Alice's Playhouse
In Alice's Playhouse you will discover an exceptional collection of feature films adapted from some of the most celebrated plays ever written. Often featuring towering performances, outstanding direction and exceptional writing, this collection is a superb archive of contemporary drama masterfully transferred to the silver screen.
Filmizations of The Bard's work may be scrolled via the 'Shakespeare' sub-feature in green on the left, along with other notable playwrights who have been adapted for celluloid.
For adaptations of novels and short stories, check the 'Special Interest' link and click on 'Based on...'
Right: Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh relax during the filming of Tennessee Williams' masterpiece, 'A Streetcar Named Desire'.
Shirley Valentine (1989)
7.2/10
Director: Lewis Gilbert
Starring: Pauline Collins, Tom Conti, Alison Steadman
A gem of a film about a witty housewife, bored with the hum-drum routine of suburban life, who jumps at the chance to rediscover herself when she join... Read more
Simpatico (2000)
4.5/10
Director: Matthew Warchus
Starring: Nick Nolte, Sharon Stone, Jeff Bridges, Catherine Keener
In this powerful adaptation of Sam Shepard's play, Jeff Bridges is a millionaire whose success from breeding and training horses has brought him a Ken... Read more
Sir Henry at Rawlinson End (1980)
6.9/10
Director: Steve Roberts
Starring: Trevor Howard, Patrick Magee, Denise Coffey, Harry Fowler, J.G Devlin, Sheila Re...
Based on a radio play by Vivien Stanshall (who acts as narrator), Trevor Howard stars as an eccentric-to-the-point-of-insane nobleman who attempts to... Read more
Six Degrees of Separation (1993)
6.9/10
Director: Fred Schepisi
Starring: Stockard Channing, Will Smith, Donald Sutherland, Mary Beth Hurt, Bruce Davison,...
John Guare adapted his hit Broadway play, based on a true incident, about a man pretending to be Sidney Poitier's son who works his way into the lives... Read more
Sleuth (1972)
8/10
Director: Joseph L Mankiewicz
Starring: Laurence Olivier, Michael Caine
Mystery tour-de-force based on Anthony Shaffer's play starring Laurence Olivier as an eccentric writer of mystery novels coercing his wife's lover Mic... Read more
Sleuth (2007)
6.5/10
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Starring: Michael Caine, Jude Law
Anthony Shaffer's play comes to the screen for the second time in this ambitious remake directed by Kenneth Branagh from a script by Harold Pinter. Mi... Read more
Sophia Loren Collection: Heller In Pink Tights (1960) / Desire Under the Elms (1958) / A Breath of Scandal (1960)
Director: Delbert Mann, George Cukor, Michael Curtiz
Starring: Sophia Loren, Anthony Quinn, Burl Ives, Anthony Perkins, Maurice Chevalier, Ange...
This classic collection features three films from Italian screen beauty Sophia Loren. 'Heller In Pink Tights' - Based on the novel by Louis L'Amour, t... Read more
Spanish Fly (1976)
4.9/10
Director: Bob Kellett
Starring: Leslie Phillips, Terry-Thomas, Frank Thornton, Graham Armitage, Nadiuska
Leslie Phillips is the debonair Mike Scott who visits Menorca to arrange a series of glamourous photo shoots. After arriving he meets up with an old... Read more
Stage Beauty (2004)
7.2/10
Director: Richard Eyre
Starring: Billy Crudup, Claire Danes, Tom Wilkinson, Rupert Everett, Ben Chaplin, Richard...
Adapted from Jeffrey Hatcher's play and based loosely on the life of Ned Kynaston (Billy Crudup), a 17th century theatre star noted particularly for h... Read more
State of the Union (1948)
7.4/10
Director: Frank Capra
Starring: Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Van Johnson, Angela Lansbury, Adolphe Menjou
Based on a hit Broadway play, this insightful Frank Capra film stars Spencer Tracy as a would-be presidential candidate and Katharine Hepburn as his e... Read more