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 Joanne Woodward can do no wrong - at least when it comes to acting. As the sexually repressed spinster schoolteacher in Rachel Rachel (1968), Woodward expresses emotion with a raised eyebrow or a torrent of tears. She earned the Golden Globe and garnered numerous nominations for her performance. Directed by Paul Newman, the film also starred James Olson, Kate Harrington, Estelle Parsons
Joanne Woodward & James Olson
Rachel daydreams of an exciting life, of sex and romance, but her reality is a schoolroom and keeping house in an apartment above a mortuary for her clingy mother. She drifts through life, wishing for more but making no changes. Hers is a sad tale, but the viewer mostly wants to kick her in her behind and tell her to go out and get a life. Director Paul Newman kept the pace slow, and despite Woodward's extraordinary acting, the story drags in places, sort of like Rachel's life.
When Rachel bumps into a man she'd known as a girl, she finally emerges from her self-imposed tedious routine with traumatic results that shake up her life. At last Rachel stands up to her mother and makes a positive move.
 Rachel Rachel was Newman's directorial debut, and he teamed a few times more with his wife, Woodward. In a coup of perfect casting, the couple's daughter, Nell Potts, played Rachel as a young girl in flashbacks. Watch for a sparkling Estelle Parsons as Rachel's friend, Calla, a free spirit who is a perfect foil for Rachel's inhibitions.
The film earned its R rating for sexual scenes and content. This is definitely a film for adults.
Director: Paul Newman
Writer: Stewart Stern - Screenplay; book - Margaret Laurence
Cast: Joanne Woodward, James Olson, Kate Harrington, Estelle Parsons
Rating: R
Classic Movie Guide Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Run Time: 101 minutes
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
Format: Color, Widescreen
Photo credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
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