Night of the Iguana (1964)

"Noteworthy for Burton's acerbic performance and Ava's seen-it-all portrayal of an earthy lady.  Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Editor's Note A turbulent masterpiece adapted from the play by Tennessee Williams. A defrocked clergyman-turned-tour-guide takes a busload of pious Texan church ladies to an Eden-like spot along the coast of Mexico where he battles their suspicions about his past, his own demons, and a young girl whose affections could destroy him. Ava Gardner crackles as the woman who tries to keep him from being torn in two by heaven and earth. Academy Award Nominations: 4. Academy Awards: Best (black-and-White) Costume Design.

	Ava Gardner
	Deborah Kerr
	Richard Burton
	Skip Ward
	Anthony Veiller - Screenplay
	Benjamin Frankel - Original Music By
	Gabriel Figueroa - Cinematographer
	John Huston - Screenplay
	John Huston - Director
	Ralph Kemplen - Editor
	Ray Stark - Producer
	Sandy Whitelaw - Producer
	Tennessee Williams - Based On Play By

Residing is a small hotel on the west coast of Mexico, Reverend T. Lawrence Shannon, a defrocked Episcopal preacher, hides from his lecherous past. He finds work as a tour guide for a group of American teachers, but soon comes under criticism from their prudish leader when an 18 year-old in her care starts lusting after him. Shannon also receives a good deal of attention from the seductive hotel owner. He spends most of his time, however, with an idealistic spinster and her 97 year-old grandfather. This wheel chair-bound poet claims that he will expire upon the completion of his final manuscript -- a literary endeavor he has been laboring on for the last twenty years. Los Angeles Times
"...John Huston was in his element directing the 1964 version of Williams' last great play..." 04/27/2003 p.C29

TV Guide Review 9 of 10
[Roman] The lines are pure Williams. When Lenya has a complaint, Leigh retorts: "The beautiful make their own laws." Beatty mentions a middle-aged woman he knows of who died in bed with her throat cut. Leigh, who has been concentrating on her card hand, looks up and says, "After three more years of this, assassination would be a convenience." Lenya is superb; the great German actress never had much success in US movies, although she will always be remembered as the villainess in From Russia With Love.

Classic Film Guide 9 of 10
[Sweet] Directed by Richard Brooks (Elmer Gantry (1960)), who also wrote the screenplay for this Tennessee Williams (who has two screenplay Oscar nominations to his credit) play, this above average drama with Paul Newman in the title role...Begley is terrific as the hypocritical moralist, and Page is a kick, especially after her character regains her self-confidence. Madeline Sherwood plays 'Boss' Finley's mistress and twice Supporting Actress nominee Mildred Dunnock plays his sister.

Epinions.com 6 of 10
[Baby] There are two kinds of people who will enjoy this movie: those who would like to see Karl Malden act like an idiot, and those who would like to see Carroll Baker wear skimpy clothes. Admittedly, many people fall into one or both categories. But more is expected from "Baby Doll", which was somehow nominated for several Oscars..."Baby Doll" also doesn't seem to know whether it is a comedy or a drama. Perhaps it would have worked better strictly as a comedy. - Brian Koller

FilmCritic.com 6 of 10
[Night] Not about an iguana nor taking place at night, this adaptation of the Tennessee Williams play is heavy on melodrama and earnest performances, but weak on dialogue and lasting meaning. Richard Burton is justly celebrated for his role as a defrocked priest (from, ahem, "St. Jame's Church") now making a living as a Mexican tour guide, but the three banshees he has to deal with (and which form the basis of the rudimentary plot) are nothing you might consider message-bearing. - Christopher Null

DVD Times 8 of 10
[Cat] What was considered daring in 1958 is now likely to seem rather quaint and Cat On A Hot Tin Roof is no exception. What was once shocking has now become passe and much of this heated melodrama plays more like black comedy 44 years on. But that's not to say it's a bad film, far from it. This is a brilliantly acted, surprisingly cinematic adaptation of Tennessee Williams' best play, and it still manages to be fairly provocative despite the severe censorship cuts made to the original text. - Mike Sutton

Chicago Sun-Times 10 of 10
[Streetcar] Despite the overwhelming power of Brando's performance, "Streetcar" is one of the great ensemble pieces in the movies. Kim Hunter's Stella can be seen in this version as less of an enigma; we can see more easily why she was attracted to Stanley. Vivien Leigh's Blanche is a sexually hungry woman posing as a sad, wilting flower; the earlier version covered up some of the hunger. And Karl Malden's Mitch - Blanche's hapless gentleman caller - is more of a sap, now that we understand more fully who he is really courting, and why. - Roger Ebert