I gave it a 7.5 out of 10

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

The movie is made so realistic it has a lot of that WoW feeling at the right moments and never tooo over the top. the suspense is done so well and the emotion is felt. Very well put together with the music and all.

"Night of the Iguana" is based on the play by Tennessee Williams, so you know it's going to include darkness and push boundaries, and it does. Richard Burton plays a clergyman with a predilection for young women, and thus finds himself kicked out of his church and employed as a tour guide in Mexico. On a tour to Puerto Vallarta, it seems he has sex with an underage girl (Sue Lyon), and afterwards can't get rid of her. She continues to pursue him, much to the chagrin of her aunt and leader of the group (Grayson Hall). Burton finds himself in hot water again, and out of desperation takes control of the bus and the group to a different hotel, one now owned by the playful and bawdy widow of an old friend (Ava Gardner). There they meet an altruistic and spiritual painter (Deborah Kerr) and her elderly grandfather, a poet.Richard Burton's performance was a little hit-and-miss for me, at times being a bit hammy, but at other times really delivering. In any event he is certainly upstaged by Ava Gardner, who turns in a fantastic performance. She is smooth, natural, and authentic in this role. Sue Lyon is a little too wide-eyed and Deborah Kerr is a little too-pious for my taste, though those are the characters. And I have to say, the scene where Lyon cuts loose and dances around a beach bar is mesmerizing, and Kerr (the "spinster who is pushing forty") is compelling when she recounts her limited experiences with the opposite sex, and how she endures her urges and demons, things that have helped make her deeply empathetic to others.The film can be a bit heavy-handed in places, e.g. the comparison of Burton while trussed up in a hammock to Christ being crucified, but it's profound in others, e.g. the poem the old man comes up with (search for "How Calmly Does the Olive Branch"). It is edgy in places and refreshingly at the vanguard of the sexual liberation of the 60's, e.g. Ava Gardner's character making it clear that she enjoys sex with two young men (the scene on the beach, while nothing ultimately happens, still surprised me). It's retrograde in others, most notably stereotyping lesbians in Grayson Hall's character, whose sexuality the others make insulting comments about. All in all, while it had unevenness in the performances and script, there was a range of interesting emotions, some great moments, and it was entertaining.

An excellent 1964 film showcasing the fine acting talent of Richard Burton, Ava Gardner and Deborah Kerr at their very best. Despite wonderful performances, these three perennial Oscar losers were all denied Oscar nominations for this interesting film which explores the inner-self. As the chaperon for Sue Lyon, Grayson Hall, (nee Shirley Grossman)garnered a best supporting actress nomination. I disagree with a previous reviewer. We don't know if her Miss Fellowes character is of lesbian nature. What we have here is a conservative minded individual, fearful of sex and over-protective to her charge and is willing to go all the way to beat down the Burton character.The movie splendidly shows the conflicts of the inner-self of 3 people. As the defrocked priest, Burton gives a towering performance. His spiritually is conflicted by his sexual desires. Gardner was never better as the recently widowed hotel owner searching for meaning and excitement in her tedious life. As the sketch artist, accompanied by her 97 year old grandfather, Kerr explores life around her, but in a restrictive way.The film often has comic over-tones, but its understanding of the human spirit makes it a superb vehicle.

Released in 1964 and directed by John Huston based on Tennessee Williams' play, "The Night of the Iguana" stars Richard Burton as a defrocked Episcopal minister who resorts to a job leading bus tours on the Mexican west coast. As he guides a group of middle-aged Baptist women to Puerto Vallarta, he struggles with the attentions of a teen sexpot (Sue Lyon) and the antagonism of her curmudgeonly ward (Grayson Hall). The group ends up at a bed & breakfast where the effervescent proprietor (Ava Gardner) and a spiritual artist (Deborah Kerr) aid the ex-clergyman in coming to terms with the failures haunting him. Skip Ward plays the hunky bus tour assistant.As much as I appreciate this drama, it's too bad it was shot in B&W as color would've really enhanced it, particularly considering the resort setting. (I'll never understand why filmmakers insist on shooting in B&W when color is readily available). The movie is also marred by some contrived melodrama with Burton guilty of chewing too much scenery. At the same time, it's interesting to go back in time with these old dramas and observe the artificialities of the (over)acting based on the contrivances of an inflexible script.Despite my criticisms, there's a lot to savor here. The rich (and sometimes synthetic) dialogue is full of gems to mine. The film is an honest rumination on the human condition. The theme is to cease struggling and to ride out the hardships of life, whether they're the result of one's own folly or otherwise. The answer will come; just be on the look-out for the "messenger" or "assistant" and, of course, accept. On other fronts, Sue Lyon is outstanding as the Lolita, probably because she literally played Lolita in her previous film, 1962's "Lolita." Thankfully, she's more womanly here. She was 17 during filming and thoroughly sumptuous, particularly in her short shorts. Gardner also looked great at 41, but her character is too boozy and it's a turn-off. She's well contrasted by the almost saintly Kerr.Interestingly, there's a brief denouncement of lesbianism, which wouldn't work today. In our current upside down culture it would be hailed as the highest good, worthy of a call from the President (rolling my eyes). RUNTIME: 118 minutes. SHOOTING LOCATIONS: Puerto Vallarta and Mismaloya Village, Mexico. GRADE: B

NIGHT OF THE IGUANA is the last play of Tennesse Williams. Three years after its Broadway success John Huston reworked it into one of Hollywood's most honored albeit in black and white films. The leads are played with style and depth by Richard Burton and Deborah Kerr. The role of the proprietress of the Mexican bed and breakfast, a supporting role in the play is expanded through considerable non talking filming of a brilliant Ava Gardner into the third lead. the private struggles we all go through when life deals us lemons are focused here into a single night in which Richard Burton and Deborah Kerr must through long monologues arrive at how to live through them and even find peace. The filming changes somewhat the storyline through long, brilliant shots where Williams does not have dialogue but it is certainly one of Hollywood's most memorable character study dramas.