Best movie adaptations of plays- Page 2

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 4/10/18 at 3:22pm

Imagine a HELLO DOLLY film without  the song "Hello Dolly". Imagine a CABARET film without the song "Cabaret". That's my response to anyone who says the film of SWEENEY TODD is a great film. Eliminate the title tune (and musical thru-line) and whatever it is, it isn't a great SWEENEY TODD film.

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 4/10/18 at 4:45pm

Amadeus transcends its play.

Doubt has electric film performances.

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf is a masterpiece.

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 4/10/18 at 4:46pm

Also Sweeney Todd the film is not the grand operatic guignal the musical is by any means.

But it's still a great movie.

[Synecdoche2]

Posted: 4/10/18 at 5:53pm

Amadeus

Brief Encounter

Pygmalion

You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet

His Girl Friday

Ran

The Matchmaker

The Sunset Limited

[Jarethan]

Posted: 4/11/18 at 12:07am

These are my personal favorites...sure that I have left some off: Musicals: Fiddler on the Roof, Cabaret, Chicago, The Sound of Music

Plays: A Streetcar Named Desire, The Philadelphia Story, The Little Foxes, Sweet Bird of Youth, Amadeus, The Caine Mutiny (better than the play IMO), You Can't Take it With You, A Raisin in the Sun, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Holiday, The Solid Gold Cadillac, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Becket, A Few Good Men (again, better than the play IMO), Arsenic and Old Lace, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Never a fan of The Lion in Winter or A Man for All Seasons.  Boring.  

[BWAY Baby2]

Posted: 4/11/18 at 7:03am

I never liked Taylor and Burton in Virginia Woolf- I have seen the play numerous times- Kathleen Turner was the best Martha I have ever seen- but to me Taylor just does not capture it.

I love Funny Girl and Cabaret for musicals- West Side Story is pretty great, too. 

[Demitri2]

Posted: 4/11/18 at 2:45pm

As far as Tennessee Williams...SUMMER AND SMOKE was an excellent adaptation as was CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF. However just the opposite was SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH which was toned down for Hollywood standards of the time. Heavenly had an abortion instead of a sexually transmitted disease leaving her barren. And instead of being castrated Chance got off with a broken nose. Geraldine Page was terrific though regardless of the script changes for the other characters. 

Agree with other posters listing WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOLF? In fact when I see it on stage now all I constantly hear is Taylor and Burton's line readings in the back of my head. 

[The Other One]

Posted: 4/11/18 at 8:04pm

I never see The Country Girl mentioned on these lists, but Crosby gives one of his best dramatic performances as Frank and Kelly is quite good as Georgie.  Other than depicting Frank rehearsing a musical instead of a drama, it's very faithful to its source and, for my money, towers over the Broadway revival Mike Nichols directed.

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 4/11/18 at 8:57pm

You know what I love about the film of Virginia Woolf?

Is that it can't be played for laughs like when it's done live. There's no laughter from the audience to cause relief. And every time I've seen it live they are big theatre performances. Elizabeth Taylor made Martha very real and gross and pitiful and sad. There's something so intense about being trapped with them in the movie. Some things are funny but it's more like you are a hostage in a claustrophobic nightmare. 

Updated On: 4/11/18 at 08:57 PM