Suddenly, Last Summer (1959)

Theme

"Film Club"

In 1930s New Orleans, wealthy Mrs. Violet Venable bribes Dr. John Cukrowicz, a young brain surgeon, into performing a lobotomy on her niece, Catharine Holly. Violet wants to silence Catharine’s horrifying accounts of the mysterious death of Violet's poet son, Sebastian, during their summer vacation in Spain. Each week, members watch a selected classic film then share their thoughts and reflections with their respective assigned partners. The goal is to form friendships and bring people together across distances, creating a welcoming community through a shared love of film and writing

Here’s How it Works: Step 1: Register to participate. Step 2: Watch the film at home in your own time and pace. Step 3: Write a thoughtful letter to your assigned partner and mail it within the designated timeframe. Step 4: Receive a letter from your partner in return! Important Details: Your partner’s mailing address will be provided after registration opens and before it closes. For safety reasons, your partner’s address will only be visible during the active exchange period. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Include your star ratting (out of 5) Catherine's story is dismissed as madness for most of the film. Did you believe her from the start, or did the film keep you guessing? Violet Venable is a mother trying to protect her son's memory at any cost. Did you feel any sympathy for her, or did she lose you early on? The lobotomy plot is genuinely unsettling by today's standards. How did that land for you watching it now versus how audiences might have seen it in 1959? Sebastian is talked about constantly but never really shown. Did that absence work for you, or did you want more of him directly? What's your read on the ending? does Catherine get justice, or does the film leave things murkier than that?