The Bell Jar (1979)

Details a young woman's summer in New York working for a Mademoiselle-like magazine, return home to New England, and subsequent breakdown all amidst the horrors of the fifties, from news of... See full summary »

Director:

Larry Peerce

Writers:

Marjorie Kellogg, Sylvia Plath (novel)

Stars:

Marilyn Hassett, Julie Harris, Jameson Parker

Cast

Credited cast:
Marilyn Hassett	...	Esther Greenwood
Julie Harris	...	Mrs. Greenwood
Jameson Parker	...	Buddy Willard
Anne Jackson	...	Dr. Nolan
Barbara Barrie	...	Jay Cee
Robert Klein	...	Lenny
Donna Mitchell	...	Joan
Mary Louise Weller	...	Doreen
Thaao Penghlis	...	Marco
Scott McKay	...	Mr. Gilling
Meg Mundy	...	Bea Ramsey
Carole Monferdini	...	Hilda
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ruth Antonofsky	...	Singer
Dick Carballo	...	Frankie
Allan Eisenman	...	Cab driver

Storyline

Details a young woman's summer in New York working for a Mademoiselle-like magazine, return home to New England, and subsequent breakdown all amidst the horrors of the fifties, from news of the Rosenbergs' execution to sleazy disc jockeys and predatory college boys.

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Plot Keywords:

disc jockey | overdose | craziness | insanity | 1950s | 

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Taglines:

Sometimes just being a woman is an act of courage.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 October 1979 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

Canção para Uma Louca

Company Credits

Production Co:

AVCO Embassy Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Goofs

New York taxis, (unlike L.A. cabs) do not now nor did they ever have their telephone numbers on them.

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Connections

Version of The Bell Jar

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Soundtracks

"Here Comes The Night"
Written and Performed by Janis Ian

User Reviews

Disappointing at best

When they say that a book is always better than the film adaptation, "The Bell Jar" is a movie that can support that opinion to its highest degree. Sylvia Plath`s American classic, "The Bell Jar", is a vivid, disturbing and brutally honest depiction of a young woman`s plunge towards insanity in the 1950`s, and it has become my favourite book of all time. The film version, however, failed miserably in trying to tranfer the book onto the big screen. The original story was cut up so badly for the film, you sometimes can`t even tell if they`re the same story. The acting by the main character`s was mediocre at best, and worst of all, the movie completely lacked the poetic and evocative spirit that made the book special. Watching "The Bell Jar" just isn`t the same as reading the book, trust me when I say the book is much better.