Edward Albee's notorious play asks the audience to believe that a married couple might keep their life bearable by sustaining a fantasy that they have raised a son over the years; and have agreed never to talk about him to anyone else. Until this one night when Martha mentions their boy to a younger couple
. . . Albee counts on the fact that the audience will be so involved with the wit and energy of his dialog and the alcohol-fueled insults and savage humor that they won't have the time to stop and think too much about the peculiarity of George and Martha's shared neurosis. The movie audience, too, is asked to relate to the gradual realization of the two guests as to the older couple's delusion. This movie, a faithful adaptation of the shocking play, is an equally demanding film ; as such, it can only be appreciated by viewers willing to (god forbid) have an open mind and think a bit.
This, along with the films of "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "Long Day's Journey Into Night," are the three best screen adaptations of our best American plays. It should be seen by anyone "into" the current theatre scene.
