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5/10
Some pretty good acting...
planktonrules24 December 2011
This is one of three mini-plays written by Tennessee Williams that were directed by Sidney Lumet for "Kraft Theatre" back in 1958.

Although there are two other actors in the play, this is essentially a one-man short play featuring Thomas Chalmers in an exceptional performance. And, like most of the TV teleplays of the era, it was all done live! Chalmers is an aging salesman--who laments the changes brought with time. As he talks to a younger salesman about it, the young guy says very little--he just lets Chalmers talk. The same happens when an old black porter arrives--Chalmers just talks and talks. It's a great case of very good acting--though there isn't an especially deep story here--just a nice little vignette.

By the way, there is some bad music throughout this piece. There's an odd strumming sound throughout--like cat walking across a banjo. I couldn't see much point to it.
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5/10
A bit of a surprise...and not a good one at that.
planktonrules24 December 2011
This is one of three mini-plays written by Tennessee Williams that were directed by Sidney Lumet for "Kraft Theatre" back in 1958.

Zena Bethune and Martin Huston, two relatively unknown actors today, are the only two in this mini-play. Zena has very messy hair and these two young people talk and talk and talk on the set that looks like a gully by a railroad track. Frankly, I had a hard time following much of it--and it seemed like a lot of prattling--uninteresting prattling. At times, Zena talks VERY fast and jumps about a bit--and it all comes off very badly. Had I not know that this was written by Williams and directed by Lumet, I would have soon forgotten it or even turned it off--it was that uninteresting. Worth skipping unless you are a die-hard Williams fan and I could see why this one wasn't expanded further.
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5/10
Sort of like the Bickersons...but not all that satisfying.
planktonrules24 December 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Tennessee Williams did NOT write fun plays, that's for sure. Here in "Mooney's Kid Don't Cry", however, you have the usual unhappy view of life but none of the usual wonderful twists or insights into the darker or better parts of human nature. It's like PART of a play but needs a lot more time to develop--sort of like a germ of an idea for a play.

Ben Gazzara and Lee Grant are the only actors in this play. The couple live in a run-down apartment--much like the Kramden's on "The Honeymooners". But, Gazzara is more of a loser and he and Grant begin arguing. Eventually, he threatens to leave...but doesn't....the end. There really isn't much more to it and these usually excellent actors seem off their game. Gazzara (a brilliant actor) is especially bad here--and seems to overact a bit. Just not all that interesting by any standard but not terrible.
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