With three great ladies of the theater cast in major roles, plus a fantastic ensemble of magnificent actors in support, this version of the Thornton Wilder story (previously filmed in 1944 and later in 2004) is abbreviated but delightfully to the point. Judith Anderson, playing a very troubled aristocrat, has lost the affections of her daughter because of her love of drink and clinging nature, and turns to the head of the local convent (Eva Le Gallienne) for help in finding a companion. Trampy actress Viveca Lindfors doesn't realize the extent of Anderson's affections for her as an artist, and after mocking her in public goes to apologize but is greeted with praise rather than scorn. This changes her life as it does of her agent and the two brothers, both in love with her, and tragedy leads to the pilgrimage across the ill-fated bridge on a horrific day.
Naturally these three actresses are excellent, all getting chances to shine, with Anderson quite gripping in a role far different than the roles that she's best known for on screen and stage. Her character is a Hispanic version of big mama from "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof", and you won't see a trace of her most famous characters, Mrs. Danvers and Medea, in what she does here. Lindfors makes me wonder what she could have done with those two rolls with her very dark portrayal here. Le Gallienne is a most welcome presence, mainly because there is so little of her on film, and her voice (quite similar to Anderson's) makes her commanding every time she appears.
Hume Cronyn and Kurt Kasznar, along with Rita Gam as Anderson's companion, are also quite memorable, and the tension leading up to the crossing of the bridge greatly increases. This is my favorite of the three versions of this that I have seen, having found the 1944 film version should be very slow and the 2004 version quite over the top. The sets are fantastic and the direction superb, with the emotions of all of these sad characters flying off the screen. It was so great to discover this because I've long to see every piece of Television that Anderson has done, and once again, she reveals how magnetic a performer she was, from early films I've seen her in from the 1930's up until her role as elderly matriarch Minx Lockridridge 25 years after this aired.
Naturally these three actresses are excellent, all getting chances to shine, with Anderson quite gripping in a role far different than the roles that she's best known for on screen and stage. Her character is a Hispanic version of big mama from "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof", and you won't see a trace of her most famous characters, Mrs. Danvers and Medea, in what she does here. Lindfors makes me wonder what she could have done with those two rolls with her very dark portrayal here. Le Gallienne is a most welcome presence, mainly because there is so little of her on film, and her voice (quite similar to Anderson's) makes her commanding every time she appears.
Hume Cronyn and Kurt Kasznar, along with Rita Gam as Anderson's companion, are also quite memorable, and the tension leading up to the crossing of the bridge greatly increases. This is my favorite of the three versions of this that I have seen, having found the 1944 film version should be very slow and the 2004 version quite over the top. The sets are fantastic and the direction superb, with the emotions of all of these sad characters flying off the screen. It was so great to discover this because I've long to see every piece of Television that Anderson has done, and once again, she reveals how magnetic a performer she was, from early films I've seen her in from the 1930's up until her role as elderly matriarch Minx Lockridridge 25 years after this aired.
