Toys in the Attic (1963)

Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .

Good movie but grossly overrated

Good concept, poorly executed.

Absolutely Fantastic

What starts off like a lamb and explodes into the tenseness of a T-Rex is a Southern family drama by the author of "The Little Foxes", Miss Lillian Hellman, who writes of a neurotic family torn apart by emotions that one wants to make them a little too close for comfort, one has abandoned for the desires of the world, and the other sits sadly by watching it all fall apart. Like other plays by Tennessee Williams, William Inge, August Wilson and Horton Foote, the lives of these families are baked in secrets, emotional torture, and the darkness of the soul which can only lead to ultimate destruction through death, abandonment or the most horrific of punishments, the truth.The story focuses on three siblings-the cheery Geraldine Page who is on the surface sweet but hiding an emotional secret destined to destroy her, the quiet Wendy Hiller who can only shake her head as everything around her drowns, and the gregarious drifter Dean Martin who left home to seek his fortune, and now returns with wife Yvette Mimieux whose mother he apparently took money from to marry her and get Mimieux from under mama's hair. Mama (Gene Tierney) seemingly has her eye on Dean, even though she's got a light skinned black man whom she keeps company with. Yvette is upset when she spots Dean with the abused wife Nan Martin whose husband (Larry Gates) verbally assaults her as if she was the most vile substance under his shoe. "If one of my clients drinks to the point of throwing up on the dining room table, you will sit there and smile", he tells her, and this leads to an even more horrific moment that utilizes an extremely violent visual to bring everything out to a gruesome psychological climax.These are not happy people, and the seemingly happy relationship between the three siblings is a total lie. Geraldine Page by this time had established herself with two Tennessee Williams stories ("Summer and Smoke" and "Sweet Bird of Youth") as the portrayer of seemingly happy but ultimately miserable heroines, and like the mother in "The Glas Menagerie", she is living in a past which probably never existed for her. Hiller's performance is mostly through her eyes, saying a lot with very little, and she is outstanding. Slightly miscast, Dean Martin is very jarring as their brother, but Mimieux is appropriately fragile as the young wife who doesn't want to see the world fall apart around her but realizes that it is pretty much inevitable.There's a nice supporting performance by Gene Tierney in the rather small role of Mimieux's mother, still as glamorous as she was in 1944's "Laura" and quite handsome even with just a wisp of gray hair. Poor Nan Martin's character is just on the cusp of being revealed. Dean indicates that there's more to the eye for her than what his wife sees, so it is never really made clear if he is just helping her try to get away from the hateful Gates (in a role far away from his Emmy winning role as kindly patriarch H.B. on "Guiding Light"), and that she is actually truly on the side of the marriage. Where the blame lies for all this drama is never really made clear, but so is the blame in life. Psychological torture knows no villains, even if Gates is obviously cruel and spiteful, and the real villain is a surprise to be held in a climax that is riveting and makes you drop your mouth in shock.I would love to see what this had to explore as a play as the film is only 90 minutes, and the play was obviously a bit longer. The black and white photography is excellent, as is the set of the house where the two sisters live. Amazing opening credits with a sort of 3-D look get your attention from the start. This is a thinking man's drama, certainly not perfect, but then, the best things in life never really are.

Lillian Hellman may be the most overrated playwright of her era. For every interesting or provocative thought, there's a ton of symbolic cabbage and sticky milieu to wade through. This too-handsome filming of her play stars Geraldine Page and Wendy Hiller as unmarried sisters living in New Orleans welcoming home their ne'er-do-well brother, who arrives bearing gifts and ill-gotten cash. It's an overheated piece of would be-Gothic melodrama, given a luxurious sheen and a swooning, romantic score (both incongruous to the material at hand). Well-cast Hiller and Page are excellent, trading niceties which quickly turn to hurtful revelations and stinging truths, but Dean Martin seems out of place as their beloved sibling. Working very hard in a part which might have been perfect for George Hamilton, Martin brings with him too much charismatic star-baggage to the already-phony surroundings. George Roy Hill directs poorly, indifferently, and the opening scenes are so confusing that patience and interest are both enormously tried even before Hill gets to the second act. ** from ****

George Roy Hill, Lillian Hellman, Geraldine Page, Wendy Hiller, Dean Martin, Yvette Mimieux, Bill Thomas (costumes) and lastly but always outstanding Gene Tierney. What a great grouping of actors, writers, director and costumes as well all else fits together in this film. Over 40 years have passed as has most of the cast, but this film still holds together very well. Geraldine Page is always good and captures the somewhat crazed Carrie charactor beautifully. Dean Martin has always been over looked as an actor and really proves his worth in this role. George Roy Hill keeps things moving and all and everyone else keep plenty of grease and batter on this fine batch of southern fried chicken. Treat yourself to a really fine movie, it is worth it all just for a look at the talented Madame Tierney.

Lillian Hellman's play "Toys in the Attic" was adapted for the screen in 1963. The story is reminiscent of Williams, as it concerns a southern family with lots of hidden secrets. Dean Martin stars as Julian, a man who's made a career out of losing jobs and money. He returns to the family home in New Orleans with his young bride (Yvette Mimieux) with a plan to make a quick fortune. Martin is ok in this role, and Mimieux plays her part as the naive bride very well. But the reason to see this is the powerful acting of the two ladies who play Julian's sisters. Oscar winners Wendy Hiller (Anna) and Geraldine Page (Carrie) are amazing in this picture. Anna is the more mature, careful sister, while Carrie is emotional and dramatic. Carrie's obsession with Julian is unhealthy, and Anna realizes this. And there is also some conflict with Julian's mother-in-law, and the people he's scheming to make money with. Honestly, unless Ms Hiller or Ms Page is onscreen, then this film bores me. As Carrie, Geraldine Page gave another of her incredible screen performances. From "little girl flirty" to "self righteously indignant", Ms Page doesn't strike a false note once in this picture. Carrie's obsession with her brother causes trouble for everyone else, and in some ways resembles the character Alma that Page played in "Summer and Smoke". As Anna, Wendy Hiller perfectly plays the older sister who's spent years worrying and caring for her siblings, yet all the time knowing what the deep secret is in her family's attic. Gene Tierney is impressive in a small role as Dean Martin's mother-in-law, as is Larry Gates as the vengeful businessman Martin deals with. But despite Dean Martin's top billing, this is a show for the talents of two gifted actresses, with Geraldine Page and Wendy Hiller making the most of this Southern gothic melodrama.