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Sweet Bird of Youth 1962

In this poignant drama, a charismatic yet troubled Florida gigolo, Chance Wayne, stumbles upon his own faded glory when he returns to his hometown with former Hollywood starlet Alexandra Del Lago, bringing with him secrets and regrets from their shared past.

In this poignant drama, a charismatic yet troubled Florida gigolo, Chance Wayne, stumbles upon his own faded glory when he returns to his hometown with former Hollywood starlet Alexandra Del Lago, bringing with him secrets and regrets from their shared past.

Does Sweet Bird of Youth have end credit scenes?

No!

Sweet Bird of Youth does not have end credit scenes.

Actors

Meet the cast of Sweet Bird of Youth and learn about the talented actors who brought the characters to life. Explore their roles and career highlights.


Ratings

Discover how Sweet Bird of Youth is rated on popular platforms like IMDb, Metacritic, and TMDb. Explore audience and critic scores to see how this movie ranks among the best.


Metacritic

53

Metascore

tbd

User Score

TMDB

68

%

User Score

Movie Quiz

Challenge your knowledge of Sweet Bird of Youth with an engaging quiz. Test your memory of the movie’s characters, plot twists, and unforgettable moments.


Sweet Bird of Youth Quiz: Test your knowledge on the themes, characters, and events of the 1962 film Sweet Bird of Youth.

What profession does Chance Wayne take up after failing to become a star?

Discover the awards and nominations received by Sweet Bird of Youth. Explore the history of Sweet Bird of Youth and its cast and crew.


35th Academy Awards 1963

Ed Begley Jr.
Win

Actor in a Supporting Role

Ed Begley Jr.
Geraldine Page
Nomination

Actress

Geraldine Page
Nomination

Actress in a Supporting Role

Shirley Knight

16th British Academy Film Awards 1963

Geraldine Page
Nomination

Best Foreign Actress

Geraldine Page

20th Golden Globe Awards 1963

Paul Newman
Nomination

Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Drama (Actor)

Paul Newman
Geraldine Page
Win

Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Drama (Actress)

Geraldine Page
Ed Begley Jr.
Nomination

Best Supporting Performance in a Motion Picture – Drama, Comedy or Musical (Supporting Actor)

Ed Begley Jr.
Nomination

Best Supporting Performance in a Motion Picture – Drama, Comedy or Musical (Supporting Actress)

Shirley Knight

Plot Summary

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Get the full story of Sweet Bird of Youth with a detailed plot summary. Dive into its themes, characters, and the twists that make it a must-watch.


Chance Wayne, a native of St. Cloud, set out to chase fame and fortune, leaving behind his humble beginnings for the bright lights of New York and Hollywood, all while relying on his youthful charm. Unfortunately, after facing a series of disappointing auditions and struggles to carve out an identity in the entertainment industry, he found himself turning to a life of a gigolo, his looks becoming his only asset. This transformation was triggered by his encounter with Alexandra del Lago, a once-celebrated film star now grappling with the fallout from her latest movie, at a Florida resort. Recognizing a mutual opportunity to rejuvenate their careers and perhaps rekindle an old flame, Chance persuaded del Lago to allow him to accompany her on her journey back to Hollywood, where he envisioned reuniting with his childhood sweetheart, Heavenly Finley.

As they traveled the picturesque Sunset Route, Chance dreamed of reigniting his romance with Heavenly while simultaneously basking in the stardom he believed awaited him alongside del Lago. However, upon returning to St. Cloud, he was taken aback to find that Heavenly had significantly changed, her former vibrancy dimmed by the emotional and physical trauma of an abortion and subsequent hysterectomy that left her sterile. This left her father and brother infuriated and determined to seek out revenge against the one they deemed responsible: Chance himself.

Determined to reshape his image in town, Chance, armed with del Lago’s car and financial backing, attempted to project a sense of success. Yet, his former acquaintances quickly saw through his charade, recognizing the truth of his situation. Meanwhile, it was revealed that the backlash del Lago had been fleeing was, in fact, a wave of praise for her latest film, confirming her comeback. Despite this, Chance stubbornly clung to the idea that he could ride her coattails to fame, only to be confronted with the reality that del Lago had no desire to be associated with a gigolo.

With his youthful allure waning, Chance felt lost, uncertain about the path his life should take next. Although del Lago encouraged him to stay on as her escort, he ultimately chose to remain in St. Cloud, ready to face the repercussions of his choices and finally putting an end to his desperate pursuit of glory.

Uncover the Details: Timeline, Characters, Themes, and Beyond!

Keywords

Discover the keywords that describe the themes and topics of the movie. Explore the keywords that define the essence of the film.


southern gothicbased on playtelephone callbird in titlebrother in law sister in law relationshipeyeglassesflash forwardswan diveslow motion scenewoman wears eyeglassesreference to tallahassee floridaextramarital affairlooking at oneself in a mirrorfalling to the groundmovie previewfilm within a filmpapaya creamreference to palm beach floridareference to moroccoreference to tangiers moroccoman slaps a womanlipsticksplit screencircular staircasepay phonemoneyfinger bandagereference to new orleans louisianadrinkingautograph seekerreference to a screen testreference to southern comfort whiskeywoman wears a swimsuitspeedboatsubjective cameraconfederate flagpointing one's finger at someonepolitical rallywhite dovecracking one's knucklesreference to cinemascopereference to variety the newspaperreference to new york cityreference to los angeles californiareference to monte carlochauffeurmegaphonecar on firefur coatreference to a bolshevik

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