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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

View All (9) Critics Reviews
Judith Crist New York Magazine/Vulture [A Delicate Balance has] a cast of stars that not even excesses of makeup and hideous costume design can transform into mutually related characters. Jun 29, 2020 Full Review Nora Sayre New York Times 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. Nov 15, 2018 Full Review Steve Grant Time Out The cast on show is unbeatable. They make the whole grinding affair bearable, but you'll still get a stiff neck. Jan 26, 2006 Full Review Dick Lochte Los Angeles Free Press Regardless the combination of Hepburn, Scofield and Reid is enough to delicately balance the scales against the script's failings. Dec 17, 2019 Full Review TV Guide Staff TV Guide 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. Rated: 2/5 Nov 15, 2018 Full Review Tony Mastroianni Cleveland Press Paul Scofield's performance is perfect. He is an actor who understands the nuances of a role, who can be restrained without being dull, emotional without being hammy. Jan 15, 2004 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (15) audience reviews
W. W. W 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! Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/01/24 Full Review Alec B 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. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/09/24 Full Review Audience Member 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. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review steve d Next to nothing works in this mess. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member 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. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/29/23 Full Review Audience Member 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. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Read all reviews
A Delicate Balance

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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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