Sweet Bird Youth (1962)

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Movie
German title Sweet bird youth
Original title Sweet Bird of Youth
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1962
length 120 minutes
Age rating FSK 18
Rod
Director Richard Brooks
script Richard Brooks
production Pandro S. Berman
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
music Bronislaw Kaper
camera Milton R. Krasner
cut Henry Berman
occupation

Sweet Bird Youth (English original title Sweet Bird of Youth ) is a film from 1962. It is based on the drama of the same name from 1959 by Tennessee Williams . The main roles were cast with the same actors Paul Newman and Geraldine Page who had already participated in the stage performance.

action

Chance Wayne returns to his hometown as a companion of the aging film star Alexandra Del Lago, because he hopes this will give him a career jump. His ultimate goal, however, is to marry the daughter of the powerful politician who goes by the name of Boss Finley. Finley is not very enthusiastic about it and tries to drive him out of town with the help of the local law enforcement officers. Finally, the artist turns away from him and lets him fall. Wayne is beaten up by Finley's men, but in the end he escapes with his daughter.

Stage drama
Others
  • There was another film adaptation in 1989 under the direction of Nicolas Roeg as a television production.

Reviews

  • Thomas Ays: “Richard Brooks, who was responsible for the script as well as the direction, managed an absolutely convincing and brilliant adaptation of the play. However, fans of the theater version will have to be content with a completely different ending. Nevertheless, 'Sweet Bird Youth' turned into a fantastic film from 1962. "
  • Film review on Kino.de: "Compared to the stage version of the play, the end here was far more positive."
  • Lexicon of the international film : “The picture is shown of people who are hopelessly chasing phantoms and who are marked by unscrupulousness. A brilliantly staged theater film with an excellent cast. "
release

Despite the positively modified and less violent plot in the USA, the film was initially not approved for people under the age of 18. Maybe it was because of the scenes in which drugs and alcohol were consumed in the film.

Differences to the stage version

An essential difference in the film adaptation is the depiction of the violent destruction of the love affair between Chance Wayne and Heavenly Finley. In the original, the woman becomes sterile and loses her uterus through infection with syphilis. In the film this was changed to a pregnancy and a subsequent abortion. Wayne's original castration is also toned down. Wayne is only beaten up by Finley's men, so that the couple can drive away in the end and nothing stands in the way of starting a family. The actual drama of a completely destroyed childhood love is partially lost.

Others

In the film, Geraldine Page portrays the aging actress Alexandra Del Lago, Paul Newman her much younger lover. In reality, Page was only two months older than Newman. Newman, on the other hand, who is said to be around 30 in the film, was already 37 years old when it was set.

Awards

Academy Award Won in the category

Academy Award nominations in the categories

Golden Globe in the category

  • Best Actress - Drama ... for Geraldine Page

Golden Globe nominations in the categories

  • Best Actor - Drama ... for Paul Newman
  • Best Supporting Actress ... for Shirley Knight
  • Best Supporting Actor ... for Ed Begley

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. a b Sweet Bird Youth (USA). at spiegel.de, accessed on May 22, 2013.
  2. a b c Süßer Vogel Jugend ( memento from February 3, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) on moviesection.de, accessed on May 22, 2013.
  3. a b Film review for Süßer Vogel Jugend on kino.de, accessed on May 22, 2013.
  4. Sweet Bird Youth. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed September 2, 2017 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used 
  5. Paul Barz: Hollywood diva on the run from old age. on welt.de, accessed on May 22, 2013. (Reference to the original story)
  6. ^ A b The 35th Academy Awards - 1963. Oscars.org - Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, accessed December 4, 2018 .