IMDb Top 250: #225 – Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

who's afraid of virginia woolf richard burton elizabeth taylor
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250 films, 250 reviews. This is a pretty crazy idea, but who doesn’t love a challenge? Here at Cultured Vultures we’ll be counting down the IMDb Top 250 with a review for each from one of our dedicated film writers. Everything from Goodfellas to Casablanca will be covered over the next year or so for you film lovers to enjoy. You can’t say we don’t spoil you, you lovely lot. – Ashley, Project Lead

What’s the matter? Didn’t you think that was funny? I thought it was a scream.

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is a comedy.

I mean, it’s a black comedy, sure, but it’s a comedy nevertheless. Though, there’s a moment early on that might best equate the relationship between film and viewer for many; George lying face down and ‘sulking’ as Martha sits atop him, playfully bouncing the bed, boisterously slapping his back and pinching his sides, gleefully singing the line ‘who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ all the while. It’s at this point Martha stops and utters the above quote, to which George grumbles his muffled response into his pillow. The film is Martha, and you are George.

Though, that’s not to say it’s not good, because it is – real-fucking-good. However, it is relentless, and even those who enjoy it will likely find themselves drained by its end. Exasperated, and possibly a little broken for it. You see, over the course of its 130 minute runtime, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? doesn’t let up, and that’s a lot to say of a film that is predominantly set in just one room, and solely revolves around four people talking. And boy do they talk. But boy, how they talk.

The dialogue is Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? It’s what hooked me initially, and it’s what carried me through to close. It is, perhaps, what is most relentless about the film too, above the acting, above the direction, above the emotional tension. Having started life as the critically-acclaimed stage-play by the critically-acclaimed Edward Albee, covering the events of just one evening in just one room, the source material was of course dialogue heavy, and Ernest Lehman’s screenplay remains faithful to that. Even if he does embellish some brief excursions from the living room; bathroom, kitchen, lawn, and one kind of nonsensical trip to a roadhouse.

Of course, dialogue isn’t much of anything if it’s not delivered, and it’s at this point I admit that I lied when I implied that it was solely the dialogue that carried me through the film. No matter how witty, eloquent, acerbic, cutting, startling, emotional, or genuinely hilarious the dialogue, it can still fall flat in the wrong hands. What a stroke of luck that Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? stars Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor as our antagonistic protagonists in their performance prime. The pair not so much simmering with the bitterness and contempt of their characters, but positively bubbling over with it. However, Martha and George both are as absurd as they are acerbic, and Taylor and Burton both convey that through the layers of contradictory emotions that lay beneath their venom.

Now, however much you go in for that whole ‘on-screen-portrayal-of-their-notoriously-turbulent real-life-relationship’ perception of their performances here, it doesn’t really matter, both delivered possibly the most compelling performances of their careers. Taylor put in the ground work prior to filming, gaining 30lbs to convincingly portray a character 15-20 years her senior, but it’s her work in front of the camera that makes the difference capturing the crude, sarcastic, game-playing, and drink-swilling qualities of Martha, whilst simultaneously conveying her inner turmoil and fragility. In the last stretch of the film, having run the gamut already, Taylor really hits her stride as everyone starts to unravel, and nobody more so than Martha.

However, for me, it’s Burton who runs away with this one, though he lost out on his Oscar nomination while Taylor ran away with hers. Throughout the film Burton is acting the shit out of everything, carrying scenes with real fire and gusto, it’s a proper tour de force of a performance. Which isn’t to say it’s all guns blazing all the time; Burton’s performance is very much rise and fall, with a certain unhinged unpredictability, as well as impeccable comedic timing – it’s impossible to not get caught up in every line of his. That being said, though, when both he and Taylor are in full swing – bickering and talking over one another, or otherwise insulting/flirting with/competing for their guests – is when Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is at its dizzying best; somewhere between a car crash and a ballet.

Having made quite a name for himself as a director of stage, Mike Nichols made his film directing debut with Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? It was the kind of debut a director may dream of, what with it becoming one of only two films ever to be nominated in every eligible category at the Academy Awards, and the first to have its whole credited cast nominated for acting Oscars too. It went on to win five of its thirteen nominations, and kick started a pretty lustrous career for Nichols. I mean, his follow-up the following year was The Graduate. However, Nichols’ direction for the most part is pretty understated, focussing predominantly on a style that conveys a similar manner to that of watching a play. It’s effective, nevertheless, but Nichols really adds a flare to proceedings through his choice of filming in black and white, his frequent use of close ups to really expose the emotions of the characters, and his often jarring framing of simultaneous close ups or close ups against background positioning. It all helps to heighten the sense of tension, and emphasise the feeling of awkwardness in the viewer.

Nobody likes getting caught up in an argument, or worse still having an argument happen around you as though you weren’t there. However, there aren’t many arguments as compelling as that of George and Martha, but it’s not just the argument. Their venomous back and forth, laced with wit, and delivered with such rapid ferocity gets you in. Their powerhouse performances keep you transfixed, so it’s impossible to look away. Then before your eyes everything starts to unravel; humorous venom becomes sincere vitriol; lies, truths, and half-truths blur to the point they can’t be told apart, even by those telling them; secrets are unveiled and weaponised; Nick and Honey can count themselves not as witnesses or participants but casualties; and it all combusts in an incendiary climax, leaving no one unscathed.

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is a comedy, in that it’s a tragedy.

Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf?

I am, George, I am…

Note: the IMDb Top 250 Cultured Vultures are using is based on the standings from the 16th of November. Inconsistencies may apply.

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