You probably think of Tennessee Williams and immediately picture sweaty, dramatic breakdowns in New Orleans or a fragile glass menagerie shattering under the weight of Southern expectations. Most people do. But the Period of Adjustment film, released in 1962, is a weird, charming, and surprisingly sharp outlier in his filmography. It’s a comedy. Well, it's a "serious comedy," if such a thing exists. George Roy Hill—the guy who eventually gave us Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid—directed it, and honestly, it’s one of the most relatable movies about the absolute disaster that is the first year of marriage.
It’s Christmas Eve. Two couples are falling apart. That’s the setup.
What the Period of Adjustment Film Actually Gets Right About Relationships
Jane Fonda stars as Isabel Haverstick. She’s young, hyper-anxious, and stuck in a honeymoon that has gone south faster than a migrating bird. Her husband, George (played by Tony Franciosa), is a Korean War veteran with a severe case of the "shakes"—psychosomatic tremors that kick in whenever things get real. They end up at the home of George’s old war buddy, Ralph Baitz (Jim Hutton), who just quit his job and is currently being abandoned by his wife, Dorothea.
It sounds heavy. It kinda is. But the Period of Adjustment film handles this with a frantic, nervous energy that feels very human.
Most 1960s films about marriage were either overly saccharine or brutally tragic. This one sits in the messy middle. It talks about the "shakes." Not just George’s literal tremors, but the metaphorical ones we all get when we realize the person we married is a complete stranger. Williams wrote the original play as a "serious comedy," and the film adaptation leans into that. It asks a pretty uncomfortable question: Is marriage just a long series of adjustments that never actually end?
The Jane Fonda Factor
This was early Fonda. Before the workouts, before the heavy political activism, she was proving she could handle high-tension dialogue with a comedic edge. Her Isabel is frantic. She spends a good chunk of the movie crying in the back of a funeral limousine—which, by the way, is the only car they have because George is too cheap to buy a real one. It’s absurd.
If you watch her performance closely, you see the foundations of the powerhouse she’d become. She makes Isabel’s neuroses feel grounded. You don't just laugh at her; you feel that pit in your stomach when she realizes her "knight in shining armor" is actually a trembling mess who can't hold down a job or a conversation.
The War Veteran Subtext
We need to talk about George. In 1962, Hollywood wasn't exactly having deep, nuanced conversations about PTSD. They called it "combat fatigue" or, in this movie, "the shakes." George is a mess. He’s obsessed with his masculinity because he feels it slipping away. He tries to act tough, tries to be the dominant 1950s-style husband, but he’s failing.
The Period of Adjustment film uses Ralph’s house—a "suburban bungalow built on a sinkhole"—as a blatant metaphor. Everything is sinking. Their lives, their marriages, the literal ground beneath their feet. It’s not subtle, but it works. Ralph has married "the boss’s daughter" for money and spent years hating himself for it. When he finally quits, the relief is palpable, even if his wife is currently walking out the door.
Why Critics at the Time Were Confused
When the movie hit theaters, the reviews were all over the place. Variety and The New York Times didn't quite know what to make of a funny Tennessee Williams. They expected A Streetcar Named Desire and got a screwball comedy with a dark undercurrent.
- Some thought it was too theatrical. You can definitely tell it started as a play. Most of the action happens in one house over one night.
- Others felt the ending was too "neat." In typical Williams fashion, the resolution is a bit fragile.
- A few critics praised the chemistry between Hutton and Franciosa, noting that the "bromance" (though they didn't use that word in '62) felt more honest than the romantic plotlines.
The reality? It was a box office success. People liked seeing themselves on screen. They liked seeing that other people’s Christmases were also a nightmare of misunderstandings and ego clashes.
Production Secrets and Behind-the-Scenes Grit
George Roy Hill was a TV director making his jump to the big screen. He brought a certain tightness to the framing. He didn't want it to feel like a "filmed play," so he pushed the actors toward more physical comedy.
- Isobel's Wedding Dress: Fonda reportedly hated how she looked in some scenes, but it worked for the character—Isabel is supposed to look out of place and uncomfortable.
- The Sinkhole: The production designers actually built a set that felt slightly "off" to emphasize the house sinking into the cavern below.
- The Script: Isobel’s dialogue is famously wordy. Fonda had to memorize massive monologues that she had to deliver while sobbing or riding in a moving vehicle.
It’s also worth noting that the film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Art Direction (Black-and-White). The stark, mid-century modern aesthetic of Ralph’s house serves as a perfect cage for the characters. It looks like the American Dream, but it feels like a prison.
Where to Watch and What to Look For
If you’re going to track down the Period of Adjustment film today, you’ll likely find it on TCM or available for rent on the major digital platforms. It hasn't been given the massive 4K restoration treatment that Cat on a Hot Tin Roof got, which is a shame. The black-and-white cinematography by Milton Krasner is gorgeous. It uses shadows to make a suburban living room look like a battlefield.
When you watch it, pay attention to the silence. Williams is a master of what isn't said. When George and Ralph are reminiscing about the war, they aren't just talking about planes and barracks. They are talking about a time when life made sense, before they had to return to a world of mortgages and "adjustments."
Real-World Takeaways: The "Adjustment" is Constant
Honestly, the movie is a bit of a time capsule, but the core theme is timeless. We all enter big life stages—marriage, new careers, moving cities—expecting a smooth transition. Then the "shakes" start.
If you want to get the most out of this film, don't look at it as a romantic comedy. Look at it as a survival guide for the ego.
Next Steps for Film Buffs and Relationship Watchers:
- Compare the Play: If you can find a copy of the Tennessee Williams play, read the original ending. It’s slightly darker and less "Hollywood" than the film.
- Double Feature: Watch this alongside Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966). It’s like the grimmer, drunker older brother of Period of Adjustment.
- Focus on the Subtext: Research the "sinkhole" geography of Florida (where the story is set). It adds a whole new layer to the idea of a "collapsing" household.
- Look for George Roy Hill’s Signature: You can see his early interest in male friendship and banter that would later define his masterpieces like The Sting.
The Period of Adjustment film isn't perfect. It’s loud, it’s frantic, and the gender roles are very much stuck in 1962. But it’s honest about the fact that being a "grown-up" is mostly just pretending you aren't terrified of the floor falling out from under you. Most movies lie to you about that. This one doesn't.