The Stripper (1963)

Excellent but underrated film

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Joanne Woodward is excellent in the role of down-on-her-luck performer Lila Green; her acting is natural and believable, even when her whimsical naive dreams briefly draw her away from the hard reality of her existence. It is easy to imagine her role being played by Marilyn Monroe, the actress for which this film was originally intended. Lila's circumstances seemed in tune with Monroe's real-life situation just prior to her death.The supporting cast holds up well, especially Robert Webber as Woodward's sleazy 'manager', and Claire Treavor, who appears as though she hasn't aged a day since 'Key Largo' (1948). Although Richard Beymer is fine as Kenny, it would have been interesting to see what Pat Boone would have done with the role had he not turned it down; with his wholesome innocent quality, he might have made a more compellingly believable Kenny. All in all, a fine film for its time.

William Inge play "A Loss of Roses", originally written with Marilyn Monroe in mind, becomes showy dramatic vehicle for Joanne Woodward playing Lila Green, low-rent actress passing through her hometown in Kansas, ditched by her manager and boarding with an old girlfriend and her teenage son. The screenplay is entirely too straightforward, too rounded off; it should be more mercurial, mysterious, but instead it's routine soapy business. The character of Lila is an unconvincing creation: full of stories of users and hangers-on, she's a dreamer at the dead-end, hopeful but pathetic. Lila has been divorced, yet she's a little naive around men--it's never established how much of a tramp she is or where her reputation stands (as shown, she's more smoke than fire, more sad than sex-driven). It's to Woodward's credit the film is still quite interesting, yet the actress is too innately refined to be convincing as a kittenish tart. She is entirely serviceable, yet one can only watch and think what a more appropriate actress might have done with this material, weak as it is. This is one cleaned-up "Stripper" (awful title!), a film which never sinks to the sordid levels depicted, but remains a tidy middle-of-the-road tale. **1/2 from ****

The play that Warren Beatty (and Michael J. Pollard from B & C) did on stage was turned into a "semi-exploitation" flick with the title change from A LOSS OF ROSES to THE STRIPPER. Joanne Woodward is phenomenal as always, creating a "Marilyn" type character that is fragile, almost used-up and not even 35 yet. Richard Beymer (so great on TWIN PEAKS on TV) is the young lad, Claire Trevor is his mom and there's a sanctimonious air to the atmosphere (including the sleazy Robert Webber as a sleaze (who was an under-rated)) and M. J. as Beymer's buddy.A well-intentioned script in '63 that was too "HUD"-like (starring Ms. Woodward's cool husband, Paul Newman), but it just wasn't gritty enough or well-directed enough to spark SPARKS. Very good acting, great locales and cinematography. Worth your time!

What a good movie!!! Made to perfection. That Joanne Woodward never fails to amaze me! She is quite simply the greatest actress ever to set foot on stage or grace the screen. and I mean that. She is mind-blowing in every movie she does, this one is no exception. Her portayed of Lila Green is nothing short of genius. The rest of the cast is great too...though, like someone before me said, none of them are likable characters except Lila. Well, except for little Sandra. She's likeable.I recommend this movie to anyone! If for nothing else, see this movie for a stunning performance by Joanne Woodward.