Tea and Sympathy (film)

Tea and Sympathy (1956) is an adaptation of Robert Anderson's 1953 stage play directed by Vincente Minnelli and produced by Pandro S. Berman for MGM. The music score was by Adolph Deutsch and the cinematography by John Alton. Deborah Kerr, Leif Erickson, and John Kerr re-created their original stage roles. Also in the cast were Edward Andrews, Darryl Hickman, Norma Crane, Tom Laughlin, and Dean Jones. It was released on DVD as part of the Warner Archive Collection on January 18, 2011.

Plot

Tom Robinson Lee, a 17-year old student at a boy's prep school, is at odds with the other boys who like sports, talking about girls, and listening to pop music. Tom prefers classical music, reads books, can sew, goes to the theater, and generally seems to be more at ease in the company of women.

The other boys torment him for his "unmanly" qualities and call him "sister boy", and he is treated ruthlessly by his father, Herb Lee, who believes a man should be manly. Only Al, also a student at the prep school, treats Tom with any decency, perceiving that being different is not the same as being emasculate. This turbulence is noticed by Laura Reynolds, the young wife of the House Master Bill Reynolds. She tries to build a connection with the young man, eventually even falling in love with him, presumably because of his similarity to her first husband John, who was killed in World War II.

The situation escalates when Tom visits the local prostitute to dispel the rumors about his sexuality, but is unable to have intercourse with her. This failure prompts him to attempt suicide and leads to his departure from the school. In an effort to demonstrate to Tom that masculinity is not contingent upon machismo, Laura comforts Tom by drawing him into a sexual liaison. The audience learns that she eventually leaves Bill as a result of what the encounter reveals to her about her own emotional and sexual needs. The film is noted for its memorable line, spoken by Laura: "Years from now when you talk about this, and you will, be kind."

The film opens and closes ten years into the future, when the adult Tom, who is now a successful writer and married, visits his college at a reunion.

External links

• Tea and Sympathy at the Internet Broadway Database
• Tea and Sympathy at the Internet Movie Database