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Sweet Bird of Youth

Play trailer Poster for Sweet Bird of Youth 1962 2h 0m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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74% Tomatometer 19 Reviews 71% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
After unsuccessfully trying his luck in Hollywood, charming gigolo Chance Wayne (Paul Newman) wanders back to his hometown, accompanied by Alexandra Del Lago (Geraldine Page), a movie star on the wane. Chance quickly falls back into his old rut -- he's still smitten with his former sweetheart, Heavenly Finley (Shirley Knight), but her thuggish brother (Rip Torn) and her crooked politician father (Ed Begley) both hate him. When Alexandra leaves town, Chance is left with little more than trouble.
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Sweet Bird of Youth

Critics Reviews

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Empire Magazine 04/08/2008
Page and Newman are fantastic. Go to Full Review Variety Staff Variety 04/08/2008
It's a glossy, engrossing hunk of motion picture entertainment, slickly produced by Berman. Go to Full Review Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader 04/08/2008
Offers little indication of what made the original play interesting (especially in Elia Kazan's stage production), despite the fact that Paul Newman and Geraldine Page are called on to reprise their original roles. Go to Full Review Janet Graves Photoplay 12/15/2020
Here are Paul and Shirley playing true love gone wrong (in the shape of two pretty stupid types), while Geraldine portrays fallen grandeur with superb dash. Go to Full Review Otis Stuart OutWeek 05/20/2020
The play is all broad strokes, and even worse, the film does its damndest to sanitize them. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 05/16/2020
3/4
Once again, Hollywood proved to be more constrictive than Broadway -- a shocking castration gets replaced by a savage beating -- but the Southern discomfort of its characters keeps this torrid melodrama humming. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Russ G @RT78760655 01/18/2025 Good performances from the principles, Ol' Blue Eyes, Geraldine Page, and Ed Begeley. See more Alain E @AlainE 11/28/2024 Despite the presence of Paul Newman this is a terrible version of the famous Tennessee Williams play. I was simply not able to watch beyond the 40 minute mark. The later TV remake centered on the female character played by Elizabeth Taylor is much more successful. See more Leah S @Mssanta 09/18/2024 Tennessee Williams is my favorite playwright. I expectd his usual magic in revealing the layers of the darker side of the human condition. There was little depth regarding the motivations, drives, passions and agendas of the characters. For example: the princess, portrayed from the beginning as a desperate and drug/alcohol addled women resigned to her fate bounces back, like a jack-in-the box, after she learns her latest endeavor recieved rave reviews. I didn't hate it but it lacked Mr. Williams usual thought provoking, controversial take on flawed human beings. See more Jeff S @jeffstone 02/21/2024 Covers some profound themes and yet is hilarious at times. See more CodyZamboni @CodyZamboni 05/19/2023 Movie was not what I thought it would be. Set in Florida in the early 60s, it's a tale of gettting old, missing your big chance in life, trying to regain lost fame and love, and political corruption. Terrific performances by Paul Newman, Shirley Knight, and Geraldine Page as a faded movie star. I liked how the story points were emphasized through the visual themes of birds and a lighthouse. See more 09/21/2021 Very dramatic, the story is ok. The aesthetics are peak WASP so I love it. Great background movie. See more Read all reviews
Sweet Bird of Youth

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Cast & Crew

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Richard Brooks

Director

Paul Newman

Chance Wayne

Geraldine Page

Alexandra Del Lago (Princess Cosmonopolous)

Ed Begley

Tom 'Boss' Finley

Rip Torn

Thomas 'Tom' J. Finley, Jr.

Shirley Knight

Heavenly Finley

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Sweet Bird of Youth

Sweet Bird of Youth (1962) Sweet Bird of Youth (1962) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis After unsuccessfully trying his luck in Hollywood, charming gigolo Chance Wayne (Paul Newman) wanders back to his hometown, accompanied by Alexandra Del Lago (Geraldine Page), a movie star on the wane. Chance quickly falls back into his old rut -- he's still smitten with his former sweetheart, Heavenly Finley (Shirley Knight), but her thuggish brother (Rip Torn) and her crooked politician father (Ed Begley) both hate him. When Alexandra leaves town, Chance is left with little more than trouble.
Director
Richard Brooks
Producer
Pandro S. Berman
Screenwriter
Tennessee Williams, Richard Brooks
Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co
Roxbury Productions
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 21, 1962, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 21, 2016
Runtime
2h 0m
Sound Mix
Mono
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