Very best movie i ever watch

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

NIGHT OF THE IGUANA is the last play of Tennesse Williams. Three years after its Broadway success John Huston reworked it into one of Hollywood's most honored albeit in black and white films. The leads are played with style and depth by Richard Burton and Deborah Kerr. The role of the proprietress of the Mexican bed and breakfast, a supporting role in the play is expanded through considerable non talking filming of a brilliant Ava Gardner into the third lead. the private struggles we all go through when life deals us lemons are focused here into a single night in which Richard Burton and Deborah Kerr must through long monologues arrive at how to live through them and even find peace. The filming changes somewhat the storyline through long, brilliant shots where Williams does not have dialogue but it is certainly one of Hollywood's most memorable character study dramas.

There is something really enigmatic and magical about American film "The night of the Iguana" as it captures the raw beauty of Mexico as a preferred destination for pleasure seeking American tourists.It is one of those acclaimed films directed by renowned American director John Huston which succeeds at almost all levels.It is quite a pleasure to watch such a mature,serious film full of intellect and wit based on a humanist play by acclaimed American playwright Tennessee Williams.This film has its own balanced share of comedy and drama as everything in it is a remarkable ode to human judgment."The night of the Iguana" is able to strike a chord in viewers' minds as it has been transformed into a great character study thanks to amazing acting performances by famous actors Richard Burton,Ava Gardner and Deborah Kerr.How can a moody man retain his sanity in an environment full of doubts and passion seems to be this film's core issue.It is an extremely complex issue for both men and women who have to deal with it using their limited resources.Both men and animals need to be freed from shackles to act and think freely appears to be this film's humane message.

Richard Burton plays Rev. Dr. T. Lawrence Shannon, an Episcopal Priest who had a bit of a problem controlling his carnal desires to the point of his being tossed out of the church. Shannon winds up leading tours for vacationers in Mexico where we find him driving a bus load of older tourists from a Christian College. These tourists drive Shannon to such a breaking point that he takes his tour bus off the scheduled route to an out-of-the-way resort run by Maxine, an old friend (Ava Gardner). Among the older tourists is, puzzlingly, the nubile Charlotte Goodall (Sue Lyon). From what we know of Shannon's past as a priest it is inevitable that he would not be unaware of Charlotte's allure, especially since she eggs him on. Just coming off of "Lolita," Lyon risked type casting herself as a temptress of older men. Ultimately Debra Kerr is thrown into this as a sort of mediator.Burton, Gardner, Kerr under the direction of John Huston in a movie based on a Tennessee Williams play, what could go wrong? A lot as far as I am concerned. Richard Burton is perhaps my favorite actor and I never thought I would find so little to like about one of his performances as I did here. He never seemed to be engaged; I got the feeling that he was saying to himself, "Let's get this over with, I am not going to invest my awesome talents into this thing." Ava Gardner tries to infuse some life into the saucy Maxine, but tries too hard I think. I was always conscious that I was watching Gardner and not Maxine. In the end I was not emotionally engaged by either of the characters portrayed by Burton and Gardner.There are some good lines, like "You have to accept life before you can live it." But such philosophical gems seemed to be dropped in at random. The movie has its moments. The symbolic release of the leashed iguana was a nice touch, but, given that that was a pivotal theme, why did we not see the pet iguana until the freeing scene? Turning the original stage play into a piece of cinema seemed to be too much of a challenge even for John Huston, leaving more talk than cinema.The black and white filming is nicely done.

if for some reason you come across someone who just doesn't understand why Richard Burton or Tennessee Williams are two of the most important persons in American film or theatrical history, a viewing of "Night of the Iguana" should answer their questions.While "Igunaga" is the last of Tennessee's big plays (it debuted on Broadway on my birthday and perhaps that is why I have something of a cosmic obsession with this work), it is not a minor or faltering work in any manner of speaking. Tennessee's unspoken past psychological beatings of central characters and the hopeless devotion of at least one character to a loved one are both here ... these two ingredients almost always fuel a Tennessee play as they play against each other like a hot and cold weather front, approaching and retracting throughout until they collide and the tornado is born. Other ingredients common for this final maelstrom is the over-righteous and hateful 'Christian' who is so repressed they can only convey their thoughts through the meanest spirit they can muster. Also a young and overly-sexed vixen who is hellbent on ruining a man hanging by a thread rounds out the madness that swirls and swoops to the degree that each play deserved several readings or viewings before you can start lacing together all the symbolism and innuendo to complete the tapestry Tennessee is weaving.I would think only Eugene O'Neil can stand alongside Tennessee in the greatest of the American playwrights though I cannot call myself an expert on such things. I only know when I discovered Tennessee Williams' work in the sixth grade and started to devour everything written by him, I never understood many of the intricacies of his stories until I was much older. But the movement and lyrical dialog and the mysteries laying just beneath the surface fascinated me to no end. They were publishing series of Tennessee's play at this time in books entitled, "Three by Tennessee" or "Two by Tennessee" which were a great bargain and a great way to collect his plays. Also I found that the late movie on various channels always seemed to rely on the film versions of Tennessee's works and though it was disappointing not to be able to follow along with my copy of his original work, many of them are film classics that introduced me to even more of the finest American culture has produced.Of course, one of these late night movies was "Night of the Iguana". Not only did I love the rhythm of the title, I seemed to know many of the characters, mostly from the church I was raised in if truth be told. Many were like the chaperone, completely shut off from any sensual part of their person and wanting nothing more out of life than to ensure others are equally bottled up (this was apparently what Christianity meant to them). Even a struggling minister hanging onto the water-logged life preserver tossed to him made his way through my early years as he stumbled through a final assignment and a final chance at redemption, not from Christ but from his employer, and who was shipped off in a short time to wherever wayward and lost souls once entrusted with the shepherding of a flock of souls are relegated to.Burton I had discovered in 'Beckett', a stunning movie and one of his best roles (not to mention one of Peter O'Toole's as well) and once you are hooked on hearing Burton run through the English language with his exquisitely clipped and precise diction, a young boy with a speech impediment can do nothing else but hold him up as an idol though it is known in his heart he will never reach such heights of speech.For these personal reasons the combination of Burton and Tennessee work better than even Brando and Tennessee imho. Burton seems to completely understand the fraying rope Shannon is hanging onto just as Tennessee knows how to work the madness in and out with scenes of lucidity that make one think and hope that perhaps Shannon will grab hold of a more solid reign ... but for anyone who knows Tennessee, he doesn't deal in fiction to that degree but in what is real life and failure is far more a reality than success.So get a nice strong Rum Coco and sit back and enjoy what is truly a marvelous film. Have your friend nearby so you can see the realization dawn as to why these two men are so vital to 20th century art.