There's a ton to love about Boom. It's well filmed, the costumes are bizarre, and the production design is gaudy in the best way. It's also, screenplay-wise, not an awful adaptation of Williams' The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore. Where Boom fumbles is with it's two leads.
Elizabeth Taylor is far too vibrant and young to be playing an old maid on her death bed and Richard Burton is too old and world weary to be playing the handsome young drifter. Since these two dominate the entire film and everyone just offers support here and there, this shoots them film in both feet and it can't help but limp along. Because of this, the entire film feels unbalanced and off kilter. These characters stop making sense altogether.
On the plus side, there's some good camp here and there (especially Taylor's hideous costumes and head dresses) and Noel Coward shows up to steal a few scenes.
Elizabeth Taylor is far too vibrant and young to be playing an old maid on her death bed and Richard Burton is too old and world weary to be playing the handsome young drifter. Since these two dominate the entire film and everyone just offers support here and there, this shoots them film in both feet and it can't help but limp along. Because of this, the entire film feels unbalanced and off kilter. These characters stop making sense altogether.
On the plus side, there's some good camp here and there (especially Taylor's hideous costumes and head dresses) and Noel Coward shows up to steal a few scenes.