NOTES: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Award, Best Actor, David Niven, defeating Tony Curtis in The Defiant Ones, Paul Newman in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Sidney Poitier in The Defiant Ones and Spencer Tracy in The Old Man and the Sea.The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Award, Best Supporting Actress, Wendy Hiller, defeating Peggy Cass in Auntie Mame, Martha Hyer in Some Came Running, Maureen Stapleton in Lonelyhearts, and Cara Williams in The Defiant Ones.Also nominated for Best Picture (won by Gigi), Best Actress, Deborah Kerr (won by Susan Hayward for I Want To Live), Best Screenplay based on material from another medium (won by Gigi), Best Black-and- white Cinematography (won by The Defiant Ones), Best Scoring of a Drama or Comedy (won by The Old Man and the Sea).With a domestic rentals gross of $2.7 million, number 20 at U.S./Canadian ticket windows for 1959. Oddly, although it took good money, the movie was nowhere near as successful in the United Kingdom. In Australia, however, the picture was a colossal success, placing no less than 7th at the national box-office in what was an extremely difficult year for cinemas with that new novelty of television finally starting to really bite into capital city revenues. David Niven, Best Actor — New York Film Critics. David Niven, Best Actor — Foreign Language Press of New York. Deborah Kerr, Best Actress — Foreign Language Press of New York. David Niven, Best Dramatic Actor — Hollywood Foreign Press. Second to The Old Man and the Sea as Best American Film of 1958 — The National Board of Review. Best Film of the Year — New York Daily News. 7th Best of the Year — Film Daily annual poll of American film critics. 5th Best of 1958 — The New York Herald Tribune. 7th Best of 1958 — The New York Post. 2nd to Gigi as the Best Film of 1958 — The New York Daily Mirror. 4th Best Movie of 1958 — Filmfacts composite list. One of the ten best films of the year on the alphabetical lists published by The News Orleans Times-Picayune, The New York Journal American, and The New York World-Telegram. The above of course is merely a sample of the numerous awards and nominations accorded to Separate Tables.COMMENT: Originally presented on the West End (London) stage with enormous critical and public support, "Separate Tables" was re- staged with even more acclaim on Broadway. In fact, both the Broadway play and Rattigan were nominated for a Tony Award. It was inevitable that such a triumph be eyed by Hollywood. No- one, however, was more aware of the problems confronting a movie version than Rattigan himself. He felt that "Separate Tables" would not make a successful, or even a feasible motion picture unless its plot could be ingeniously reconstructed into one unified narrative. Therefore, when he sold the film rights to Hecht, Hill and Lancaster, Rattigan insisted that he be engaged to write the screenplay.In making this transformation, the somewhat downbeat and noirish elements of the original play have been modified. Nonetheless, the characters themselves have been strengthened and made more interesting so that players like David Niven, Deborah Kerr, Gladys Cooper and Wendy Hiller would have a field day.However, despite the well-merited adulation for Niven, Kerr and Cooper, I thought the players in the other segment of the movie, namely the other original one-act play, equally and perhaps even more deserving. Wendy Hiller figures in both episodes, but she is at her best in these other segment scenes. At the same time, Burt Lancaster never gave a better performance, while Rita Hayworth absolutely dazzles with her brilliance.

What surprised me in this movie is how much things have changed since 1958. It is hard to believe I was alive at the time. However, I remember well how a divorced person was something hushed like having cancer---or being dear God! an alcoholic---so yes this movie is believable. What an uptight nightmare. My second surprise is that 2 of the actors won Oscars--David Niven and Wendy Hiller--Niven best leading actor and Hiller supporting. But Niven's role was tiny! Just proves my feeling that Oscars mean absolutely nothing except who has connections or what new PC theme is being covered. (in this case frigidity)That said I found this talky movie a provenance of later talky boring adult themed intense about nothing movies with famous stars. It reminded me of Who is afraid of Virginia Wolf.This is an actors movies where the actors think they are finally being used for serious topics.The story is about a dozen guests in a hotel over a period of a couple days as various sub plots circle around a center plot of a man who inappropriately elbows women in movie theaters and what to do about such a guest. Topics include frigid wives--vicious gossips--losers who make up their pasts and an alcoholic writer. It is filmed in about 2 rooms.I would avoid it unless nothing else is available. It is not terrible in the way other movies are terrible it is just dull.

I was attracted to this movie by the actors, most of whom invoke fond memories and iconic performances. Deborah Kerr and David Niven, in particular, go out on a limb and play against type. The motley collection of thespians in this film are cocooned mostly in the interior of a little seaside hotel, mostly in the drawing and dining rooms and performing an adaptation of Terence Rattigan plays. It has been said that no man - or woman - is an island, but in this movie all the characters are islands, sitting, as they do, at separate tables in the dining room. It's a safe and non-intrusive arrangement - or is it? Join someone else at their table and the bees start buzzing. (I have also just seen another movie with a similar set-up - the main story in the enjoyable British drama "Trio").Deborah Kerr is barely recognizable as a mousy, neurotic wallflower who fades into the scenery pretty quickly and stays there. She is attracted to David Niven's bombastic ex-military type with the preened moustache who ends his conversations with "cheery-bye". He hides a secret - he's really a repressed nobody. Rita Hayworth is a shrew. She's either really nice or really awful - when she's really awful her speech becomes clipped. Burt Lancaster is her ex, an alcoholic writer who has a thing for the hotel's owner (Wendy Hiller). Rod Taylor is on hand in a sub-plot that barely registers. Gladys Cooper, as Kerr's mom, a pinched old prude, is the most fun. All of the characters elicit some sympathy and all of the acting is perfectly respectable, yet even with so much talent on hand, the movie seems rather ordinary. There are only intermittent sparks, even in the Hayworth/Lancaster rocky love story. It has little vigour and the melodrama seems subdued. When Kerr finally defies her mother the earth should have shook; instead there was a momentary blip on the dramatic scale."Separate Tables" suffers badly from "television-itis". It looks and feels like a well-dressed television studio production from the 1950's. Even some of the camera and dolly movements and Delbert Mann's awkward transitions between scenes reek of television (was the movie originally intended for the tube?). Had the original material been opened up and filmed on location with real exteriors maybe the fresh morning breeze would have cleared the air. As it is, the movie feels a little muffled and quaint.

This movie is an under-rated little gem. Typical of its director, Delbert Mann, it has a low budget and limited set, but a cast with enormous talent. The excellence of the acting and the characters that emerge make this movie special. The movie takes place in a a hotel operated by Wendy Hiller, who is romantically involved with Burt Lancaster. His wife, played by Rita Hayworth, shows up unexpectedly to try to mend fences with her husband. As the movie progresses, David Niven, another of the residents, is exposed as a fraud with a scandal hanging over him. A younger woman, played by Deborah Kerr, has taken an interest in him. Kerr is manipulated by her domineering mother, played by Gladys Cooper, who has moulded her into a sad and shy young woman. As the ring leader of this haven of interesting characters, Gladys Cooper is positively delighted by the news of Niven's shady side and tries to evict him from the hotel. Will she succeed or will the good in people prevail? This is a fine movie with great performances by the cast, British and American. Not mentioned above is Felix Aylmer who adds a touch of class as Mr. Fowler as well as Rod Taylor and Cathleen Nesbitt whose minor roles contribute to the overall pleasure of this movie. If you get the chance, don't miss it.