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Cocktails with George and Martha: Movies, Marriage, and the Making of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Hardcover – February 13, 2024
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"Very smart and entertaining . . . dishy-yet-earnest . . . Gefter shows why Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? hit the '60s like a torpedo."-NPR, Fresh Air
“Raucous, unpredictable, wild, and affecting.”-Entertainment Weekly
An award-winning writer reveals the behind-the-scenes story of the provocative play, the groundbreaking film it became, and how two iconic stars changed the image of marriage forever.
From its debut in 1962, Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? was a wild success and a cultural lightning rod. The play transpires over one long, boozy night, laying bare the lies, compromises, and scalding love that have sustained a middle-aged couple through decades of marriage. It scandalized critics but magnetized audiences. Across 644 sold-out Broadway performances, the drama demolished the wall between what could and couldn't be said on the American stage and marked a definitive end to the I Love Lucy 1950s.
Then, Hollywood took a colossal gamble on Albee's sophisticated play-and won. Costarring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, the sensational 1966 film minted first-time director Mike Nichols as industry royalty and won five Oscars. How this scorching play became a movie classic-surviving censorship attempts, its director's inexperience, and its stars' own tumultuous marriage-is one of the most riveting stories in all of cinema.
Now, acclaimed author Philip Gefter tells that story in full for the first time, tracing Woolf from its hushed origins in Greenwich Village's bohemian enclave, through its tormented production process, to its explosion onto screens across America and a permanent place in the canon of cinematic marriages. This deliciously entertaining book explores how two couples-one fictional, one all too real-forced a nation to confront its most deeply held myths about relationships, sex, family, and, against all odds, love.
- Print length368 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherBloomsbury Publishing
- Publication dateFebruary 13, 2024
- Dimensions6.55 x 1.15 x 9.55 inches
- ISBN-101635579627
- ISBN-13978-1635579628
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From the Publisher
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“Delicious . . . unapologetically obsessive . . . [Gefter gets] to the marrow: of male ego, rushing into new projects with hubris and jostling for posterity.” ―New York Times Book Review
“A lively, well-researched book that displays great affection for the film and the highly gifted and vastly troublesome people who made it.” ―Glenn Frankel, Washington Post
“Good, harrowing fun . . . Just as the extreme nature of George and Martha's all-night brawl helps us to understand all marriages, the antics of Liz and Dick and Mike and Ernie reveal the love-hate dynamic that's common to all artistic collaborations.” ―The Wall Street Journal
“Gefter deftly blends social history, textual analysis, and Hollywood gossip to probe [Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?]'s appeal.” ―The New Yorker
“Very smart and entertaining . . . dishy-yet-earnest . . . Gefter shows why Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? hit the '60s like a torpedo.” ―NPR, Fresh Air
“Raucous, unpredictable, wild, and affecting.” ―Entertainment Weekly
“In this well researched and deliciously dishy new book, Philip Gefter explores the world that shaped Albee and how he used it to develop his great work, and follows the ups and downs involved in creating the film-Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton were just the beginning!-to paint an incredible picture of the creative process among some of the brightest minds of their time.” ―Town & Country, Best Books of the Year
“Are you a movie buff? Do you enjoy watching Oscar-winning films? Maybe you loved reading the original Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf by Edward Albee? If any of these are true, you've found your next read. This 2024 treat of a book is the kind of well-crafted tale that does its subject justice while still managing to spill all the tea” ―Reader's Digest
“If you know the play 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' and the movie starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, Philip Gefter's book is likely to satisfy you in a number of ways.” ―New York Sun
“Charming . . . filled with enjoyable anecdotes and recollections of how Hollywood accidentally makes great movies from time to time.” ―The New Republic
“Highly entertaining . . . No matter how long you've adored Woolf (in either medium), this insightful, stylish chronicle may have you gazing at a longtime companion with fresh-even passionate-eyes. Don't forget: George and Martha love to fight another day.” ―American Theatre
“Multilayered and eminently revisitable (like the play and the film), Gefter's wonderful book helps readers reevaluate vis-a`-vis values prevalent half a century later.” ―Library Journal, starred review
“A cinematic history of an explosive portrayal of marriage . . . [Gefter] takes a deep dive into the genesis, making, and reception of the movie, from its 1962 beginnings on Broadway (the first three-acter for playwright Edward Albee) to its transformation into the acclaimed movie starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton . . . Gefter offers a close reading of the movie to support his assessment of it as 'era-defining' . . . A penetrating examination of a bold film.” ―Kirkus Reviews
“[An] erudite study . . . Gefter persuasively credits the film with setting the template for more bracing Hollywood depictions of love after romance's first blush. This will renew readers' admiration for the classic film and its source material.” ―Publishers Weekly
