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'.
The Norman Conquests (1977)
8.5/10
Director: Herbert Wise
Starring: Richard Briers, Tom Conti, Penelope Keith, Penelope Wilton, David Troughton, Fio...
Alan Acykbourn's wildly funny and often poignant trilogy is made up of three interconnected plays recounting the events and conversations between the... Read more
The Odd Couple (1967)
7.7/10
Director: Gene Saks
Starring: Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, John Fiedler
Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau are two divorced buddies who decide to be roommates in this classic film adaptation of the Neil Simon smash hit play. Read more
The Out Of Towners (1969)
7.1/10
Director: Arthur Hiller
Starring: Jack Lemmon, Sandy Dennis
Jack Lemmon and Sandy Dennis are perfectly matched as the hapless Kellermans of Twin Oaks, Ohio, in Neil Simon's tumultuous comedy hit. The top candid... Read more
The Petrified Forest (1936)
7.6/10
Director: Archie Mayo
Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Bette Davis, Leslie Howard
Adapted from Robert E Sherwood's Broadway hit, Humphrey Bogart and Leslie Howard reprise their respective stage roles as gangster, Duke and writer, Al... Read more
The Picture of Dorian Gray (1973)
6.6/10
Director: Glenn Jordan
Starring: Nigel Davenport, Shane Briant, Charles Aidman, Fionnula Flanagan
Can the gift of eternal youth and beauty be a curse? It is in this made-for-TV rendition of the Oscar Wilde shocker. Shane Briant plays the debauched... Read more
The Private Lives Of Elizabeth And Essex (1939)
7.2/10
Director: Michael Curtiz
Starring: Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Errol Flynn, Donald Crisp, Alan Hale, Vincent...
A colourful and elaborate costume drama featuring fine performances from Bette Davis as an aging Queen Elizabeth I, and Errol Flynn as her flamboyant... Read more
The Quiet Duel (1949)
7.5/10
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Starring: Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Kenjiro Uemura, Miki Sanjo, Chieko Nakakita
Toshiro Mifune's second film with director Akira Kurosawa casts him in the role of a young war-time doctor, who accidentally contracts syphillis while... Read more
The Riot Club (2014)
6/10
Director: Lone Scherfig
Starring: Sam Claflin, Max Irons, Douglas Booth, Holliday Grainger, Freddie Fox, Natalie D...
At Oxford University the hottest invitation is to join The Riot Club, a privileged and exclusive club for the best and brightest. First years - and po... Read more
The Riot Club (Blu-ray) (2014)
6/10
Director: Lone Scherfig
Starring: Sam Claflin, Max Irons, Douglas Booth, Holliday Grainger, Freddie Fox, Natalie D...
At Oxford University the hottest invitation is to join The Riot Club, a privileged and exclusive club for the best and brightest. First years - and po... Read more
The Rose Tattoo (1955)
7.2/10
Director: Daniel Mann
Starring: Anna Magnani, Burt Lancaster
Anna Magnani won an Oscar for her portrayal of a Sicilian-born widow in a small Louisiana fishing town whose morbid faithfulness to her late husband i... Read more