The Glass Menagerie

Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie (Broadway Theatre Archive)This television adaptation of Tennessee Williams's classic play suffered from all the unfortunate side effects of theater productions. That is to say, I suffer from all the side effects of my impatient age.

I got bored. Or I would have, if I hadn't been playing tetris the whole time. I really don't blame the movie, though. Visually, the camera angles changed regularly, the colors had subtle fluxuations, and the themes and characterization were complex and engaging.

I admire the acting very much. Poor Kathryn Hepburn had to play a seriously grating character, but she did it brilliantly. Sam Waterston fully realized the depth of his role. Joanna Miles, who didn't have much to work with in the way of dialogue, seemed to do just fine, too. It seemed, though, a role designed for the over-actor. Even so, Miles did well enough.

I had never seen or read the play before I saw this production, but I wasn't disappointed. Although I found the ending unpleasantly ambiguous, I love the depth and sensitivity with which Williams inflated his characters. They didn't feel overblown, like so many other stage roles.

I'm afraid theater productions so often just bore me. The language so often isn't enough to keep me awake, or the character interactions varied enough to help me escape my own misery, the way we abuse media now. I think I should get points for trying.

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