Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

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Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

1966

2h 9m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

96%

Tomatometer

45 Reviews

90%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

History professor George (Richard Burton) and his boozy wife, Martha (Elizabeth Taylor), return late one Saturday night from a cocktail party at the home of the college president, Martha's father. Martha announces that she invited another couple, newly appointed instructor Nick (George Segal) and his timid wife, Honey (Sandy Dennis), over for a nightcap. When the younger couple arrive, the night erupts into a no-holds-barred torrent of marital angst and verbal tirades.

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Critics Consensus

Led by a volcanic performance from Elizabeth Taylor, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is a scathing adaptation of the Edward Albee play that serves as a brilliant calling card for debuting director Mike Nichols.

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Kate Cameron

New York Daily News

03/10/2015

[Taylor] is nothing less than brilliant as the shrewish, slovenly. blasphemous, frustrated, slightly wacky, alcoholic wife of a meek, unambitious assistant professor of history at a university, over which her father reigns as president.

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Andrew Sarris

Village Voice

03/10/2015

Nichols has actually committed all the classic errors of the sophisticated stage director let loose on the unsophisticated movies. For starters, he has underestimated the power of the spoken word in his search for visual pyrotechnics.

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James Powers

The Hollywood Reporter

11/20/2014

The greatest credit for the implacable engagement that the film creates for its audience must go to the director, Mike Nichols. Nichols makes a stunning film bow with Virginia Woolf.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Nov 12

4/4

It's one of the Academy's black marks that Richard Burton didn't win the Best Actor Oscar for his remarkable, career-capping performance.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

10/19/2024

2.5/4

...an erratic yet sporadically electrifying drama...

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

08/21/2022

4/5

There is simply no denying the strengths of “Virginia Woolf”, but your overall enjoyment may depend on your tolerance levels.

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Cineinthecity

05/10/2021

World-class acting all around

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Steve Y

@Cubby65 2h

This brutality on the senses is highly regarded in many circles, but not mine. When George Segal's character, towards the end, says " my god... I understand", I wanted him to come off so I could ask him " what? WHAT? Please explain it to me!"

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Michael J

@RT23312983 Jun 20

I cannot remove the hurt that movie portrays from my mind. Damn that was intense!

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Kyle M

@RT77296778 Jun 1

The stage-to-screen translation opt to magnify certain elements for atmospheric purpose within intimate distance, which awkwardly positions the viewer as invasive to the ensuing mutual verbal assault under unappealing unbalance, but the Mike Nichols’ directorial debut unveils ambiguous enigma in the harsh spites that begins to express more about the characters as felt in the performative convictions following a thrillingly polished screenplay. (B+)

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Graham B.

@gbake13 Mar 22

Absolute master piece watched it in theaters it was surprisingly funny one of the best movies I have ever seen 5/5

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Ola G

@Ollie1972 Jan 13

Mike Nichols directorial debut from 1966 of the Edward Albee's play of the same name is a drama of the highest quality with outstanding performances specifically from Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton as Martha and George. The direction and cinematography from Nichols and Haskell Wexler adds so much to the film and the decision of shooting it in black-and-white adds as well to the dysfunctional and difficult storyline. I found the film harsh to watch as Martha's and George´s spiral into this alcoholic madness is extremely convincing. Maybe not so strange as the real life marriage between Taylor and Burton was of the dramatic kind. And I also felt it was harsh to watch the iconic and gorgeous Taylor (a favourite actress of mine) as a nasty, spiteful, cynical raging drunk. Which on the other hand shows her incredible range as an actress. "Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf?" is a complex, difficult and great film.

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Mike Nichols

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Elizabeth Taylor

Martha

Richard Burton

George

George Segal

Nick

Sandy Dennis

Honey

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Synopsis

History professor George (Richard Burton) and his boozy wife, Martha (Elizabeth Taylor), return late one Saturday night from a cocktail party at the home of the college president, Martha's father. Martha announces that she invited another couple, newly appointed instructor Nick (George Segal) and his timid wife, Honey (Sandy Dennis), over for a nightcap. When the younger couple arrive, the night erupts into a no-holds-barred torrent of marital angst and verbal tirades.

Director: Mike Nichols
Producer: Ernest Lehman
Screenwriter: Edward Albee, Ernest Lehman
Distributor: Warner Bros., Warner Home Vídeo
Production Co: Warner Brothers
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 22, 1966, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 1, 2008
Runtime: 2h 9m
Sound Mix: Mono