This film is notable in part for inspiring the name of Barack Obama's mother, Stanley. Many viewers, as well as readers of the original book, wonder why Stanley Timberlake (Bette Davis) and her sister Roy (Olivia de Havilland) have masculine names; none of my sources provide a definite answer. My guess is that at least one of their parents or grandparents really wanted a son.
Regardless, at least one of these Virginian aristocrats has something wrong with her: Stanley, engaged to Fleming (George Brent), instead runs off with her brother-in-law, Peter (Dennis Morgan). Once the divorce is finalized, Peter and Stanley marry, and Roy tries taking up with Fleming. That could've been the end of it, but things don't work out so well with Peter, and spoiled Stanley, quite used to taking whatever she wants, makes another play for Fleming....
Showing posts with label john huston. Show all posts
Showing posts with label john huston. Show all posts
Monday, September 11, 2017
Monday, July 18, 2016
The Night of the Iguana (1964)
What sounds like a cheesy horror is actually based on a Tennessee Williams drama. His plays have a good track record on screen, if not even better than on stage (see A Streetcar Named Desire; Cat on a Hot Tin Roof; and Suddenly, Last Summer). This appears to be the last silver-screen feature in his lifetime, affording more suggestiveness than the '50s would allow. Having John Huston at the helm couldn't hurt either.
Disgraced Rev. Shannon (Richard Burton) finds work as a tour guide in Mexico. He regards his present company as mostly annoying biddies, one of whom, Miss Fellowes (Grayson Hall), accuses him of molesting teen Charlotte (Sue Lyon), who actually put the moves on him to no avail. In order to postpone his firing until he can regain the tourists' support, he abandons the itinerary and drives to a remote, inexpensive hotel that belonged to a late friend of his, sabotaging the bus to prevent an escape. The widow and current owner, Maxine (Ava Gardner), likes him just enough to reopen off season. Soon after, Hannah (Deborah Kerr) and her nearly gone grandfather "Nonno" (Cyril Delevanti) show up, hoping to buy room and board with art and poetry; Shannon talks Maxine into a tentative agreement. From there, Shannon, Maxine, and Hannah share the main focus.
Disgraced Rev. Shannon (Richard Burton) finds work as a tour guide in Mexico. He regards his present company as mostly annoying biddies, one of whom, Miss Fellowes (Grayson Hall), accuses him of molesting teen Charlotte (Sue Lyon), who actually put the moves on him to no avail. In order to postpone his firing until he can regain the tourists' support, he abandons the itinerary and drives to a remote, inexpensive hotel that belonged to a late friend of his, sabotaging the bus to prevent an escape. The widow and current owner, Maxine (Ava Gardner), likes him just enough to reopen off season. Soon after, Hannah (Deborah Kerr) and her nearly gone grandfather "Nonno" (Cyril Delevanti) show up, hoping to buy room and board with art and poetry; Shannon talks Maxine into a tentative agreement. From there, Shannon, Maxine, and Hannah share the main focus.
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