The Night of the Iguana
The defrocked Rev. Dr. T. Lawrence Shannon (Richard Burton) is to be the tour guide and historian for a church ladies' bus tour of Mexican religious historical sights. Even before boarding the old fashioned school bus, Shannon develops a contentious relationship with the lesbian leader of the women's group, Judith Fellowes (Grayson Hall) who is protective - read jealous - of the delinquent Charlottes (Lyon) interest in the reverend as her potential rescuer from being placed with the aged travelers. Driven to distraction by the attentions of the delinquent Lolita, Reverend Shannon has a alcoholic breakdown - as does the bus, right on cue - as they arrive nearby the Puerta Vallarta version of Bed & Breakfast establishment of the wildly over-the-top Maxine Faulk played by Gardner. Shortly after their arrival, the tour begins to heat up as the Reverend takes the bus's distributor thereby preventing the ladies' escape or the continuation of their tour. Shortly after the tour bus arrives, come an aging poet and his niece (Kerr). The heterosexual mirror to the appropriately named Fellowes, Hannah Jelkes proves to be less conservative than her spinster-like appearance indicates. Gardner's character has two native "beach boys" who chase down and chain up the titular Iguana so that it might be "fattened up" to be eaten up for dinner. All to the excitement and shock of the touring women. All the while Lyon is pursuing Shannon while as Jelkes and Faul pursue him as well and he pursues the bottle. Fellowes is either protecting Lyon's honor or hoping to convert her to lesbianism. An impromptu party develops and builds to a crescendo of death - Kerr's character's elderly poet uncle; jealous fighting - the beach boys and the bus driver, Lyon's character's other protector; and (verbally) Shannon and almost everyone else but the senile Miss Peebles - the author's tour ladies' personification. After sharing her secret sin with Shannon and the timely and sweet death of Miss Jelkes's poet just after finishing his last and lengthy poem, all the players find a weird peace. This acceptance that world must continue in its flawed manner and all must forgive, accept redemption and move on, arrives towards the end of the Night of the Iguana.
dramatic