The Glass Menagerie

The Glass Menagerie April 24, 2014 Actors/Actresses: Amanda Wingfield: Katharine Hepburn Tom Wingfield: Sam Waterson Laura Wingfield: Joanna Miles Jim O'Conner: Michael Moriarty

1973's "The Glass Menagerie" directed by Anthony Harvey and written by Stewart Stern, was a televised movie. Based on the play by Tennessee Williams, the movie's runtime is 100 minutes. Rated PG.

"The Glass Menagerie" is a drama set in an apartment in St. Louis, and most of the story takes place during the night. The story takes a dark turn towards the end and seems to phase into a tragedy that adds a sense of sadness. The movie definitely has its changes from the play, but then again, no movie follows the book perfectly. The movie has is still very intriguing to watch because of the life the actors put into their work, specifically Katherine Hepburn. Katherine Hepburn portrays an awesome 1940's mother who hasn't let go of the past. She consistently refers to her younger days when she had many "gentleman callers" and seems to envy her daughters young age, yet she is upset that she is wasting it. Laura's glass menagerie, which is what the movie is titled after, plays a significant role in the plot. Laura's menagerie symbolizes her own fragileness and foreshadows future events in the story. The screenplay by Stewart Stern forms a clear image of the main points of the original story written by Tennessee Williams. The movie may not depict the story line perfectly, but no movie ever compares to the book.

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.

The Glass Menagerie is to plays as Beethoven's "fuer Elise" is to music: it's short and it's seemingly easy to present (it has two female and two male roles, and its author is famous), so it often ends up being done by amateurs, and one gets used to not-very-good versions. So a generally well-done performance, such as this one, is refreshing.

To boot, if you're a fan of Katherine Hepburn, Sam Waterston, Michael Moriarty, or Joanna Miles - and what person in his right mind isn't a fan of all four? - then you need to be familiar with this production, which shows you not only the legendary Hepburn in an interestingly off-type role, but also three more of your favorite actors when they were budding.

Not that this production is perfect. Hepburn, as Amanda, dominates the action entirely too much for my taste, at times reducing the other characters to leaves swirling around the tempest she creates; Waterston sometimes alternates weirdly between a detached Hamlet-like cerebrality and raging tantrums worthy of a young Lear. In other words: the production does not well balance the two characters whose opponency is central to the drama. (It might be argued that Amanda is supposed to dominate the action, and that Tom is supposed to be wimpy, but I disagree. I think Tom's frustrated and repressed manhood needs to be portrayed in such a way as to convey a prodigious, if chained down, load of energy. Remember, this is a self-portrayal of the man who became Tennessee Williams!) True, if you concentrate you can catch some of the subtlety for which Waterston later became justly noted. But he is, so to speak, shouted down by Hepburn, who is entirely too much in focus. It is almost as if this production had been planned as a vehicle for her, and the character of Tom had been treated as a prop.

For my money, the real star of this show is Moriarty's masterful portrayal of the Gentleman Caller. Moriarty does not show us the power-tripping, manipulative bastard often associated with this role, but rather a nice guy who found himself in a compromising situation he never sought, and who tried naively to make the best of his ill-starred encounter with Laura, with the result that he bites off more than he can chew, and hurts Laura all the more by not intending it. The performance here really shines; I was very moved by his awkward feelings of guilt when he realizes his error.

This is the only version I've seen but I enjoyed it immensely. The entire cast is superb especially the legendary Hepburn. You can't help but think that as you grow older you become bitter as you wonder what you've done with your life and how your opportunities to escape your station ultimately evaporate. A very sobering drama, 8/10.

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.