Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
Directed by Mike Nichols

Perhaps the most unpleasant way to coordinate a foursome, Mike Nichols’ adaptation of Edward Albee’s stageplay isn’t a favorite of mine but it’s one of those films worth considering if only to observe the verbal acrobatics between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. The two eviscerate each other with each stinging remark, in what’s an example of when two toxic people get together and more importantly, stay together. Hate bleeds out of these characters and the steady progression of years of disappointment and hostility makes tumult a day-in-day-out affair. The awkwardness of having a mostly sober young couple in George Segal and Sandy Dennis interact with the inebriated older couple threatens to upend some of the genuine insights of Albee’s words, but as the liquor pours the more convinced I became of the woeful despair found in all four of these characters. It’s kind of like looking at the portrait of Dorian Gray, the alcohol blemishing the oils of an image, distorting your perception to the point that you realize whatever happy reality you’ve learned to compose for yourself can and will be rocked when confronted with real loss. Whether it’s missed opportunities, a lost child, or a lack of love, this is a film that acknowledges that not all of us learn how to live with regret.