“[Gefter] virtuosically plumbs the depths of Albee's masterwork and its cultural impact . . . Cocktails with George and Martha offers a gimlet-eyed interpretation of Albee's play, and by book's end, readers should be fully behind Gefter's submission that Virginia Woolf challenged 'the hypocrisies of mainstream America, herald[ed] the sexual revolution, and register[ed] an entirely new psychological dimension to the public discourse.” ―Shelf Awareness
“Gefter filters the limelight cast on, and by, iconic personalities into a kind of granular beam. Irradiating long-archived details, he interrogates monumentalized reputations up close, weighs the bad and good in a crumbling studio system, and explores the movie's influences and origins.” ―Air Mail
“Terrific! With a dynamically deft touch, Philip Gefter chronicles how a uniquely volatile mix of timing, talent, pressure, and passion turned a landscape-altering play into a cinematic detonation. Savor this juicy bit of time travel, because we'll never see the likes of these people and these circumstances again.” ―Steven Soderbergh, Academy Award-winning filmmaker
“The high-stakes film adaptation of Edward Albee's famous play was turbocharged by the real-life chemistry between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. They were the perfect couple to play the shockingly honest George and Martha. This book vividly captures the realities of marriage, onscreen and off, taking the reader into the fraught fictional world of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? as well as its stars' famously passionate and volatile relationship.” ―Kate Andersen Brower, #1 New York Times-bestselling writer and author of ELIZABETH TAYLOR: THE GRIT AND GLAMOUR OF AN ICON
“A finely detailed, step-by-step, sometimes day-by-day account of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? - from the play to the movie and beyond. I thought I knew this story already, but Philip Gefter's book is full of surprising twists, startling quotes, and striking insights. Many marriages are examined: not just George and Martha, of course, and Liz and Dick, but the intimate, radioactive partnership of a hungry writer-producer and a rising young director. This is a wonderfully readable work of cultural history, sexual politics, and social comedy.” ―Christopher Bram, author of EMINENT OUTLAWS: THE GAY WRITERS WHO CHANGED AMERICA
“With a critical acumen as keen as his eye for a juicy anecdote, Philip Gefter goes spelunking into the deep history of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, a work that would scandalize audiences and transform two artistic mediums during a pivotal four-year stretch of the mid-twentieth century. No one who's interested in the history of theater, film, media censorship, or good old-fashioned celebrity gossip should miss the chance to read this book.” ―Dana Stevens, author of CAMERA MAN: Buster Keaton, the Dawn of Cinema, and the Invention of the Twentieth Century
“Film and theater buffs will absolutely inhale this account of how Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? changed American theater forever, then became a classic 1966 film starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. How the scorching play became a movie classic - and its stars' own tumultuous marriage - is one of the most exciting stories about classic cinema.” ―People.com, "20 Books That Will Top Dad's TBR List This Holiday Season"
“Gefter delves into the behind-the-scenes story of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and its legendary film adaptation, brilliantly capturing the intersection of art and reality. Edward Albee's 1962 play shattered conventions with its searing portrayal of a broken marriage, while the 1966 film, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, brought that volatile dynamic to life both on and off screen. Gefter masterfully connects the fictional couple's scalding love with the tumultuous relationship of its stars, making this a riveting read that explores how art not only reflects but magnifies the complexities of real-life relationships.” ―Indulge
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing; First Edition (February 13, 2024)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 368 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1635579627
- ISBN-13 : 978-1635579628
- Item Weight : 1.48 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.55 x 1.15 x 9.55 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #66,180 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book engaging and well-researched. They appreciate the behind-the-scenes stories and learning about Albee's life. The writing is described as erudite and fun. Readers enjoy learning about the filmmaking process and Hollywood. However, some feel the marriage section is irrelevant and repetitive.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book enjoyable and compelling when it sticks to the subject. They say it's a good refresher but not definitive on any level.
"...It is a great experience to read such an amazingly written expose of times past starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton...." Read more
"...A compelling, illuminating read, his well-researched book ultimately gets to the meat of things...." Read more
"...If you can get past the numerous inaccuracies, it’s an entertaining read, but not the definitive behind-the-scenes account I was hoping for." Read more
"...So, it's worth a read for sure, but just wish the last quarter had been as detailed and interesting." Read more
Customers find the book's storytelling engaging and informative. It provides a good background on an important play and movie. Readers enjoy learning about Albee's fascinating life and the New York cultural scene. The book provides a step-by-step story of the making of the movie, with facts, figures, and quotes.
