''Orpheus Descending'' is a 1990 American

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

starring

Vanessa Redgrave Dame Vanessa Redgrave (born 30 January 1937) is an English actress and activist. Throughout her career spanning over seven decades, Redgrave has garnered numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Television Award, two ...

and directed by Peter Hall. It is an adaptation of

Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the thre ...

play of the same name Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * Pla ...

. Hall had directed Redgrave in an acclaimedReview/Theater; Vanessa Redgrave in 'Orpheus': Matching Artistic Sensibilities
New York Times. 25 September 1989

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

production of the play a year earlier.Orpheus Descending
Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved on 5 September 2010 The stage actors such as Redgrave, Kevin Anderson and

Brad Sullivan Bradford Ernest Sullivan (November 18, 1931 – December 31, 2008) was an American character actor on film, stage and television. He was best known for playing the killer Cole in ''The Sting'', hockey goon Mo Wanchuk in '' Slap Shot'', mobster G ...

reprised their roles for the film.

Plot

Lady Torrance (Redgrave) is introduced as a disillusioned character; her Sicilian father was murdered by the

Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to the KKK or the Klan, is an American white supremacist, right-wing terrorist, and hate group whose primary targets are African Americans, Jews, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and ...

and she's been trapped in a miserable marriage for 20 years. Her tyrannical and bigoted husband is struck down by

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

. Then Lady Torrance meets the orpheuse, a young man named Val Xavier (Kevin Anderson), an

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

-inspired drifter. A romantic entanglement ensues as Lady Torrance puts behind the misery of marriage behind her and tries to find passion and happiness with Val.

Cast

as Lady Torrance * Kevin Anderson as Val Xavier *

as Jabe Torrance * Anne Twomey as Carol Cutrere *

Miriam Margolyes Miriam ( he, מִרְיָם ''Mīryām'', lit. 'Rebellion') is described in the Hebrew Bible as the daughter of Amram and Jochebed, and the older sister of Moses and Aaron. She was a prophetess and first appears in the Book of Exodus. The Tora ...

as Vee Talbott *Sloane Shelton as Beulah Binnings *Patti Allison as Dolly Hamma *Manning Redwood as Sheriff Talbott *Pat McNamara as Pee Wee Binnings *Michael McCarty as Dog Hamma *

Marcia Lewis Marcia Lewis (August 18, 1938 – December 21, 2010) was an American character actress and singer. She was nominated twice for the Tony Award as Best Featured Actress in a Musical (''Chicago'' and '' Grease'') and twice for the Drama Desk Award ...

as Nurse Porter

References

External links

* {{Tennessee Williams 1990 television films 1990 films American films based on plays Films directed by Peter Hall Films about Orpheus TNT Network original films Films based on works by Tennessee Williams 1990s English-language films