IMDb > Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
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Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) More at IMDbPro »

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Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?
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Director:
Mike Nichols
Writers:
Edward Albee (play)
Ernest Lehman (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
22 June 1966 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama more
Tagline:
You are cordially invited to George and Martha's for an evening of fun and games. more
Plot:
A bitter aging couple with the help of alcohol, use a young couple to fuel anguish and emotional pain towards each other. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Won 5 Oscars. Another 13 wins & 18 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(7 articles)
Former MPAA Head Jack Valenti Dies at 85
 (From IMDb News. 27 April 2007)

Former MPAA Head Jack Valenti Dies at 85
 (From IMDb News. 26 April 2007)

User Comments:
Perfect Movie-making more (163 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (USA) (complete title)
more
Runtime:
131 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English | Latin
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
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 (certificate #21074) | South Korea:12 | Netherlands:12 (2007) | UK:12 (re-rating) (2009) | Australia:M | Czech Republic:12 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:X (original rating) | UK:15 (video rating)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Richard Burton celebrated his 40th birthday on the set of the film where spouse Elizabeth Taylor presented him with a white 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Nick is talking to George by the swing, his necktie changes positions between shots (when he's on his back). more
Quotes:
George: You're a monster - You are.
Martha: I'm loud and I'm vulgar, and I wear the pants in the house because somebody's got to, but I am not a monster. I'm not.
George: You're a spoiled, self-indulgent, willful, dirty-minded, liquor-ridden...
Martha: SNAP! It went SNAP! I'm not gonna try to get through to you any more. There was a second back there, yeah, there was a second, just a second when I could have gotten through to you, when maybe we could have cut through all this, this CRAP. But it's past, and I'm not gonna try.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Deadly Bees (#10.5)" (1998) more

FAQ

In the script, Martha references Davis and quotes her famous "What a dump!". Which film actually contains the line?
What is the the significance of the title, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
more
45 out of 57 people found the following comment useful.
Perfect Movie-making, 28 February 2005
10/10
Author: Rathko from Los Angeles

An undisputed classic that chronicles every appalling moment of a drunken night in hell as middle-aged George and Martha tear each other, and their guest, to pieces.

Elizabeth Taylor proves categorically that she was a truly great actress. Her Oscar-winning performance as the psychologically tormented Martha is one of the greatest performances in the history of cinema. Taylor's imperceptible shifting from sadism to tenderness, from bullying condescension to exhausted vulnerability, is a masterclass in character building. Martha is a truly monstrous character, and yet Taylor is able to imbue her with sympathy, allowing you brief glimpses of the warm and lovable woman she could have been.

Richard Burton is equally magnificent as George; an ageing, failing college professor whose initial meekness gives way to a raging torment all of his own. His verbal sparring with Taylor, like two pit-bulls in the ring of an endless and bloody dogfight, has become legendary. Every word drips with malice and contempt, every sentence is designed to cut the deepest wound. At times, it becomes painful to watch, but like true train-wreck television, you cannot drag yourself away from the inevitably terrible conclusion.

Quite possibly, this is as close to perfect as movies can get; beautifully written dialogue, deeply complex characters, an evolving and suspenseful storyline, beautiful photography, and a wonderfully understated score by Alex North. Nominated for 13 Academy Awards in 1967, but lost out to A Man for All Seasons and Born Free to win only 5.

"Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" "I am."

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