{"id":79353,"date":"2021-12-27T11:56:57","date_gmt":"2021-12-27T18:56:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=79353"},"modified":"2021-12-27T15:02:49","modified_gmt":"2021-12-27T22:02:49","slug":"separate-tables-1958","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=79353","title":{"rendered":"Separate Tables (1958)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;Why does anybody do anything that they shouldn&#8217;t?&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Poster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Poster-197x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"197\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-79354\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Poster-197x300.png 197w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Poster-674x1024.png 674w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Poster-84x128.png 84w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Poster-178x270.png 178w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Poster.png 729w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 197px) 100vw, 197px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nAt a British seaside boarding house, a spinster (Deborah Kerr) dominated by her nosy mother (Gladys Cooper) nurses a crush on a former major (David Niven), while a young medical student (Rod Taylor) fends off distracting amorous advances from his girlfriend (Audrey Dalton), and a drink-loving ex-con (Burt Lancaster) recently engaged to the hotel&#8217;s manager (Wendy Hiller) is visited by his glamorous former wife (Rita Hayworth). When a significant secret is revealed about Niven&#8217;s past, how will his various housemates &#8212; also including a former schoolteacher (Felix Aylmer), a butch female gambler (May Hallatt), and Cooper&#8217;s kind friend (Cathleen Nesbitt) &#8212; respond?\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Burt Lancaster Films<\/li>\n<li>David Niven Films<\/li>\n<li>Deborah Kerr Films<\/li>\n<li>Ensemble Cast<\/li>\n<li>Mistaken and Hidden Identities<\/li>\n<li>Morality Police<\/li>\n<li>Rita Hayworth Films<\/li>\n<li>Rod Taylor Films<\/li>\n<li>Wendy Hiller Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nThis cinematic adaptation of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Separate_Tables\">Terrence Rattigan&#8217;s two inter-related one-act plays<\/a> underwent significant changes for the screen: it was originally designed to be performed by just two actors shifting roles throughout, but by the time Hollywood got its gears in action (hiring Delbert Mann to direct), original co-stars Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh were no longer involved, and the broad cast of characters were all played by different actors. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Tables.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Tables-1024x613.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"383\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-79360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Tables-1024x613.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Tables-300x180.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Tables-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Tables-768x460.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Tables-1536x920.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Tables-451x270.png 451w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Tables.png 1561w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The dominant theme throughout the storyline is moral condemnation against anyone straying even slightly from &#8220;proper&#8221; British norms, as embodied by Cooper&#8217;s stereotypically tut-tutting busybody: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Reading.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Reading-1024x606.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"379\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-79365\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Reading-1024x606.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Reading-300x178.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Reading-128x76.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Reading-768x455.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Reading-1536x909.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Reading-456x270.png 456w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Reading.png 1559w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The sway she holds over her dowdy, severely repressed grown daughter (Kerr) would be tragic if it weren&#8217;t so Hollywoodized (Kerr is oh-so-clearly &#8220;acting&#8221;). <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Sibyl.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Sibyl-1024x613.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"383\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-79366\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Sibyl-1024x613.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Sibyl-300x180.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Sibyl-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Sibyl-768x460.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Sibyl-1536x920.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Sibyl-451x270.png 451w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Sibyl.png 1561w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The gradual revealing of Niven&#8217;s shocking secret drives the narrative, though even that has been seemingly modified from its original impact. (Harassing random women in dark movie theaters is gross &#8212; but not anything close to what his character is accused of in the play.) <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Niven3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Niven3-1024x612.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"383\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-79359\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Niven3-1024x612.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Niven3-300x179.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Niven3-128x76.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Niven3-768x459.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Niven3-1536x918.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Niven3-452x270.png 452w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Niven3.png 1565w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The parallel subplot about beautiful Hayworth coming to visit the boarding house and disrupting Lancaster&#8217;s new life is meant to shock its residents (and us) out of whatever complacency we exist in, but frankly, she&#8217;s a non-starter. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Hayworth.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Hayworth-1024x609.