WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? (1966)

Film of the Day #257

WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?
1966 • Mike Nichols

Cast: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, George Segal, Sandy Dennis
Screenplay: Ernest Lehman; Based on Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? 1962 play by Edward Albee
Cinematography: Haskell Wexler
Music: Alex North

Warner Bros.

I hope that was an empty bottle, George! You can't afford to waste good liquor, not on YOUR salary!

Based on Edward Albee's acclaimed play, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? revolves around the tumultuous relationship between George and Martha, a middle-aged couple whose marriage is marked by bitterness and resentment. George, an associate professor, and Martha, the college president's daughter, return home from a faculty party. They are joined by Nick, a young biology professor, and his wife, Honey, whom George and Martha invited over for a late-night drink. As the evening progresses, George and Martha's dysfunctional relationship unfolds before Nick and Honey's eyes. The couple engages in a series of verbal sparring matches, using wit, sarcasm, and cruelty to mask their own insecurities and disappointments. Their interactions become increasingly hostile and manipulative, with George and Martha exposing each other's vulnerabilities and airing long-held grievances.

The film marked the directorial debut of Mike Nichols, which catapulted him into the spotlight as an A-list director, earning him widespread critical acclaim and numerous awards, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Director. His handling of the complex material and making a stage play cinematic established him as a major force in Hollywood.

Rage, resentment, and deep-seated dissatisfaction are all fueled by copious amounts of alcohol and the unsettling presence of a young couple. George and Martha’s lives intersect with Nick, a young biology professor, and his wife Honey, unwitting participants drawn into a night of psychological warfare. As the characters keep drinking, inhibitions dissolve, and the polite facade crumbles, revealing the simmering tensions beneath the surface. George and Martha's interactions go back and forth between biting sarcasm and outright hostility, their words aimed at each other's vulnerabilities. The presence of Nick and Honey only serves to intensify the emotional volatility, casting a harsh light on the fragility of their own marriage and creating a vicious cycle of brutality.

Taylor and Burton deliver masterful performances. Elizabeth Taylor's portrayal of Martha is revelatory. With each passing scene, she peels back the layers of Martha's psyche, revealing a woman haunted by her own unfulfilled desires. Taylor conveys raw emotion, meanness, and vulnerability, drawing viewers in with a magnetic intensity. As the night wears on and the facade of civility crumbles, Taylor's portrayal becomes increasingly visceral. Opposite Taylor, Richard Burton delivers a tour de force performance as George, Martha's equally damaged counterpart. Burton's portrayal is a study in controlled intensity, his seething anger simmering just beneath the surface until it finally erupts in a climactic confrontation with Martha. With each subtle gesture and hateful glance, Burton imbues George with a sense of quiet menace. Burton's performance is a destructive display of repressed emotions.

George and Martha emerge as emblematic figures, each bearing the weight of their personal failures and disappointments. At the core of George's character lies a sense of unrealized potential, a nagging feeling that he has fallen short of the lofty ambitions he once harbored. As an associate professor at a small college, George grapples with the disillusionment of a career that has failed to live up to his expectations. His intellect and wit serve as a shield against the harsh realities of his life. A gnawing sense of inadequacy haunts him. Martha, too, carries her own burden of disappointment, harboring a sense of perceived failure. Martha struggles to find fulfillment in a world that denies her the one thing she desires most. Even marrying an intelligent and promising professor has not fulfilled her, as she resents his failure to become the man he “should” be. There is a major revelation about George and Martha’s relationship, that I will not spoil, that shapes everything about Martha’s deep resentment of George and herself.

Nick (George Segal) and Honey (Sandy Denis) are thrust into the tumultuous world of George and Martha's dysfunctional marriage. At first glance, they appear as the "normal" couple, uninitiated in the complexities and cruelties that permeate George and Martha's relationship. However, as the layers of the characters are peeled away, it becomes clear that they, too, are vulnerable to the same forces of disillusionment and despair. Nick and Honey become unwitting participants in George and Martha's psychological games. The question of why Nick and Honey choose to remain in the midst of such chaos is a complex one. Like attracts like, and perhaps they see echoes of their own insecurities and desires mirrored in the fractured dynamics of George and Martha's relationship. In staying, they confront uncomfortable truths about themselves and the nature of love and marriage.

At the heart of the narrative lies the intricate web of deception woven by George and Martha, whose marriage is built on a foundation of lies and half-truths. As the evening unfolds the boundaries between reality and illusion become increasingly blurred, revealing the depths of their collective delusions. For George and Martha, illusion serves as a means of coping with their lives. Theirs is a marriage built on mutual deception. However, the painful truths that lie beneath are exposed. Yet, the film does not offer easy answers or clear resolutions.

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? serves as a reminder of the elusive nature of truth and the fragility of self-deception. As the characters confront betrayal and their twisted version of love, they are also forced to confront uncomfortable truths.

I swear if you existed, I’d divorce you.

Notable Awards & Accomplishments

• Academy Award Nominee: Best Picture

• Academy Award Nominee: Best Actor (Burton)

• Academy Award Winner: Best Actress (Taylor)

Streaming: Tubi
Digital Rental/Purchase: Available at major digital retailers
Physical Media: Available on Blu-Ray and DVD