Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Sunday, June 21 at 1:30 PM
Michigan

Film | Thriller/Drama | NR | 2h 11m | 1966
Part of our Summer Classics series

History professor George (Richard Burton) and his boozy wife, Martha (Elizabeth Taylor), return late one Saturday night from a cocktail party at the home of the college president, Martha's father. Martha announces that she invited another couple, newly appointed instructor Nick (George Segal) and his timid wife, Honey (Sandy Dennis), over for a nightcap. When the younger couple arrive, the night erupts into a no-holds-barred torrent of marital angst and verbal tirades.

Programmer's Note:

It's a date night from hell. In his feature directorial debut, Mike Nichols took on the task of adapting Edward Albee’s fiery stage play for the screen. Only a filmmaker of Nichols’ comedic caliber could create something so darkly funny while maintaining the devastation left in the wake of these characters. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, just two years into their marriage, deliver performances that toy with the headlines surrounding the affair that led to their nuptials. Yet they inhabit these characters so completely that it only adds to the “scandalous” nature of their romance.

I think audiences unfamiliar with this film will be amazed by how its DNA has lingered in popular culture. Fans of The Office will immediately recognize the inspiration behind the infamous “Dinner Party” episode, while Olivia Wilde’s upcoming The Invite has intention to carry the torch for the next generation.

This film also remains the only film in Academy Awards history to receive nominations in every category for which it was eligible. It ultimately took home five Oscars, including Elizabeth Taylor’s second Academy Award for Best Actress.

~ Nick Alderink, Cinema Program Director