Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)

Director:

Mike Nichols

Writer:

Ernest Lehman (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

22 June 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

You are cordially invited to George and Martha's for an evening of fun and games.

Plot:

A bitter aging couple with the help of alcohol, use a young couple to fuel anguish and emotional pain towards each other.

Plot Keywords:

Professor | Alcohol | Evening | Guest | Saturday

Awards:

Won 5 Oscars. Another 19 wins & 18 nominations

Cast

Elizabeth Taylor	...	Martha
Richard Burton	...	George
George Segal	...	Nick
Sandy Dennis	...	Honey
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Agnes Flanagan	...	Roadhouse Waitress (uncredited)
Frank Flanagan	...	Roadhouse Manager (uncredited)

Directed by
Mike Nichols

Writing credits
Ernest Lehman		(screenplay)
Edward Albee		(play) uncredited

Produced by
Ernest Lehman	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Alex North		(music composed by)

Cinematography by
Haskell Wexler		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Sam O'Steen		(film editor)

Production Design by
Richard Sylbert

Set Decoration by
George James Hopkins

Costume Design by
Irene Sharaff		(costumes designed by)

Makeup Department
Gordon Bau	....	makeup: Miss Taylor's
Ron Berkeley	....	makeup: Mr. Burton's (as Ronnie Berkeley)
Sydney Guilaroff	....	hair styles creator: Miss Taylor
Jean Burt Reilly	....	supervising hair stylist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bud Grace	....	assistant director

Art Department
Craig Binkley	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Harold Michelson	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)
Joseph Musso	....	production illustrator (uncredited)

Sound Department
M.A. Merrick	....	sound
George Groves	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Frank Flanagan	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Ralph Gerling	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Robert Jason	....	electrician (uncredited)
Michael A. Jones	....	rigging gaffer (uncredited)
Robert Willoughby	....	special still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joan Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)

Music Department
Alex North	....	music conductor
Robert Bain	....	musician: guitar (uncredited)
Henry Brant	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Dan Wallin	....	music scoring mixer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Frank Khoury	....	driver: cast (uncredited)

Other crew
Richard Barr	....	produced on the stage by
Doane Harrison	....	production advisor
Hal W. Polaire	....	assistant to the producer (as Hal Polaire)
Meta Rebner	....	script supervisor
Clinton Wilder	....	produced on the stage by
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer (uncredited)
T.J. Healy II	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Herbert Ross	....	choreographer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. (presents: Ernest Lehman's production of Edward Albee's)
• Chenault Productions (uncredited)

Distributors

• Warner Bros. (1966) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Finland (1966) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2004) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1966) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner-Tonefilm (1966) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1973) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1976) (Finland) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (Canada) (DVD) (4 film set)
• Warner Home Video (19??) (West Germany) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1966) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1992) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD) (4 film set)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD) (two-disc special edition)

Also Known As:

"Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" - USA (complete title)

Runtime:

131 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Latin | Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Czech Republic:12 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:X (original rating) | UK:15 (video rating) (1988) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Portugal:17 (original rating) | Singapore:PG | West Germany:16 (f) (re-rated) | West Germany:18 (f) (original rating) | USA:Approved (cut) (Suggested for Mature Audiences) (certificate #21074) | South Korea:12 | Netherlands:12 (2007) | UK:12 (video rating) (2009) | Argentina:16 | USA:TV-MA (TV rating) | USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Warner Bros.

Trivia:

The first film in which the BBFC allowed use of the word "bugger" in its dialogue.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: While driving Nick and Honey home, before they stop at the roadhouse, the transmission selector (the lever on the steering column) changes position several times between shots.

Quotes:

Honey:I'm gonna be sick.
George:Ah yeah that's nice.
Honey:I'm gonna die.
George:Good, good. Go right ahead.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Sex Movie (2006)

Distilled Human Viciousness

Ailing couple George (Burton) and Martha (Taylor) invite a young couple over for a late-night drink - much to quiet and repressed George's annoyance - and what starts off as a twisted game by sultry Martha to annoy her husband and get her way with young stud Nick (George Segal) ends up in a horrific duel of wits.

Adapted from the play and boasting very few locations, "Virginia Woolf" is notable for many unsuspected reasons. Designed for the stage, the film makes the story uniquely cinematic and tense, amped up by stunning photography (in Black and White, a daring choice in 1966). The younger leads are superb, but Burton and Taylor still manage to walk away with film, giving stunning renditions of the world's most demented couple. They make the surreal dialogue hurt and touch in ways never thought possible.

Though there are countless reasons to recommend this jewel of a film, there are also reasons why one would wish to avoid it. This is the kind of film that makes you feel like having a showing (or a very concentrated drink) to wash away the grit and human evil and pain absorbed. You'll feel dirty, but in a way you'll also feel enlightened: that a small character film can carry more punch than any explosion-packed blockbuster out there is a thing of beauty indeed!