Sweet Bird of Youth
1962 · Movie · NR · 120 min · ★ 6.8 · 64% critics
A drifting young man returns to his Southern hometown with a troubled, fading movie star, hoping her connections will finally open doors for his own big break. But old romances and long-standing grudges quickly resurface, putting him in the crosshairs of a powerful local political family determined to keep the past buried.
Based on Sweet Bird of Youth
Where to watch
Streaming on HBO Max.
2 hours to watch.
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Details
- Years
- 1962
- Release date
- 1962-03-21
- Language
- English
- Rated
- NR
- Runtime
- 120 min
- Critic score
- 64/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.8/10 (137 votes)
- Budget
- $2,000,000
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a sweaty, emotionally charged Southern drama about ambition, aging, and power games, in the vein of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof or Suddenly, Last Summer; Not for you if you dislike talky, bleak melodramas.
Pros: intense performances; sharp, tense dialogue; bold adult themes | Cons: uneven pacing; melodrama can feel heavy; softened ending
Themes
- florida
- gigolo
- based on play or musical
- womanizer
- drifter
- corrupt politician
- movie star
- fading star
Awards & recognition
- Academy Award — Best Supporting Actor · 1963
- Academy Award — Best Actress · 1963 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Supporting Actor · 1963 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Supporting Actress · 1963 · nominated
Cast & crew
Paul Newman
as Chance Wayne
Geraldine Page
as Alexandra Del Lago
Shirley Knight
as Heavenly Finley
Ed Begley
as Tom 'Boss' Finley
Rip Torn
as Tom Finley Jr.
Mildred Dunnock
as Aunt Nonnie
Madeleine Sherwood
as Miss Lucy
Philip Abbott
as George Scudder
Corey Allen
as Scotty
- BC
Barry Cahill
as Bud
Directed by Richard Brooks