robertguttman During the mid 1960s there was a movie called "The Love One" that was billed as "The Movie With Something to Offend Everyone". Released during that same era, "Reflections in a Golden Eye" might well have been billed as "The Movie With Something to Disgust Everyone". That is because there is undoubtedly something in this jaw-dropping movie that will make every single member of the viewing audience squirm in their seats at some point or other, regardless of their age, gender or sexual proclivities. Adultery, homosexuality, sadomasochism, bestiality, voyeurism, self-mutilation, cruelty to animals, murder, those are just a few of the things that go on here. Ostensibly the story takes place on an Army base somewhere in the southern United States. Actually, however, it takes place in some bizarre and perverse parallel universe where Tennessee Williams meets The Twilight Zone. Certainly if the U.S. Army bears even the slightest resemblance to what is depicted in this movie than the country is in a whole lot of trouble.The plot revolves around two Army officers and their respective wives, who are best friends and next-door neighbors on an Army Base. By far the most normal of the four characters is that played by Brian Kieth, who is merely committing adultery with his best friend and next-door neighbors's wife. But hey, can you blame him when his friend's wife is a very-willing Elizabeth Taylor? Besides, Kieth's own wife, who had suffered a miscarriage a few years earlier, hasn't had any use for him since. Played by Julie Harris, Kieth's wife is definitely what a Harley Street Psychiatrist would label, clinically speaking, "Barmy". For her role Liz comes across like a combination of Scarlett O'Hara and Martha from "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?". It's not very surprising that she is having an affair with her neighbor because her own husband, played by Brando, is a closet case, and she obviously knows it. They're just your typical well-adjusted American couple; she has complete contempt for him while he absolutely loathes her. So, while Liz is having it off with Kieth while Brando is out stalking enlisted men around the Army Base. Watching this movie one can't help wondering, if this is how things are in the Army, what can it possibly be like in the Marine Corps?"Reflections in a Golden Eye" is meant to be an adult drama. However, everything about the film is so extremely over-the-top that the only way to enjoy it at all is to view it as if it were some sort of parody. In that sense it is somewhat reminiscent of "The Fountainhead", another dramatic movie that can only really be enjoyed if it is viewed as a comedy.

Prismark10 Welcome to the world of Southern Gothic, a genre in its own right as director John Huston adapts Carson McCullers novel.The breakdown of the Hays Code only allowed such a picture to be released in the mid 1960s with a daring depiction of sexual mores and sexuality in an army base along with some nudity and repressed emotions.The film deals with a group of grotesques in a Southern army base after the second world war. Elizabeth Taylor plays the slutty wife, Leonora of Major Penderton (Marlon Brando) who loves her horse, Firebird and as an affair with her neighbour Lt Colonel Langdon (Brian Keith.) There is a touch of the Cat on the Hot Tin Roof about Taylor's character, very much a spoilt rich girl on heat.A more subtle but also visceral performance is given by Brando. Left embarrassed by his wife's antics, in awe with army life and culture. Just look at the way he works out with weights, gives the lecture to a class and talks about the army at a dinner party. Yet Penderton is a repressed homosexual maybe why he is prepared to turn a blind eye to Leonora's infidelity.Langdon's only solace is his time with Leonora, his own wife played by Julie Harris has had a traumatic breakdown resulting in self harm and he also has to deal with an effeminate Filipino houseboy who brings great comfort to his wife.Robert Forster is the final piece in the jigsaw. His Private Williams cares for the horses in the army stables and has the habit of riding the horses naked in the fields. He becomes an object of Penderton's lust but Williams is also a creep himself. A voyeur who has a perverted desire for Leonora and sneaks into her bedroom and watches her.Huston uses subtle use of light and visual tricks such as reflection in Private Williams golden eye to infuse the film with some artistic pretensions as well as various symbolisms.Its a steamy, hothouse melodrama from the south, it imbues carnage, a tragic ending. Forster says few words in this film and his character has a dark edge, Brando despite a few heated argumentative scenes is more subtle here. He brings machismo and sympathy to a complicated character.The film just feels too pretentious though, Taylor is kind of replaying A Cat in a Hot Tin Roof and would go on to play a more better known role a year later dealing with the breakdown of a twisted, bitter married couple in Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf.Its Brando thats makes the film watchable and gives it a sort of quirkiness but I felt that this adaptation never gained full steam.

sirjasonwright A very deep and hard going arty film. In my opinion Brando only made a handful of entertaining films, this ain't one of them. I've been putting off watching this for years, having just viewed it I can see why. Brandos dialogue, what little there is, is muffled and extremely hard to understand. Would he really be a major teaching young officers tactics in a classroom when his dialogue is so illegible, sometimes Brando can be so hard going that you can lose interest in films he is in. The Filipino servant of Julie Harris is just unbelievably annoying especially his voice.the other thing that is jarring is the almost sepia picture- way too arty for its own good.About the best thing about this movie is the gorgeous and sexy Elizabath Taylor.

sunznc Reflections of a Golden Eye is not a fantastic film in itself. It doesn't show off a great script or groundbreaking acting. What it is though is something completely different. In a world that now is enamored of mind numbing CGI and artificiality this is a breath of fresh air in that everyone is acting and they know they're acting. They're trying to say something. Okay, so maybe what they are saying isn't all that deep or new. Hell, repressed homosexuality is dated right? But there was a time when men didn't just come out of the closet and feel free to be gay. There was a time when we didn't talk about gay men except in a demeaning fashion.Elizabeth Taylor is acting for the sake of acting. So is Brian Keith and Robert Forster. Robert Forster's character goes out in the woods and sunbathes nude and rides his horse bareback while nude. Now, does anyone do this? No! But this is the vision of the director and he's trying to show you that this activity makes this man feel free. And because he's enlisted in the army his life is regimented. Does any of this matter? No. I wouldn't call this an art film but in a way it is. The film is a work of art. The most sane person in this group of people at a Southern Army base in peace time is a woman that everyone else considers disturbed or the verge of a nervous breakdown. But she isn't. She is the only one who is able to see how disturbed those around her truly are. And her companion is a gay Asian man who is totally dedicated to her. The bravest man around. Don't watch this film unless you are willing to accept that it's an artist's vision. That even seems too pretentious for this. It isn't for everyone but there are people out there who appreciate what it's intent is.