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A Delicate Balance

Play trailer Poster for A Delicate Balance PG 1973 2h 12m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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67% Tomatometer 9 Reviews 62% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
In their nice Connecticut home, Agnes (Katharine Hepburn) and Tobias (Paul Scofield) have grown used to the imperfection and fragility of their marriage. Quietly nursing their grief over the death of their son, they get by well enough together. Agnes' boozy sister wanders in and out, and they allow anxiety-stricken friends to move into an upstairs room. But, when their daughter, Julia (Lee Remick), shows up announcing her fourth divorce, long-repressed emotions come to the surface.

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A Delicate Balance

Critics Reviews

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Judith Crist New York Magazine/Vulture 06/29/2020
[A Delicate Balance has] a cast of stars that not even excesses of makeup and hideous costume design can transform into mutually related characters. Go to Full Review Nora Sayre New York Times 11/15/2018
If only the cast of magnificent actors appearing in Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance could be transported to another film before our eyes, we might see something marvelous -- instead of suffering a sense of waste. Go to Full Review Steve Grant Time Out 01/26/2006
The cast on show is unbeatable. They make the whole grinding affair bearable, but you'll still get a stiff neck. Go to Full Review Dick Lochte Los Angeles Free Press 12/17/2019
Regardless the combination of Hepburn, Scofield and Reid is enough to delicately balance the scales against the script's failings. Go to Full Review TV Guide Staff TV Guide 11/15/2018
2/5
This second in a series of Ely Landau-filmed stage plays for a subscription sales system is an unfortunately stiff, dull, and extremely stagy screen adaptation of Edward Albee's Pulitzer Prize-winning play. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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W. W. W 09/01/2024 A great cast and good performance, but this should be a play rather than a movie. The story is dull and boring or anything in it. It's about booze and shameless overbearing friends, nothing intellectual about it. Absolutely no fun in it! See more Alec B 01/09/2024 I understand why people feel like this is a little too stage bound in execution as Tony Richardson's direction is more subtle than usual but I think that's missing the point. In order for the more absurd elements to work everything needs to appear more mundane. The whole cast is doing exactly what Albee's difficult play requires. See more 10/24/2020 I understand why people feel like this is a little too stage bound in execution as Tony Richardson's direction is more subtle than usual but I think that's missing the point. In order for the more absurd elements to work everything needs to appear more mundane. The whole cast is doing exactly what Albee's difficult play requires. See more steve d 07/16/2020 Next to nothing works in this mess. See more 02/20/2016 a very bad imitation of eugene o'neil, it inflicts equally empty hauteur and melodrama the author has heaped upon us in lieu of actual tragedy. See more 05/30/2015 Tony Richardson's film of Edward Albee's play is quite powerful thanks to what I've always thought is Katherine Hepburn's finest cinematic performance. While steeped in her mannerisms, it still feels real, angry and so very sad. See more Read all reviews
A Delicate Balance

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Cast & Crew

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Tony Richardson

Director

Katharine Hepburn

Agnes

Paul Scofield

Tobias

Lee Remick

Julia

Kate Reid

Claire

Joseph Cotten

Harry
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A Delicate Balance

A Delicate Balance (1973) A Delicate Balance (1973) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis In their nice Connecticut home, Agnes (Katharine Hepburn) and Tobias (Paul Scofield) have grown used to the imperfection and fragility of their marriage. Quietly nursing their grief over the death of their son, they get by well enough together. Agnes' boozy sister wanders in and out, and they allow anxiety-stricken friends to move into an upstairs room. But, when their daughter, Julia (Lee Remick), shows up announcing her fourth divorce, long-repressed emotions come to the surface.
Director
Tony Richardson
Producer
Ely Landau
Screenwriter
Edward Albee
Production Co
Cinévision Ltée
Rating
PG
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (DVD)
Jun 11, 2007
Runtime
2h 12m
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