Tennessee Williams to me is one of the great playwrights. Even lesser work, such as 'Orpheus Descending', is better than the lesser work of many other playwrights not as influential. 'The Glass Menagerie' is one of his finest, the most poignant of his plays if not his boldest ('Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' perhaps in that regard) and all the Williams trademarks (realistic dialogue though with a lot of talk, complex characters, bold themes and powerful if quite melodramatic scenarios) are present.
Saw three versions of 'The Glass Menagerie' prior to this 1966 production with Shirley Booth, Hal Holbrook, Barbara Lodon and Pat Hingle. Which regrettably is not one of those "grew up with it and have close sentimental value to it" productions etc, being too young, and my main reason for seeing this 'The Glass Menagerie' was to see as many film/television adaptations of Williams' work as possible. My first, and my personal favourite version until seeing this, was the 1987 one with Paul Newman. Also liked quite a bit the Katharine Hepburn production, though that was not perfect. The 1950 film with Gertrude Lawrence and Jane Wyman fared least for me while still worth watching, a notable flaw being the tacked on ending. After seeing this 1966 production, this has replaced the Newman version as my favourite version of 'The Glass Menagerie'.
Do agree that some of the line delivery from Booth can be on the too quick side, but do feel that that is a trap/potential problem playing Amanda because she is so talkative. Noticed this with Hepburn too in the same role in her version.
Other than that, it is great. It still looks good, the sets being effectively claustrophobic while not ugly or too uncomfortably stifling. The costumes looked fine to me even if not the most evocative in the world. The colour looks attractive and doesn't date the production. Williams' dialogue has lost none of its edge, realism, emotion or intelligence, and never feels rambling despite the amount of talk there is, while the stage direction avoids descending into overly-overheated melodrama (which it could have been easily considering the story itself). Surprisingly, it also didn't come over as too stagy or creaky to me considering its age and medium, other later television adaptations of Williams did this aspect worse. The storytelling is compelling and suitably intense which increases throughout and the emotional power and play's spirit has not been lost, neither has the complexity of the characters. The climax is very poignant.
Regardless of any rushed line delivery, Booth is still very touching as Amanda and a powerful presence without being dominant. Holbrook has the right amount of intensity for Tom and Boden's expressive face and affectingly nuanced body language play large parts in why her Laura strikes an emotional chord. Hingle also has to be the most likeable, without being too much, Gentleman Caller there's ever been with the sincerity always ringing true. The chemistry between Booth and Holbrook doesn't always ignite, like occasionally early on, but when it grows and the tension mounts it does sear at its best.
In summation, a great production that deserves to be more widely known. 9/10
Saw three versions of 'The Glass Menagerie' prior to this 1966 production with Shirley Booth, Hal Holbrook, Barbara Lodon and Pat Hingle. Which regrettably is not one of those "grew up with it and have close sentimental value to it" productions etc, being too young, and my main reason for seeing this 'The Glass Menagerie' was to see as many film/television adaptations of Williams' work as possible. My first, and my personal favourite version until seeing this, was the 1987 one with Paul Newman. Also liked quite a bit the Katharine Hepburn production, though that was not perfect. The 1950 film with Gertrude Lawrence and Jane Wyman fared least for me while still worth watching, a notable flaw being the tacked on ending. After seeing this 1966 production, this has replaced the Newman version as my favourite version of 'The Glass Menagerie'.
Do agree that some of the line delivery from Booth can be on the too quick side, but do feel that that is a trap/potential problem playing Amanda because she is so talkative. Noticed this with Hepburn too in the same role in her version.
Other than that, it is great. It still looks good, the sets being effectively claustrophobic while not ugly or too uncomfortably stifling. The costumes looked fine to me even if not the most evocative in the world. The colour looks attractive and doesn't date the production. Williams' dialogue has lost none of its edge, realism, emotion or intelligence, and never feels rambling despite the amount of talk there is, while the stage direction avoids descending into overly-overheated melodrama (which it could have been easily considering the story itself). Surprisingly, it also didn't come over as too stagy or creaky to me considering its age and medium, other later television adaptations of Williams did this aspect worse. The storytelling is compelling and suitably intense which increases throughout and the emotional power and play's spirit has not been lost, neither has the complexity of the characters. The climax is very poignant.
Regardless of any rushed line delivery, Booth is still very touching as Amanda and a powerful presence without being dominant. Holbrook has the right amount of intensity for Tom and Boden's expressive face and affectingly nuanced body language play large parts in why her Laura strikes an emotional chord. Hingle also has to be the most likeable, without being too much, Gentleman Caller there's ever been with the sincerity always ringing true. The chemistry between Booth and Holbrook doesn't always ignite, like occasionally early on, but when it grows and the tension mounts it does sear at its best.
In summation, a great production that deserves to be more widely known. 9/10