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      The Comedians

      Released Oct 31, 1967 2 hr. 28 min. Drama List
      27% 11 Reviews Tomatometer 47% 500+ Ratings Audience Score An English hotel owner (Richard Burton) woos a diplomat's wife (Elizabeth Taylor) and goads an arms dealer (Alec Guinness) in "Papa Doc" Duvalier's Haiti. Read More Read Less Watch on Fandango at Home Premiered Sep 01 Buy Now

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      Audience Reviews

      View All (27) audience reviews
      Blu B Jesus...this is one of the most boring things I've seen. It's not the most broken, not even close. I get the basic idea of change in Haiti and these characters are caught in the turmoil, but man is it boring and at times borderline incoherent. The closest I can point to is this is like a even more boring less coherent version of Havana (1990). It jumps around constantly with different plot lines and not only does it never make them work together into something even resembling a cohesive story but it drags these scenes out terribly. The acting is so boring to watch and dry. Even Alec Guiness who is the best thing in this starts out good but just gets bogged down in boring plot delivery and bland tone. The end with Burton and him talking for what feels like an eternity is so boring. The setting is memorable but its always shot in boring ways. Taylor & Burtons romance feels unneeded and it feels like there not even playing characters when there on screen. The chicken decapitation was really disturbing an dragged terribly also. Everything about this is terribly boring and lots of times it gets dragged out and you just can't focus and when you do it jumps around so much that you can't follow it and than next thing you know your watching a chicken getting its head cut off and your wondering what is going on before getting bored again. Rinse and repeat. This just needed to focus on Alec Guniess the entire way. Stay away at all costs. One of the most difficult things to get through I've ever seen. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 10/06/23 Full Review steve d Not enjoyable in any way. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Plodding, self-important over-wrought, but cinematography and the Elizabeth Taylor-Richard Burton thing is worth seeing. It was a big thing back then. Graham Greene's theme - old white guy losing his faith and visiting foreign brothels is kind of quaint half a century later. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/17/23 Full Review Audience Member Very strong cast in screen adaptation of the Graham Green novel. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/26/23 Full Review Audience Member Odd but well done film. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/20/23 Full Review Audience Member Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor vehicle based around a Graham Greene novel, which the author adapted himself, though this one is a far cry from "The Third Man" or "The Fallen Idol." The story revolves around Burton romancing a diplomat's wife, Taylor, in a Papa Doc led Haiti that's ruled by terror. It's actually a setting that seems ripe for a Green story of political intrigue and personal character dynamics, but the characters are not compelling and the story has a dull pace, but the film's terrific cast (Alec Guinness, Peter Ustinov, Lillian Gish, Georg Stanford Brown, Roscoe Lee Browne, Gloria Foster, James Earl Jones, Zakes Mokae, Cicely Tyson, Raymond St. Jacques) manage to keep it watchable. There's also a fine score by Laurence Rosenthal that also help with the atmosphere. Overall, the film is worth checking out for fans of Liz and Dick, but don't watch the film if you're looking for a fine Graham Greene tale. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      The Comedians

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      Critics Reviews

      View All (11) Critics Reviews
      TIME Magazine At such moments of transcendent drama -- and there are enough to make it worthwhile -- The Comedians is easily forgiven its other sins. Mar 23, 2011 Full Review Variety Staff Variety A plodding, low-key, and eventually tedious melodrama. Mar 26, 2009 Full Review Geoff Andrew Time Out A sadly inept adaptation of Graham Greene's novel. Jun 24, 2006 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Uninspired political drama. Rated: C+ Mar 25, 2012 Full Review TV Guide At 156 minutes, it seems interminable. Rated: 2.5/4 Mar 23, 2011 Full Review Walter Chaw Film Freak Central Far more interesting to deconstruct than to watch. Rated: 1.5/4 Feb 8, 2007 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis An English hotel owner (Richard Burton) woos a diplomat's wife (Elizabeth Taylor) and goads an arms dealer (Alec Guinness) in "Papa Doc" Duvalier's Haiti.
      Director
      Peter Glenville
      Screenwriter
      Graham Greene
      Distributor
      Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
      Production Co
      Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
      Genre
      Drama
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Oct 31, 1967, Original
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Sep 1, 2008
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