A Delicate Balance film

[wildparty20]

Posted: 8/17/04 at 5:58pm

I just finished watching A Delicate Balance, the filmed version with Scofield and Hepburn. I found it marvelous and the interview with Albee is absolutely wonderful. I really like the way they filmed this, keeping it more like a stage play than reworking it for film. I feel like I'm watching a play, which I do not when I watch other works that have been adapted for film such as Virginia Woolf or Long Days Journey into Night. Anyone else seen this version? Opinions?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 8/17/04 at 6:44pm

I found the movie's direction to be a bit static for my tastes, but it's certainly very well-acted. It's a good record of the play, but it unfortunately doesn't compare to the stellar revival production of a few years ago directed by Gerald Gutierrez with Rosemary Harris, George Grizzard and Elaine Stritch.

[wildparty20]

Posted: 8/17/04 at 6:53pm

I would love to have seen that production. Who was in the original production? Unfortunately living in the midwest kind of limits what plays you can see live. Did Elaine Stritch play Clare?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 8/17/04 at 7:09pm

Yeah, Stritch was hilarious as Claire ("I am A alcoholic") and Harris and Grizzard were simply extraordinary with Mary Beth Hurt as Julia. It's criminal it wasn't filmed for PBS.

The original cast back in the 60's was Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn, with Rosemary Murphy as Claire and Marian Seldes as Julia the daughter. I imagine that was wonderful as well.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 8/17/04 at 9:48pm

I appreciate the DVD of the play as well, though the casting isn't ideal. In particular, Kate Reid's Claire is a bit too crass for my taste. You have to believe that Tobias might've been involved with her, and Reid is so physically unappealing(weird baddrag eye make-up--it's as if she never wears it) and too nasty when mere bitterness would be more appropriate. But Hepburn is very right for Agnes, by reason of heritage, upbringing, and stature, and though her performance has few surprises, she certainly has fun with the language -- "I apoplogize for being articulate..." is particularly plummy. Scofield, acomplished as he is with Albee-speak ... is a bit ... prissy, no? I thought Grizzard was more compelling, and emotional, and I just prefer an American in the part. Scofield doesn't seem to be Lee Remick's daddy. I love this play, however, and treasure it even in less than perfect production. We could do a helluva lot worse.

[Glebb]

Posted: 8/17/04 at 10:24pm

I loved Stritch spilling her drink into the carpet over and over.