." To which an angry Tom shoots back: "Mother, I have not enjoyed one bite of this dinner because of your constant directions on how to eat it. It's you that makes me rush through meals with your hawk-like attention to every bite I take".

Later, Tom is sitting at a table writing. Amanda comes over and scolds him for his poor posture: "Now why can't you sit up straight … I know what that position does to your internal organs. Now you sit up straight; here I'll show you. Your stomach pressed against your lungs, your lungs pressed against your heart, and that poor little heart gets discouraged 'cause it hasn't got any room left to go on beatin' for you".

But that's Amanda: an overbearing busybody who means well, but dominates those around her. She is so sure of herself and her moral values. Tom feels trapped, not only by his mother but also because of his mundane job at a warehouse. Daughter Laura is crippled and has a dreadful inferiority complex, which makes her shy. She identifies with her tiny glass animals, as fragile as she is.

Set almost entirely indoors in a drab little apartment in St. Louis, "The Glass Menagerie" is a play that conveys a lot of human feelings: anger, guilt, regret, dependency, and emotional damage. There's also a bit of humor. The story takes place during the WWII era of the 1940s. Eventually, Amanda imposes her wishes on Laura as well, as the mother badgers Tom to bring home a "gentleman caller" for Laura, in an effort to prevent Laura from being an old maid. What follows is both inspiring and heartrending.

The claustrophobic script is talky as one would expect for a play. The drab costumes are appropriate given the family's financial straits and the time period. Camera is largely static and functions mainly as a fly on the wall. Casting is very good. Acting is terrific. Hepburn does a wonderful job, except that she talks too fast for a Southern woman. The ending leaves viewers hanging.

With minor exceptions, the script and the performances are marvelous. Yet I'm not sure I would want to watch the film again; it is so depressing, especially toward the end.

The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams, though somewhat meticulous when read as a play, was quite a riveting film. Even though the movie is very similar to the play it is performed with vivacity and enthusiasm, and I suppose when compared to a group of high schoolers attempting to do this play justice, anything would be better. The cast accomplished the feat of portraying the characters accurately, and considering the time period it was produced, I was impressed. If you have not read the play I would recommend you do so before watching the movie so you can really appreciate it. You would have even more respect for the movie if you round up a couple of friends and slaughtered the play together.