2hotFeature one of my absolute favorites!

GarnettTeenage The film was still a fun one that will make you laugh and have you leaving the theater feeling like you just stole something valuable and got away with it.

Merolliv I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

Roy Hart If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

mark.waltz I find that some films of the 1960's are very difficult to watch because of their character shattering plot developments. Along with "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?", this is one of them. It happens to a very similar character here, who like Martha in "VW", has begun to isolate many people around her. June (Beryl Reid) is a lesbian soap opera actress in London who plays Sister George, a popular nurse on a serial. She lives with the "Baby Doll" like Katie (Susannah York), and emotionally abuses her when Katie, in her mind, acts up. On the set, June (called "Sister George" on and off screen) is more than a bit demanding, jealous of other actors whose popularity ratings are going up, and just a bit angry when it is insinuated by one of the crew members that her days are numbered. June gets rip-roaringly drunk, assaults two visiting nuns in a Taxi, and is reprimanded by Mercy Croft (Coral Browne) of the production staff. Her behavior gets more and more out of control until it all caves in on her and she is indeed prepared to be "killed off". Even that, June can't take with dignity, and makes funny faces at the truck drivers who "killed her off", which sets the cast and crew tittering. It's not apparent whether or not they love her or take pleasure in watching her downfall, but that's what happens here. Katie obviously has had enough, and Mercy, having visited June at a gay bar to tell her the news of her dismissal, sets her sights on Katie. From there it's just a matter of time before June ("Sister George") has her blowout, and ends up having a breakdown herself, much like Martha did in "Virginia Woolf".I think that you must be of an artistic, serious dramatic viewing mind, to watch "The Killing of Sister George", and familiar with having seen serious dramatic plays on stage. Every actor is outstanding, and the film is riveting to be sure, but it is deep, even if there is a lot of "black comedy" abound. Then, there is the lesbian issue. The films of the 60's have a bleak take on what living openly was like. Take a look at "Staircase" or "The Boys in the Band" to see the male version of this. These are not happy people. "Sister George" is only happy when she is the center of attention on the set, or when she is humiliating Katie, punishing her by forcing her to eat her cigar butt. Reid is simply amazing to watch with her boundless energy, York is enchanting, and you certainly won't confuse Coral Browne's Vera Charles ("Auntie Mame") with Mercy Croft. The film shows its theatrical routes which indicates why many plays did better on stage and felt like an acid trip when put on screen.

wadechurton Firstly, it's not about lesbians per se; it's about these two particular lesbians and the final days of their long, twisted relationship. More importantly, it's about one woman's slow, sad self-destruction. 'TKoSG' was based on a stage play, but rest assured the movie is a satisfyingly 'cinematic' experience, realised with skillful editing and excellent direction. Amazing that director Robert Aldritch went from macho WW2 caper 'The Dirty Dozen' to this female-dominated character-driven 'small-scale' movie. 'TKoSG' bears repeated watching to catch the subtler portents. George is monstrous but not a monster; though petty and self-obsessed to the point of becoming oblivious to the spiraling degeneration of her personal and professional life. The most complex, enigmatic character is George's TV boss Mercy Croft, who a first seems disconcertingly snooty, condescending and unpleasant. In fact, it is the widowed Mrs Croft who (arguably) acts with the most genuine humanity; instantly recognising an abusive relationship and making moves to rescue Alice from it. She constantly endeavours –until finally pushed too far- to break bad news with sensitivity and treat George with due respect, including lining her up a new job. Even the blatant display of homosexual affection at the Gateways Club barely fazes her. Her only miscalculation is that she does not fully see Alice for the unstable, pathologically dependent person she is. While some of the more superficial elements have become dated, the great acting (including the smaller roles) remains a pleasure. Only Susannah York lets the side down just a little with an occasionally self-conscious performance. Also, it may be just me; but the (deliberately?) garish manner in which George's prostitute friend is presented gives an oddly 'David Lynch' vibe (that's not completely unwelcome, though). The ending, when George finally realises just what has happened and how, is unforgettable. All in all, a very entertaining, emotionally engaging movie from the late 1960s with only a thin dusting of 'quaint' to show for all those years. And for aficionados there's the bonus of some truly groovy neo-psychedelic soundtrack music at the Gateways Club party.

Tony Patriarche I don't give many movies 10/10, but this black comedy-drama gets my vote, for fine acting, production values, and of course its place in movie history in the frank portrayal of lesbian relationships.Others have & will comment on the latter, so I'll point out some of the other aspects of this fine film. The combination of comedy with personal tragedy poses difficult problems both for the writer & director; here they both succeed brilliantly.The three principals' performances are riveting. I particularly liked the ambiguity of Coral Brown's portrayal of Mercy Croft; watch her carefully in the tight closeups in the gay club, and notice how the down-turned mouth at times hides a hint of a self-satisfied smile.The cinematography deserves special mention. The use of colour is beautiful; I was reminded of "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg", but it never steps over the line into unreality. On the contrary, the alleys of London, the TV studio and above all the stairs and corridor of the flat are supremely realistic. Most unusual is the use of chiaroscuro, the interplay of light-and-shadow, seldom seen outside of black & white films. In so many colour films the light appears to come from some amorphous omnidirectional source out of science fiction; great for lighting everything and everybody evenly, but unrealistic and DULL. Look at the shadows as Beryl Reid ('George') enters the apartment building and climbs the stairs, or in some of the bedroom scenes. Apart from its other many virtues, this movie held my attention as a fine piece of film-making.All in all, a masterpiece; my one regret is that it was shown on TV in pan-and-scan. It IS now available in DVD - in several formats & regions - so I look forward to watching it again in its original form.

julikell This movie is a heck of a lot more relevant than more recent films dealing with lesbianism -- the shallow, lame DESERT HEARTS comes to mind. Though over two hours long, TKOSG held me with little effort. The action moved freely from the studio to the apartment to the pub. And the seduction scene was totally erotic and ... well ... never mind. Was this particular scene overly long? Only to a generation raised on sex scenes which rarely last as long as it takes to cook a three-minute egg. Explicit? Grow up!And the performances ... wow! I had no problem with the hold George had over Childie, with Beryl Reid's superior portrayal complemented perfectly by Susannah York's fragile and, at the same time, forceful Childie. I must admit, York was a bit over the top in the beginning, but I wouldn't say that if I didn't count her as one of my all-time favorite actresses. And how about Coral Browne -- she was sensational! Sublty menacing, eerily sensuous -- and when I realized this was the same woman from AUNTIE MAME and LYLA CLARE, well, I nearly fell off my chair. I love this lady!