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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
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Suddenly, an outlaw film!
If there was something interesting to remark about this bold and brave decade of the Fities was the fact many overlooked issues were exposed for the posterity. This film is part of the sextet of demolishing movies (The man of the golden arm, Baby Doll Butterfly 8, A long and hot summer and Anatomy of a murder).
"Suddenly last summer" was an audacious step in those times in which certain aspects of the intimate life had to be enclosed.
But the brilliant intelligence of the author, made of this existential dramatis personae, a distant consequence and not the primary plot, and he focused around the position of domination of a very wealthy Southern matriarch, her supposedly mad niece and a neurosurgeon.
The dialogues are pieces of the play. They reveal, suggest and mask the used conventionalisms, the well exposed moral codes, the well known device of transfer of blame. However the neurosurgeon is aware there is something nasty beneath the speech and decides to find out much more the words may describe.
Tennessee Williams was a sharp writer, and like a prominent artist, you may not conform yourself with a lineal approach. Obviously, the author proposes us the words may even disfigure not only a human life, but the most important (thinking at a major level) the relevance of the speech as lethal weapon in order to destroy the reputation of any human being (the black list of the previous decade, perhaps?).
At the dramatic resolution, we are aware what really happened and whosoever was out of the real context in this world, when our venerable matriarch's projects, and the embodiment of her elusive fantasies on the own neurosurgeon in the last sequence, in which we may watch her as Gloria Swanson in "Sunset boulevard", a lonely and disassociated woman trapped in her vanished dreams.
Potent and mature film, and even though at this historical moments you might regard it out date, think it twice due Philadelphia in 1993, caused a very similar impact.
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Should have been in the Tennesee Williams Collection
The gift box set of the Tennesee Williams Collection is great but it is missing other works he has done. I bought "Suddenly, Last Summer" because it is one of my favorite's. Maybe there will be a sequel to the Gift Box Set.
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raw power, nightmarish events, an untimely death--and amazingly stunning performances
Suddenly, Last Summer is an excellent film adaptation of Tennessee Williams' play of the same name. The cast couldn't be better: Katherine Hepburn, Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor star in this horrifying drama. Although two hours long, you'll never stir once in your seat. The excellent dialogue holds your attention and the convincing acting is nothing short of stellar.
When the film begins, a wealthy middle aged widow named Violet Venable (Katherine Hepburn) still suffers the pain from the loss of her son Sebastian the previous summer. Although Violet wants to remember her son as a "chaste" man, her niece Cathy Holly (Elizabeth Taylor) unconsciously remembers the actual events that led to Sebastian's tragic and untimely death. Violet can't stand the fact that Cathy remembers just a bit too much about Sebastian, so she tries to bribe a doctor (Montgomery Clift) to lobotomize Catherine so that her son's memory will never be defiled.
It's a race against time as Dr. Cukrowicz (Montgomery Clift) becomes intrigued by Catherine's story and unusual memory loss. The doctor is under intense pressure to lobotomize Cathy from both Violet Venable and his boss at the asylum where Catherine is being kept. However, Dr. Cukrowicz wants to see if Catherine can be made to tell the truth--and avoid a lobotomy at the last minute.
The plot moves along very well and certain images could scare sensitive people. Sebastian's garden is an eerie place that reflects superlative set design; and the split screen at the end when Cathy finally does remember exactly how Sebastian died will stay in your head for quite a while after you view this film.
The DVD contains few real extras; we do get the theatrical trailer for the film and you can select scenes to view and setup the audio as you wish from several options.
Suddenly, Last Summer is one of those rare films that are truly memorable well after you've seen them. Although you can't be squeamish in order to handle the ending of this film, I believe this is one of the best films ever made. When you watch this film you will be riveted by the action and plot development just as I was.
I highly recommend this film for film buffs and for people who want to see Katherine Hepburn perform a tour de force as a ghastly villain. People who enjoy films with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift will also appreciate this movie.
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Love Devours
Love devours is the theme of this Tennessee Williams play. Us who have lived a long time and have loved deeply know this don't we? Love is like the flesh eating Venus flytrap. Somehow we have got to learn how to love in such ways that we do not devour each other. Tennessee didn't give us a clue though did he?
Thanx Gore Vidal for helping bring this movie to us way back in 1959. I would recommend it to the 20 something young men who are dealing with the issues in this movie and even to us 60 something older men who are dealing with the 20 something's.
Suddenly Last Summer is a cautionary tale: Love Devours.
Rating: 
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Fine movie, but slow at the beginning...
I like the movie and the acting is mostly great. My only problem is with Montgomery Clift, who is slightly stiff in this movie, yet I still like him. Elizabeth Taylor and Katherine Hepburn give stellar performances.
Basically, Cathy (Taylor) is locked up in a mental institution with Clift as her psychiatrist. He needs to find out the shocking truth of why her cousin died the summer before. Her aunt Violet (Hepburn) wants her to have a lobotomy so the truth cannot come out. I won't say what happens, but the end is satisfying. I'd watch this again.
