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Suddenly, Last Summer

Suddenly, Last Summer

Thriller · Drama · Mystery · 1959

The only son of wealthy widow Violet Venable dies while on vacation with his cousin Catherine. What the girl saw was so horrible that she went insane; now Mrs. Venable wants Catherine lobotomized to cover up the truth.

Movie details

Suddenly, Last Summer

“Suddenly, last summer, Cathy knew she was being used for something evil!”

1959 Thriller · Drama · Mystery 1h 54m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.3 / 10

Community rating

The only son of wealthy widow Violet Venable dies while on vacation with his cousin Catherine. What the girl saw was so horrible that she went insane; now Mrs. Venable wants Catherine lobotomized to cover up the truth.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Suddenly, Last Summer?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Written by

Gore Vidal · Tennessee Williams

Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor

Catherine Holly

Katharine Hepburn

Katharine Hepburn

Violet Venable

Montgomery Clift

Montgomery Clift

Dr. Cukrowicz

Albert Dekker

Albert Dekker

Lawrence Hockstader

Mercedes McCambridge

Mercedes McCambridge

Grace Holly

Gary Raymond

Gary Raymond

George Holly

Mavis Villiers

Mavis Villiers

Miss Foxhill

Court is in session

Put Suddenly, Last Summer on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.