Sweet Bird Of Youth (Film)

I guess it's inevitable that the film adaptations of Tennessee Williams plays are going to feel stilted and reserved. The risque material he was exploring on stage was still too much for mainstream America at the time. Sweet Bird Of Youth (1962) is no exception-it has the two main stars from the Broadway production-Paul Newman as the fading golden boy Chance Wayne and Geraldine Page as the fading movie star Alexandra Del Lago. Director Richard Brooks' main contributions include unnecessary flashbacks giving context and motivation for Chance. The film lacks the power of the play, but it was a good chance to see Paul Newman in his prime.