Sweet Bird of Youth Review

Drifter Chance Wayne returns to his hometown after many years of trying to make it in the movies. With him is a faded film star he picked up along the way, Alexandra Del Lago. While trying to get her help to make a screen test, he also finds the time to meet his former girlfriend Heavenly, the daughter of the local politician Tom 'Boss' Finley, who more or less forced him to leave the town many years ago.

by William Thomas |
Published on
Release Date:

01 Oct 1989

Running Time:

120 minutes

Certificate:

PG

Original Title:

Sweet Bird of Youth

Yet another celluloid adaptation of one of Tennessee Williams’ stage plays, this less well-known hotpot of those old firm favourites love, greed and revenge netted Ed Begley the

Best Supporting Actor Oscar for 1962. Paul Newman is at his charming best as the ambitious Hollywood wannabe Chance Wayne, returning to his home town with Geraldine Page’s faded movie queen. Trouble of hornets’ nest proportions is stirred up when his intention to whisk away childhood sweetheart Shirley Knight incurs the wrath of her powerful political boss father

Page and Newman are fantastic.
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