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"381\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-79361\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Hayworth-1024x609.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Hayworth-300x178.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Hayworth-128x76.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Hayworth-768x457.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Hayworth-1536x914.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Hayworth-454x270.png 454w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Hayworth.png 1565w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Hiller (who won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar) provides a solid grounding to the film as the house&#8217;s ever-present manager, but her romance with Lancaster is underdeveloped and not terribly realistic: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Hiller5.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Hiller5-1024x605.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"378\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-79370\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Hiller5-1024x605.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Hiller5-300x177.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Hiller5-128x76.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Hiller5-768x454.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Hiller5-1536x908.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Hiller5-457x270.png 457w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Hiller5.png 1565w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, blink a few times and you&#8217;ll miss Rod Taylor in a throwaway narrative thread about unmarried lovers (shocking!) trying to hide their obvious affair &#8212; which wouldn&#8217;t be nearly such a problem if progressive Dalton would just agree to get married already: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Taylor.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Taylor-1024x607.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"379\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-79362\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Taylor-1024x607.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Taylor-300x178.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Taylor-128x76.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Taylor-768x455.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Taylor-1536x910.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Taylor-456x270.png 456w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Taylor.png 1571w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Peary doesn&#8217;t review <em>Separate Tables<\/em> in <em>GFTFF<\/em>, but he comments on David Niven&#8217;s Best Actor win in <em>Alternate Oscars<\/em>, where he notes that &#8220;Niven gave what was probably his most respectable performance&#8230; playing what was probably his least respectable character.&#8221; He adds that, &#8220;As usual, Niven gave a solid, professional performance,&#8221;  though &#8220;this time he was more serious than he had been in the many thankless roles he&#8217;d had in his career&#8221; &#8212; and he argues that &#8220;Niven&#8217;s popularity in the Hollywood community &#8212; he was a nice, witty, gracious gentleman &#8212; was a contributing factor to his victory.&#8221; Indeed, Niven&#8217;s fine performance here is noteworthy, and one wishes the story focused even more on his character&#8217;s troubled past; at least he&#8217;s provided a measure of compassion in the film&#8217;s moving final moments.  <\/p>\n<p><strong>Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>David Niven as Major Angus Pollock<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Niven2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Niven2-1024x617.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"386\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-79356\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Niven2-1024x617.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Niven2-300x181.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Niven2-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Niven2-768x463.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Niven2-1536x925.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Niven2-448x270.png 448w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Niven2.png 1559w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Fine cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Cooper.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Cooper-1024x615.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-79357\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Cooper-1024x615.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Cooper-300x180.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Cooper-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Cooper-768x461.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Cooper-1536x922.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Cooper-450x270.png 450w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Separate-Tables-Cooper.png 1557w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo, though it&#8217;s worth a one-time look if you&#8217;re curious. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0052182\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/20965\/separate-tables#articles-reviews?articleId=33805\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thespinningimage.co.uk\/cultfilms\/displaycultfilm.asp?reviewid=4038&#038;aff=13\">Spinning Image Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1958\/12\/19\/archives\/screen-rattigan-play-separate-tables-has-dual-premiere-here.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Why does anybody do anything that they shouldn&#8217;t?&#8221; Synopsis: At a British seaside boarding house, a spinster (Deborah Kerr) dominated by her nosy mother (Gladys Cooper) nurses a crush on a former major (David Niven), while a young medical student (Rod Taylor) fends off distracting amorous advances from his girlfriend (Audrey Dalton), and a drink-loving ex-con (Burt Lancaster) recently engaged to the hotel&#8217;s manager (Wendy Hiller) is visited by his glamorous former wife (Rita Hayworth). When a significant secret is&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=79353\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-79353","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79353","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=79353"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79353\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":79380,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79353\/revisions\/79380"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=79353"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=79353"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=79353"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}