Tea and Sympathy (1956)

Tea and Sympathy (1956) (DVD) (*)

$26.99

Screened, competed or awarded at:
BAFTA Awards

Language Selections:
English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 )
English ( Mono )
Italian ( Dolby Digital 2.0 )
Italian ( Mono )
Italian ( Subtitles )

Product Origin/Format:
Italy ( PAL/NTSC/Region 0 )

Running Time:
122 min

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen (2.35:1)

Special Features:
Interactive Menu
Photo Gallery
Posters
Scene Access
Trailer(s)

Movie filmed in 1956 and produced in:
United States ( USA, Canada )

Directed By:
Vincente Minnelli

Written By:
Robert Anderson

Actors:
Deborah Kerr ..... Laura Reynolds
John Kerr ..... Tom Robinson Lee
Leif Erickson ..... Bill Reynolds
Edward Andrews ..... Herb Lee
Darryl Hickman ..... Al
Norma Crane ..... Ellie Martin
Dean Jones ..... Ollie, Tennis Partner
Jacqueline deWit ..... Lilly Sears, Laura's friend
Tom Laughlin ..... Ralph, 'Regular Guy'
Ralph Votrian ..... Steve, Ralph's side-kick
Steven Terrell ..... Phil
Kip King ..... Ted
Jimmy Hayes ..... Henry
Richard Tyler ..... Roger
Don Burnett ..... Vic

Synopsis:

1956's Tea and Sympathy is a diluted filmization of Robert Anderson's Broadway play. The original production was considered quite daring in its attitudes towards homosexuality (both actual and alleged) and marital infidelity; the film softpedals these elements, as much by adding to the text as by subtracting from it. John Kerr plays a sensitive college student who prefers the arts to sports; as such, he is ridiculed as a 'sissy' by his classmates and hounded mercilessly by his macho-obsessed father Edward Andrews. Only student Darryl Hickman treats Kerr with any decency, perceiving that being different is not the same as being effeminate. Deborah Kerr, the wife of testosterone-driven housemaster Leif Erickson, likewise does her best to understand rather than condemn John for his 'strangeness.' Desperate to prove his manhood, John is about to visit town trollop Norma Crane. Though nothing really happens, the girl cries 'rape!' Both John's father and Deborah's husband adopt a thick-eared 'Boys will be boys' attitude, which only exacerbates John's insecurities. Feeling pity for John and at the same time resenting her own husband's boorishness, Deborah offers her own body to the mixed-up boy. 'When you speak of this in future years...and you will...be kind.' With this classic closing line, the original stage production of Tea and Sympathy came to an end. Fearing censorship interference, MGM insisted upon a stupid epilogue, indicating that Deborah Kerr deeply regretted her 'wrong' behavior.

Tom Lee is a sensitive boy of 17 whose lack of interest in the 'manly' pursuits of sports, mountain climbing and girls labels him 'sister-boy' at the college he is attending. Head master Bill Reynold's wife Laura sees Tom's suffering at the hands of his school mates (and her husband), and tries to help him find himself.

Concerns a sensitive boy who, because of his dislike of muscular pursuits, is labelled 'sister boy' by his schoolmates, but ultimately finds his manhood through the kindness of his rugged housemaster's sympathetic wife.

This product was added to our catalog on Thursday 13 July, 2023.