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:

Couple | Professor | Secret | Marriage | New England

Awards:

Won 5 Oscars. Another 18 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)
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
Bob 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. Pictures (presents: Ernest Lehman's production of Edward Albee's)
• Chenault Productions

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (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 (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) (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:

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 | Australia:M | Czech Republic:12 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:X (original rating) | UK:15 (video rating) (1988)

Filming Locations:

Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

The MPAA insisted on the removal of the term "screw you" from the film where it was replaced with the term "God damn you" but allowed the terms "screw" and "hump the hostess" to remain in the film.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Nick is talking to George by the swing, his necktie changes positions between shots (when he's on his back).

Quotes:

George:Martha, in my mind you're buried in cement right up to the neck. No, up to the nose, it's much quieter.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Smash His Camera (2010)

Still powerful, harrowing view of the "Anti-Ozzie and Harriet"

This is still an exceptional film from the 1960s. Though some of the epithets are obviously softening much stronger words, the language is frank and brutal, Martha's bludgeoning body-blows balanced by George's icepick thrusts. Edward Lehman's respectful screenplay gently opens up Edward Albee's one-set play while keeping a certain claustrophobic atmosphere. Mike Nichols' first directing effort is stunning in its lack of artifice; rarely do you feel that the director has done much more than turn on the camera and watch four actors, all at the top of their game, tear into their roles. George Segal's work in this movie is criminally underrated, but his reactive work as studly, ultimately disappointing Nick should be mandatory study by all young actors. Sandy Dennis' fluttery turn as mousy, wifey Honey is powerful also; a lot more is going on than you might think. Richard Burton is staggering as George ("Georgie Porgie Put-upon Pie"), and his performance demonstrates the magic that he could bring to a worthy role. Elizabeth Taylor's work here still astounds. The physical transformation she undertook to become aging harpy Martha is amazing enough, but her performance seems to channel a hurricane's force and fury. By turns hilarious, maddening and then, at the end, exhausted and defeated yet again, Taylor demonstrates acting, particularly film acting, at its best. The film is by no means easy or "Hollywood" in feel-- the audience is as exhausted as the characters at the end. But this was a bracing, necessary antidote to the impossible ideal of marriage usually portrayed in the movies. A towering film.