Powerful!
09/12/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Tennesse Williams has rarely fared well in the transfer from stage to screen, but Night of Iguana is evidence that his work makes for powerful viewing. Stark visuals play against the subtle script and performances, with Ava Gardner giving perhaps her finest performance as the over-sexed, hard-bitten hotel owner who conceals a loving heart and honest nature behind an "I don't give a damn" mask. Burton has rarely been seen to such effect, and Deborah Kerr is quite fine. The supporting cast, featuring Grayson Hall and Sue Lyons, is remarkably strong as well. A powerful and unstinting screen adaptation of one of Williams' most powerful and unstinting plays."
Totally Excellent !!
B. J Robbins | La Quinta, CA United States | 04/13/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Great play ... Great acting ... Great direction ... although nobody won Oscars. Who cares? John Huston wisely filmed this in stark black and white reflecting its somber tone. Burton gives the performance of lifetime as Shannon at the end of his rope, and Kerr is fantastic, as always, imbuing a tender role with even more humanity. T. Williams' play, one of the best from America's best playwright, has everything. Conflict, strong characterization, wisdom, and of course humor. Some of the coarseness of the play has been excised (Shannon's), thus making him a more sympathetic character, but this does not hurt the movie. Huston sticks pretty much to the actual play, except for the ending, which was not in the play. However, this does not really hurt the film. Anyway, buy this film and enjoy it again and again. Your life will be richer for it."
WAY Behind Schedule
B. J Robbins | 07/17/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"THIS MOVIE IS SO BEAUTIFULLY FILMED IN BLACK AND WHITE, IT LITERALLY CRIES OUT FOR A CRISP, CLEAN, SHARP DVD TRANSFER. LESSER MOVIES ARE ALREADY OUT ON DVD, WHILE THIS ONE SEEMS CONDEMNED TO LANGUISH IN THE ETERNAL MURKINESS OF VHS....A VIEWING EXPERIENCE TANTAMOUNT TO DRINKING DON PERIGNON OUT OF A DIRTY TIN CAN. TSK TSK.
PUT IT OUT ON DVD; IT DESERVES TO BE SHOWCASED IN GORGEOUS QUALITY. WE ARE ALL WAITING!"
One of my all-time favorites
T. B. Flaherty | NC, USA | 06/25/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a masterpiece. Yes, there are nits to pick, but overall, an incredible film. It's worth the price of the tape just to hear Cyril Delevanti recite his poem. So, where is the DVD? It is a continuing mystery to me that so many really regrettable efforts make the transfer list and some wonderful films, like this one and "Becket" get ignored. Let's get with it, Warner!"