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The Glass Menagerie→The Glass Menagerie
Tennessee Williams·1987·Director: Paul Newman
85%
Faithfulness
3.7
Book Rating
3.6
Movie Rating
Platform: DVD
Joanne Woodward, John Malkovich, Karen Allen
The Book
The Glass Menagerie is a memory play by Tennessee Williams that premiered in 1944 and catapulted Williams from obscurity to fame. The play has strong autobiographical elements, featuring characters based on its author, his histrionic mother, and his mentally fragile sister. In writing the play, Williams drew on an earlier short story, as well as a screenplay he had written under the title of The Gentleman Caller.
The Film
A son longs to escape from his stifling home, where his genteel mother worries about the future prospects of his lame, shy sister. The family struggles with their illusions and harsh realities in 1930s St. Louis.
Key Differences
The film adds more visual emphasis on the setting and mood than the play's minimalistic stage directions. The character of Tom is portrayed with slightly more externalized frustration. The film softens some of the play's harsher dialogue to suit the medium.
Our Verdict
Enjoy both!The film adaptation remains highly faithful to the source material while effectively using cinematic techniques to enhance the story. Both reading the play and watching the film provide complementary experiences.
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