The Whales of August

Released Oct 16, 1987

1h 30m

Drama

List

64%

Tomatometer

11 Reviews

67%

Audience Score

1,000+ Ratings

Two elderly sisters, Libby Strong (Bette Davis) and Sarah Webber (Lillian Gish), travel to their summer house in Maine. The pair couldn't be less similar: Libby is blind, cynical and mean-spirited; Sarah is sunny, optimistic and healthy. Yet their shared memories and hardships -- especially the deaths of their husbands -- help bind the two together. Still, the entrance of a local fisherman (Vincent Price) into Sarah's life threatens to reopen old wounds.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Here is a quiet film of a conventional story, a star vehicle designed to show everyone to advantage.

Rated: 3/4

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

Gish rules the day as the more empathetic sister, but Anderson brings them to a masterful finale.

Rated: 3.5/5

Aug 26, 2020

Full Review

Mattie Lucas

From the Front Row

A quiet, unassuming masterpiece that deserves to be cherished,

Rated: 4/4

Jun 4, 2019

Full Review

Hilary Mantel

The Spectator

This is not acting, but simply ex- isting in front of a camera.

Sep 5, 2018

Full Review

Robert Roten

Laramie Movie Scope

This is not my cup of tea, but it is a fascinating last picture show for a likeable legendary acting troupe.

Rated: C

Oct 30, 2008

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 3/5

Jul 17, 2005

Full Review

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Alec B

Yeah its great to see the cast of legends they assembled for this movie but those actors should have been given a better screenplay.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/10/24

Full Review

Matthew R

A very touching film. Great cast and performances.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/14/23

Full Review

dave s

Known for his social critiques via cutting satire (O Lucky Man!, If…, Britannia Hospital), The Whales of August is a departure for esteemed British director Lindsay Anderson. Set in a summer home on the coast of Maine, two sisters (Bette Davis, Lillian Gish), wildly different in personality, come to terms with the fact that their lives will soon be over. Also featuring Vincent Price and Ann Sothern, it is interesting to watch from the perspective of seeing four actors in the twilight years of their impressive careers but, sadly, it really isn't all that good of a movie. While it looks nice thanks to Anderson's disciplined direction and some fine cinematography, the script is sure to induce some serious wincing and the performances are less than stellar. It's worth watching as a curiosity item, but doesn't offer much more than that.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

reginaldo h

É uma tocante reflexão sobre o tempo. A comovente atuação de titãs da velha Hollywood é certamente o principal atrativo desse filme singelo e cativante. O canto de cisne da lenda Bette Davis 👑🎬✨

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

georgan g

A little slow at the beginning, but extremely well acted and very touching.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Yeah its great to see the cast of legends they assembled for this movie but those actors should have been given a better screenplay.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

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Lindsay Anderson

Director

Bette Davis

Libby Strong

Lillian Gish

Sarah Webber

Vincent Price

Mr. Maranov

Ann Sothern

Tisha Doughty

Harry Carey Jr.

Joshua Brackett

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Synopsis

Two elderly sisters, Libby Strong (Bette Davis) and Sarah Webber (Lillian Gish), travel to their summer house in Maine. The pair couldn't be less similar: Libby is blind, cynical and mean-spirited; Sarah is sunny, optimistic and healthy. Yet their shared memories and hardships -- especially the deaths of their husbands -- help bind the two together. Still, the entrance of a local fisherman (Vincent Price) into Sarah's life threatens to reopen old wounds.

Director: Lindsay Anderson
Producer: Mike Kaplan, Carolyn Pfeiffer
Screenwriter: David Berry
Distributor: Alive Films
Production Co: Nelson Entertainment
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 16, 1987, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 19, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $127.3K
Runtime: 1h 30m

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