"...author Philip Gefter had miraculously travelled back in time and captured facts, figures and quotes...." Read more
"...It’s an erudite, illustrative portrait of the play, the film and its cohorts, and author Philip Gefter should be applauded for putting full..." Read more
"...There are a lot of juicy tidbits about the making of the film and the labyrinthine politics of Hollywood, but the author too often gets bogged down..." Read more
"...This is a superb work of film criticism, but also highly entertaining in its telling of the trials, tribulations and personalities that transpired "..." Read more
Customers appreciate the writing quality of the book. They find it engaging, erudite, and fun. The book provides a vivid sense of the country's artistic and cultural dynamic.
"...It is a great experience to read such an amazingly written expose of times past starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton...." Read more
"...It’s an erudite, illustrative portrait of the play, the film and its cohorts, and author Philip Gefter should be applauded for putting full..." Read more
"...The high concept here is grand: the creating of a landmark film and play with the changing idea of marriage marbled into the narrative...." Read more
"...The story behind it all is very well told in this volume!" Read more
Customers enjoy the filmmaking concept and the actual filming of the movie. They find the book's story about Hollywood, New York, Edward Albee, and the making of WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIANS interesting. The portrait of the play, the film, and its collaborators is also appreciated.
"Brilliant Story of Hollywood, NYC, Edward Albee, and the making of "WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?" in the 1960's. "..." Read more
"...It’s an erudite, illustrative portrait of the play, the film and its cohorts, and author Philip Gefter should be applauded for putting full..." Read more
"...The high concept here is grand: the creating of a landmark film and play with the changing idea of marriage marbled into the narrative...." Read more
"...chapters about Mike Nichols, the stars and the actual filming of the movie were interesting, but honestly, I have to question why this book was even..." Read more
Customers dislike the book's marriage section. They find the evaluation of marriage in later chapters irrelevant and detailed.
"...wrap up way too quickly followed by a long, detailed, but irrelevant essay on marriage, citing film after film that addressed the subject...." Read more
"...The more disappointing aspect of the book is the evaluation of marriage in the later chapters...." Read more
"Wonderful, but repetitious on marriage..." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2024Brilliant Story of Hollywood, NYC, Edward Albee, and the making of "WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?" in the 1960's. "COCKTAILS WITH GEORGE AND MARTHA" reveals so many different layers of Hollywood individuals and at the time the unsurpassed NYC figure Mike Nichols that it is as though the author Philip Gefter had miraculously travelled back in time and captured facts, figures and quotes. It is a great experience to read such an amazingly written expose of times past starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. The supporting cast is every bit as interesting as the stars and the writing is the Best! Congratulations to Philip Gefter!
- Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2024If you love Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? as much as I do (I must have seen it at least 50 times and is my favorite Christmas movie) you’ll devour Philip Getner’s Cocktails with George and Martha like a goddamed “bergin” on the rocks or a shot of “rubbing alcohol” on a scalding summer day.
A compelling, illuminating read, his well-researched book ultimately gets to the meat of things. It’s occasionally dishy (Bette Davis who was Albee’s first choice for Martha called Liz getting the role “sickening”) but much more austere and academic. It’s best when it explores the film within the context of the times, a period where nascent social upheaval was just around the corner. Virginia Woolf served as a harbinger of things to come opening the floodgates for more honest, real, even shocking depictions of the very marrow of marriage.
Full portraits emerge of the primary players: Albee a quiet “discontent” adopted child of privilege, Mike Nichols equally ingenious and infuriating and an insecure snob with a keen intellect and a determination to do justice to a great piece of writing, producer Ernest Lehman a publicity craving “Brooks Brothers” square but still the intuitive captain of the ship, Liz and Dick unpredictable, mercurial, milking their spectacular celebrity, constantly showing up late, yet sympathetic in their determination to make good art, and Jack Warner, obsessed with making money yet smart enough to take on such a controversial project.
It’s an erudite, illustrative portrait of the play, the film and its cohorts, and author Philip Gefter should be applauded for putting full flesh on this beloved, visionary work.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2024The film is 60 years old, but rent it if you can for another look - ideally before reading this book. The high concept here is grand: the creating of a landmark film and play with the changing idea of marriage marbled into the narrative. A non-fiction title one will finish instead of stacking with others abandoned on the bedside table. Author has chops for this project. Great job.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2024I bought this book because I am a HUGE WAOVW fan—I’ve read the original play (frequently in impromptu readings with friends) umpteen times, and have watched the film nearly as often. I consider it one of the great films of all time, so naturally I was drawn to Philip Gefter’s detailed account of not only the making of the film, but also of the original stage play, and with his background information on Edward Albee and his place in theatrical history, he was off to a good start.
