Staircase

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Staircase

R

1969

1h 40m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

40%

Tomatometer

5 Reviews

36%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

Although Charles (Rex Harrison) and Harry (Richard Burton) have been a couple for years, tension threatens their already dysfunctional relationship. The two hairdressers are excessively devoted to their mothers but increasingly snippy toward one another. Verbal barbs shoot in all directions without any sort of cease-fire in sight. The fact that Charles might be in trouble with the law for cross-dressing at a nightclub doesn't help matters much, either.

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

10/30/2004

1/4

Stanley Donen's Staircase is an unpleasant exercise in bad taste -- in taste so bad, in fact, you wonder how Donen, who directed Singin' in the Rain and Bedazzled could have directed it.

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Jesús Fernández Santos

El Pais (Spain)

07/23/2019

Richard Burton commands and owns the film. [Full Review in Spanish]

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Nathan Rabin

The Dissolve

09/04/2013

3/5

Harrison and Burton give the central relationship a lived-in quality and a gentleness that can be devastating in the film's rare but welcome quiet moments.

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

02/28/2013

C

Phil Hall

Film Threat

10/29/2004

0/5

Positively appalling.

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Derek L

@TIGERS58 Mar 8

I very lovely movie about a gay couple who are hairdressers. Made in 1969 with two wonderful actors Richart Burton and Rex Harrison. They both live with Richard's character Harry's bed ridden mum. Beautifully acted with affection to those days when it was illegal to be gay.

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06/20/2019

Homophobic drivel. Terrible acting by the principals. Younger men could have played the parts more credibly. Harrison's and Burton's prancing and preening are probably the high point of their careers, if that says anything.

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03/16/2017

Has its moments. Has to be seen with the right frame of mind though.

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03/13/2017

one of the first examples of mainstream queer cinema

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s r

@ScottR 03/12/2017

Had to watch it for the cast. It was a sad film that squandered its potential.

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04/24/2013

This is a terribly underrated gem-of-a-movie. I have been looking every where for it and finally was fortunate to watch it, I wasn't disappointed at all. It was heavily panned by the critics (for reasons beyond my comprehension!!!), personally I never care about whatever critics write, I watch and decide for myself. It is a brave film given its age to tackle homosexuality and the acting is brilliant. In fact anything Richard Burton is simply brilliant. I really appreciate this classic, it deserves much more recognition.

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Stanley Donen

Director

Richard Burton

Harry Leeds

Rex Harrison

Charles Dyer

Cathleen Nesbitt

Harry's Mother

Beatrix Lehmann

Charlie's Mother

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Synopsis

Although Charles (Rex Harrison) and Harry (Richard Burton) have been a couple for years, tension threatens their already dysfunctional relationship. The two hairdressers are excessively devoted to their mothers but increasingly snippy toward one another. Verbal barbs shoot in all directions without any sort of cease-fire in sight. The fact that Charles might be in trouble with the law for cross-dressing at a nightclub doesn't help matters much, either.

Director: Stanley Donen
Producer: Stanley Donen
Screenwriter: Charles Dyer
Production Co: Twentieth Century Fox
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (DVD): Dec 6, 2011
Runtime: 1h 40m