The Whales of August

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helder f This movie revolves around two elderly sisters living on an island with their few neighbors. Despite their close bond, they harbor grievances and resentments, particularly since one sister has become bitter. There’s certainly a hint of Baby Jane… but in this movie, the sisters are tasked with mending their relationship. However, the plot is simply too flat, and the movie’s unfolding is equally unengaging. The acting is disjointed and lacks coherence, and the characters don’t blend well together. Ann Sothern and Vincent Prince offer a bit more acting, but not enough to rescue the movie. Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/28/25 Full Review Suz B I am so late to the Lillian Gish party. Yes, I knew she was legendary. Yes, I knew she was huge. But I'd seen few, if any, of her films. Then I saw The Night of the Hunter, which she absolutely, but very quietly, stole. So I watched this. She was in her mid 90s in this movie but was believable as the healthier, happier sister to Bette Davis' shrill, negative blind woman, though Davis was in her 70s when this was shot. This is a quiet movie. It's atmospheric. Davis is hard to take, but she's supposed to be. And Gish is just marvelous - so much to read in her expressions, no grandstanding. This was her last movie, and it's a fine conclusion to an incredible career. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/22/24 Full Review 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 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/10/24 Full Review Matthew R A very touching film. Great cast and performances. Rated 5/5 Stars •  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 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review georgan g A little slow at the beginning, but extremely well acted and very touching. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Whales of August

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