There are a lot of juicy tidbits about the making of the film and the labyrinthine politics of Hollywood, but the author too often gets bogged down in detailed, line-by-line descriptions of the finished film that take up way too much space and reading time. If it were done to make a point—perhaps why something was filmed the way it was, why it might have originally been different, what pressures and exigencies influenced the myriad decisions that were being made every day—it could be justified. But too often, he seems to simply enjoy spewing forth the film’s witty dialogue for its own sake. You would think it would have occurred to him that just about anyone who would purchase this book has at least seen the film, but he seems to be writing for an audience who doesn’t even know what the movie (or play) is. Worse, he quotes the dialogue inaccurately, an unforgiveable sin with a film that has been widely available on video for decades.
Nor are misquotes the only inaccuracies he offers; the book is rife with incorrect facts that should have been easily caught, among them: He says that Liz had her third son with husband Mike Todd, when in fact it was a daughter. He says she converted to Judaism when she married Todd, but it wasn’t until a year after his death that she converted. Such information should have been readily available concerning the most famous and thoroughly documented woman in the world. He credits Lerner and Loewe’s musical Camelot to Rodgers and Hammerstein and says Burton had just finished the “run of the play” when, in fact, 20th Century Fox had to buy out his contract to free him up for Cleopatra. One could argue that such things are minor matters, but if he can be wrong about so many easily verifiable facts, you have to question his accuracy on assertions that cannot be checked by the reader.
There were also several factual gaps that I had hoped such a detailed account would have filled in, but doesn’t. He makes a great deal about the now iconic Bette Davis line “What a dump!” (from the film Beyond the Forest), but doesn’t address the question of why Albee has Martha give such an incorrect summary of the scene (Davis actually utters the line not after coming home from grocery shopping, but rather after descending the stairs from her bedroom). He describes, again in much detail, the scene where, just before Segal and Dennis make their entrance, Martha yells “Goddam you!” at George, and completely ignores the fact that not only was the line in the play a more shocking “Screw you!” (not, as he reports, the F-word, which occurs nowhere in Albee’s play) but that it was actually filmed that way—the original line as read by Taylor can be heard on the complete film soundtrack that was released on LPs at the time of the film’s release. He then oddly refers to “goddam” as an “obscenity,” which it most definitely is not.
It becomes obvious that the primary source for this tome is the unpublished journal kept by producer Ernest Lehman (whom he coyly refers to as “Ernie” throughout), making one wish that an annotated edition of that journal could be published. As it is, we have to take Gefter’s word on what it says.
To be sure, the book does offer some intriguing nuggets, such as Mike Nichols’s constant struggle to get Lehman’s original script back to Albee’s original text, the most eyebrow-raising departure being Lehman initially changing George and Martha’s imaginary son to a real one who had committed suicide. (It would be fun to see Lehman’s actual original draft.) But he doesn’t point out a textual contradiction caused by Lehman’s failure to adjust the dialogue consistently. In one of George’s diatribes, he derides his wife for “trying to break down the bathroom door to wash him [their son] in the tub when he’s 16,” a charge that seems plausible in the play, in which their son is about to turn 21, but not in the film, in which the son hasn’t even turned 16 yet. Nor does he anywhere discuss the major revisions Albee made to his script for the 2005 Broadway revival, in which he tried to “lighten” the play by emphasizing the comedic elements and eliminating some of the more serious ones.
The final chapter, a supposed survey of other Hollywood films that dissect the institution of marriage, is superficial (no mention of Two for the Road with Albert Finney and Audrey Hepburn?) and seems superfluously tacked on for no reason other than to justify the title of Gefter’s book. If you can get past the numerous inaccuracies, it’s an entertaining read, but not the definitive behind-the-scenes account I was hoping for.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2025If you're planning to get married, don't see "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" first. Or maybe you should. If there was ever a play or film that portrayed a marriage stumbling along the hot coals of hell, this was it. Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor were playing roles they were also living. It brought fire to the film, but it didn't help their marriage. This book traces the brilliant Edward Albee play (and he was a genius, as well) all the way to the screen, where it would break all the rules about certain words you couldn't say on film in Hollywood. I remember being astounded when I first saw it. Audiences felt the same way when they first saw it in the mid-60s. Four characters; two of them college professors, the other two their wives, dishing it out in an alcohol-fueled all-nighter. It helped bring on a new era of realism in movies. The story behind it all is very well told in this volume!
Top reviews from other countries
- David YoungReviewed in Canada on April 26, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Book for film fanatics.
This is a detailed version of the making of the film and what an ordeal it was too. Great inside info/gossip and helps understand what a great film it become.