The Killing of Sister George (1968)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Robert Aldrich

Writers:

Lukas Heller (writer)
Frank Marcus (play)

Release Date:

12 December 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The story of three consenting adults in the privacy of their own home.

Plot:

George lives with her lover, Childie and plays a cheerful district nurse in a BBC soap opera. However...

Plot Keywords:

Actress | Lesbian | Female Nudity | Lesbianism | Lesbian Scene

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

US Showtimes:

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Cast

Beryl Reid	...	June 'George' Buckridge
Susannah York	...	Alice 'Childie' McNaught
Coral Browne	...	Mercy Croft
Ronald Fraser	...	Leo Lockhart
Patricia Medina	...	Betty Thaxter
Hugh Paddick	...	Freddie
Cyril Delevanti	...	Ted Baker
Sivi Aberg	...	Diana
William Beckley	...	Floor Manager
Elaine Church	...	Marelen
Brendan Dillon	...	Bert Turner
Mike Freeman	...	Noel
Maggie Paige	...	Maid
Jack Raine	...	Deputy Commissioner
Dolly Taylor	...	Tea Lady
Meier Tzelniker	...	Mr. Katz
Cicely Walper	...	Mrs. Coote
Byron Webster	...	Jack Adams
Rosalie Williams	...	Mildred
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joe Gray	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Nigel Kingsley	...	Extra (uncredited)
Sam Kydd	...	Taxi driver (uncredited)
Derek Partridge	...	Personal manager (uncredited)
Velvet Rhodes	...	Lesbian (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Aldrich

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Lukas Heller		writer
Frank Marcus		play "The Killing of Sister George"

Produced by
Robert Aldrich	....	producer
Walter Blake	....	associate producer
Edgar J. Scherick	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Gerald Fried

Cinematography by
Joseph F. Biroc

Film Editing by
Michael Luciano

Casting by
Lynn Stalmaster

Art Direction by
William Glasgow

Set Decoration by
John Brown

Costume Design by
Renié

Makeup Department
Jean Austin	....	hair stylist
William Turner	....	makeup artist (as Bill Turner)

Production Management
David Bennett	....	production manager
Eddie Saeta	....	unit manager
George Tobin	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Daisy Gerber	....	assistant director
Dennis Robertson	....	first assistant director: London

Art Department
Jack Holden	....	assistant art director
Ygnacio Sepulveda	....	property master

Sound Department
Richard S. Church	....	sound mixer (as Dick Church)
Robin Gregory	....	sound mixer: London

Camera and Electrical Department
Bernie Abramson	....	still photographer
Wally Fairweather	....	camera operator: London
Laurie Shane	....	gaffer
Herbert Smith	....	camera operator: London (as Herbie Smith)
Brian West	....	lighting camera operator: London
Keith Blake	....	clapper loader (uncredited)
Gary Boren	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
William N. Clark	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Ned Davenport	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Ned Davenport	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Bill Hannah	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Joe Jackman	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marie Osborne	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Frank J. Urioste	....	assistant film editor (uncredited)

Other crew
Adell Aldrich	....	script supervisor (as Adele Bravos)
William Aldrich	....	assistant to producer
Robert Sherman	....	dialogue supervisor

Production Companies

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC)
• Associates & Aldrich Company, The
• Palomar Pictures

Distributors

• Cinerama Releasing Corporation (1968) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cinerama Releasing UK (1968) (UK) (theatrical)
• Video Gems (1986) (UK) (VHS)
• Braveworld (1992) (UK) (VHS)
• Total Home Entertainment (1996) (UK) (VHS)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Pearson Television International (2001) (UK) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (VHS)
• 20th Century Fox (1971) (France) (theatrical)
• Cinerama Filmgesellschaft MBH (1969) (West Germany) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• Lee Lighting  lighting

Runtime:

138 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:14A (Manitoba) (2005) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Iceland:12 | Australia:R | West Germany:18 (f) | Singapore:R21 (cut) | Norway:16 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:11 | UK:X | USA:R (re-rating) (1972) | USA:X (original rating)

Filming Locations:

BBC Television Centre, Wood Lane, Shepherd's Bush, London, England, UK

Company:

American Broadcasting Company (ABC)

Trivia:

Locations were filmed in London but the interiors were filmed in Los Angeles.

Quotes:

Alice: I use half a level teaspoon of bicarbonated soda.
Mercy Croft: Now you're giving away trade secrets.
Alice: And one level teaspoon of cream of tartar.
George: Shut up.
Alice: And one egg.
George: Shut up!
Alice: Some people prefer two eggs but I think one's enough.
George: SHUT UP!
Mercy Croft: Now then girls! Girls...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In: (#2.25)" (1969)

A beautiful movie in every way

I don't give many movies 10/10, but this black comedy-drama gets my vote, for fine acting, production values, and of course its place in movie history in the frank portrayal of lesbian relationships.

Others have & will comment on the latter, so I'll point out some of the other aspects of this fine film. The combination of comedy with personal tragedy poses difficult problems both for the writer & director; here they both succeed brilliantly.

The three principals' performances are riveting. I particularly liked the ambiguity of Coral Brown's portrayal of Mercy Croft; watch her carefully in the tight closeups in the gay club, and notice how the down-turned mouth at times hides a hint of a self-satisfied smile.

The cinematography deserves special mention. The use of colour is beautiful; I was reminded of "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg", but it never steps over the line into unreality. On the contrary, the alleys of London, the TV studio and above all the stairs and corridor of the flat are supremely realistic. Most unusual is the use of chiaroscuro, the interplay of light-and-shadow, seldom seen outside of black & white films. In so many colour films the light appears to come from some amorphous omnidirectional source out of science fiction; great for lighting everything and everybody evenly, but unrealistic and DULL. Look at the shadows as Beryl Reid ('George') enters the apartment building and climbs the stairs, or in some of the bedroom scenes. Apart from its other many virtues, this movie held my attention as a fine piece of film-making.

All in all, a masterpiece; my one regret is that it was shown on TV in pan-and-scan. It IS now available in DVD - in several formats & regions - so I look forward to watching it again in its original form.