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IMDbPro

Tea and Sympathy

  • 19561956
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 2h 2m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
2.9K
YOUR RATING
Tea and Sympathy (1956)
A new senior at a boy's prep school, finds himself harassed by the machismo culture of his classmates and the unfeelingly behavior by his father, only being treated with decency by his roommate and with affection by the coach's wife.
Play trailer2:53
1 Video
32 Photos
Drama
A new senior at a boy's prep school, finds himself harassed by the machismo culture of his classmates and the unfeelingly behavior by his father, only being treated with decency by his roomm... Read allA new senior at a boy's prep school, finds himself harassed by the machismo culture of his classmates and the unfeelingly behavior by his father, only being treated with decency by his roommate and with affection by the coach's wife.A new senior at a boy's prep school, finds himself harassed by the machismo culture of his classmates and the unfeelingly behavior by his father, only being treated with decency by his roommate and with affection by the coach's wife.
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
2.9K
YOUR RATING
    • Vincente Minnelli
    • Robert Anderson(screen play by)
  • Stars
    • Deborah Kerr
    • John Kerr
    • Leif Erickson
    • Vincente Minnelli
    • Robert Anderson(screen play by)
  • Stars
    • Deborah Kerr
    • John Kerr
    • Leif Erickson
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 57User reviews
    • 19Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:53
    Watch Trailer

    Photos32

    Deborah Kerr, Leif Erickson, and Edward Andrews in Tea and Sympathy (1956)
    John Kerr at an event for Tea and Sympathy (1956)
    John Kerr in Tea and Sympathy (1956)
    Deborah Kerr and John Kerr in Tea and Sympathy (1956)
    Deborah Kerr and John Kerr in Tea and Sympathy (1956)
    Deborah Kerr in Tea and Sympathy (1956)
    Deborah Kerr in Tea and Sympathy (1956)
    Deborah Kerr in Tea and Sympathy (1956)
    Deborah Kerr in Tea and Sympathy (1956)
    Deborah Kerr and John Kerr in Tea and Sympathy (1956)
    Deborah Kerr in Tea and Sympathy (1956)
    Deborah Kerr and Leif Erickson in Tea and Sympathy (1956)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Deborah Kerr
    Deborah Kerr
    • Laura Reynolds
    John Kerr
    John Kerr
    • Tom Robinson Lee
    Leif Erickson
    Leif Erickson
    • Bill Reynolds
    Edward Andrews
    Edward Andrews
    • Herb Lee
    Darryl Hickman
    Darryl Hickman
    • Al
    Norma Crane
    Norma Crane
    • Ellie Martin
    Dean Jones
    Dean Jones
    • Ollie
    Jacqueline deWit
    Jacqueline deWit
    • Lilly Sears
    Tom Laughlin
    Tom Laughlin
    • Ralph
    Ralph Votrian
    Ralph Votrian
    • Steve
    Steven Terrell
    • Phil
    Kip King
    Kip King
    • Ted
    Jimmy Hayes
    • Henry
    Richard Tyler
    • Roger
    Don Burnett
    Don Burnett
    • Vic
    Bob Alexander
    • Bob
    • (uncredited)
    Paul Bryar
    Paul Bryar
    • Alex
    • (uncredited)
    Chuck Courtney
    Chuck Courtney
    • Boy in Soda Fountain
    • (uncredited)
      • Vincente Minnelli
      • Robert Anderson(screen play by) (based on the play "Tea and Sympathy" by)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This film was adapted from a Broadway play that originally starred Deborah Kerr, John Kerr and Leif Erickson, who recreate their stage roles in this film. Also in the Broadway cast in supporting roles were Alan Sues (who later appeared on TV's Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1967)) and Dick York (the first actor who played Darrin on TV's Bewitched (1964) starring Elizabeth Montgomery). Joan Fontaine and Anthony Perkins also later appeared in the stage version of "Tea and Sympathy" as cast replacements during its long run. The stage production opened on Sept. 30, 1953 at the Ethel Barrymoore Theatre and ran for 712 performances.
    • Goofs
      A pair of china dogs are back-to-back in a master shot (overall wide view), but when the camera moves in for closeups, the dogs are face-to-face.
    • Quotes

      Laura Reynolds: Manliness is not all swagger and mountain climbing. It's also tenderness.

    • Connections
      Featured in Homo Promo (1991)
    • Soundtracks
      The Joys of Love
      (Plaisir d'Amour)

      Music by Johann Martini

      French lyrics by Jean-Pierre Claris de Florian

      English lyrics by Richard Dyer-Bennett

      Performed by John Kerr (dubbed by Gene Merlino)

    User reviews57

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    Comparative Acting Styles
    Those who had the good fortune to see Deborah Kerr onstage in the Elia Kazan production of "Tea and Sympathy," will attest to her unforgetable performance. Kerr not only played it on Broadway but also toured with it, a treat for all attendees. Now nearly a half century later, her performance on film, which was very much influenced by her stage style, begins to show a little wear around the edges. It must be difficult to change one's approach after having played a role so successfully night after night. In this case, her inflections, accents, phraseology, pauses, gestures and the like are essentially theatre-based, designed to play to the whole house up to the balcony. In the intimacy of film, this becomes a bit much in the long run, and results in a much more broad, deliberate and stylized Kerr than in any of her other film work. Her character tends to emerge now more as a busy-body, snooper, peeping tom than was ever intended, and certainly it did not come across that way when the film was first released. A landmark film of sorts--for a major studio to tackle a sensitive subject in a major production--"Tea and Sympathy" benefits from a sincerely written script by Robert Anderson, solid direction by Vincent Minnelli and a secure supporting cast. Visually Deborah Kerr is beautiful, and is totally committed to both the play and her role. During her lengthy film career, Kerr certainly contributed a wealth of finely crafted performances.
    helpful•46
    7
    • harry-76
    • May 7, 2000

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 5, 1956 (France)
      • United States
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 2 hours 2 minutes

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