Newman stars as aspiring actor Chance Wayne, who takes a break from his pursuit of fame to return to his hometown in the company of Alexandra del Lago (Geraldine Page), an older, once successful actress whose star is now on the wane. Wayne had initially left to seek his fortune at the encouragement of ‘Boss‘ Finley (Ed Begley), whose motivation lay not in his belief in the boy’s talents, but in his desire to separate him from his daughter, Heavenly (Shirley Knight). It is she for whom Wayne has really returned, regardless of the risk and cost. This adaptation of Tennessee Williams’s play suffered a similar fate to earlier adaptations of his work in having elements of its plot sanitised.

Screening as part of the Paul Newman: American Icon season.