Dysfunctional Family Dynamics, Southern Style: "Toys in the Attic" (1963)

This blog was originally posted as a review on IMDb on March 14, 2001, and is being recycled here  to pad out my blog for December.  


Lillian Hellman's play "Toys in the Attic" was adapted for the screen in 1963. The story is reminiscent of Tennessee Williams, as it concerns a southern family with lots of hidden secrets. Also, like Williams' plays that were adapted to film, the staginess shows as the majority of the film's action takes place in the Berniers family home.


Dean Martin stars as Julian, a man who's made a career out of losing jobs and making quick money. He returns to the family home in New Orleans with his young bride Lily, played by Yvette Mimieux, with a plan to make a quick fortune. Martin was never known for being a heavy duty actor, and he is merely adequate in this role, while Mimieux plays her part as a childlike, naive bride very well; almost too well.  But the real reason to see this is the powerful acting of the two ladies who play Julian's sisters: Oscar winners Wendy Hiller (Anna) and Geraldine Page (Carrie) give very differing yet very interesting performances and are quite great in this picture.


Anna is the more mature, careful sister, while Carrie is emotional and dramatic. Carrie's obsession with her brother is unhealthy, and Anna realizes this, and tries her best to keep the peace in the family.  Anna's years of dealing with the reckless Julian and the histrionic Carrie show in the actress' body language, and she has a "matter-of-fact" quality to her vocal performance that gives some of the dialogue more depth and texture than it probably deserves.


The role of Carrie is one of the very rare lead roles that amazingly talented Geraldine Page had in films, and though she seems to sometimes be playing to the second balcony, or is overacting, it fits the role.  Carrie is a character who acts out and is a big old drama queen.  She goes from acting like a flirty little girl to bitter, volatile harpy, to indignant self righteousness.  It is a rich character to play and Page sinks her teeth into it as if it were a juicy apple.  Honestly, unless Geraldine Page or Wendy Hiller are onscreen, this film bores me.


Fading Hollywood beauty Gene Tierney is impressive in a couple of small scenes as Lily's mysterious mother, as is Larry Gates as the vicious businessman Julian is attempting a deal with.  And despite the fact that Dean Martin got top billing, this is a show for the talents of two gifted actresses, with Geraldine Page and Wendy Hiller making the most of this Southern gothic melodrama.