THE GLASS MENAGERIE
US, 1987, 137 minutes, Colour.
Joanne Woodward, John Malkovich, Karen Allen, James Naughton.
Directed by Paul Newman.
The Glass Menagerie was Tennessee Williams' first successful play in the '40s. It was filmed by Irving Rapper at Warner Bros. in the late '40s with Gertrude Lawrence as Amanda, Jane Wyman as Laura, Arthur Kennedy as Tom and Kirk Douglas as the gentleman caller. The play was condensed, opened up and a happy ending tacked on. There was a 1973 television version with Katharine Hepburn and Sam Waterston.
This version is based on a stage production and was directed by Paul Newman. His wife Joanne Woodward is effective as Amanda, John Malkovich is excellent as Tom the narrator. Karen Allen is Laura and James Naughton the gentleman caller. The text of Williams' play is used in its entirety.
While the film is a filmed play, there is a fluidity of motion, a focusing on characters, a use of light and darkness, images of glass which enhance their performances and give an impression of a cinema experience.
1. The work of Tennessee Williams? His first successful play? The play as a memoir? The invocation of light and darkness? Glass, the menagerie, mirrors? The play mirroring memories.
2. The staging of the play for film, directions, the highlighting of language and its poetry? The sets, exteriors and interiors? Colour and darkness? Tableau and close-up? The fluidity of the camera work?
3. The ensemble work of the cast, Paul Newman's sensitivity as director?
4. The initial focus on Tom? His being a representative character, especially of Tennessee Williams himself, his experiences, aspirations and difficulties? His returning to the home, his commentary and perspective? His inviting us to go back in memory? The contrivance of his speeches and memories, walking us around the empty house? The effectiveness of the artificiality?
5. The portrait of Tom: the narrowness of his life in St Louis, his humdrum work, his saying that he was going to the movies, his sexuality (suppressed homosexuality?), the pressure of his mother, her nagging and correcting him, her ambitions for him, his love for his sister, in ability to help her? The friendship with Him, memories of schooldays? His angers, his room, writing poetry? Helping in the household? The interaction of the family? His discussions about the gentleman caller, arranging it, putting up with him mother's fuss, helping Laura? His decision to leave home, his separation from the family, his declaration of love for his sister? His return to the home?
6. The portrait of Amanda: Joanne Woodward's style, the southern belle and memories of the South, its genteel way of life, manners, the gentlemen callers, flirting, the place of women as ornaments in the society, servants? Her expectations of marriage, all the men who came to her, her choosing her husband? Her regrets and bitterness, his photo on the wall? Her poverty, her pretending that she was better than she was? Her love for her children, pressurising them? Nagging at Tom, making him chew at the table? His tantrums and her reaction? Her devices for controlling her children? Laura and her shyness, the typing, discovering that Laura had not gone to the typing school? Tom and the discussions about the gentleman caller, buoying up Laura's hopes? The elaborate preparations and excitement? Her contriving a match? Jim's arrival, her flirting behaviour, coming on very strongly? Absenting herself, going through the southern belle manner like a young woman? Her disappointment with his leaving? Her future? A complex domineering character? Audience sympathy for her, compassion - or not, Laura and her shyness, her memories of being at school, her nickname, the album, her infatuation with Jim? Her memory of his singing in The Pirates of Penzance? Her failure at typing school, opting out, going out, deceiving her mother, wanting to be alone, sick, lame, Her mother's pressure on gentlemen callers? The preparation for Jim's visit, the dress, her feeling sick, absenting herself from the table? her response to Jim, her memories, the conversation, affirmation by him, his philosophy of life and self-image, his psychologising? The possibility of love? Her disappointment when he told her the truth? Her being left at home? Her future? (And Williams' own sister and her mental collapse?)
7. The sketch of the gentleman caller, at work, friend of Tom, the preparations for his coming, Tom's inviting him casually, the chance to meet Laura? The fuss made by Amanda? His arrival, genial style, relating well with each of the characters, jovial with Tom, responding to Amanda's flirting, attracted towards Laura? The meals and the complications of her illness? His conversation with her, his estimate of his psychologising, understanding people, his theories of affirmation and getting Laura to esteem herself? His ambitions, compared with memories of the past? His telling her the truth about the fiancee, going to meet her? The effect on Laura?
8. The world of the apartment as a microcosm of the world? Love and pain, interactions, hopes and expectations, disappointments, the need for breaking out and freedom? Williams achieving this in his dramatic work?
