This adaptation of Simon Gray's BUTLEY was part of the American Film Theater series, conceived in the 1970s by producer Ely Landau and meant to be shown theatrically just like a play, with tickets sold in advance. Alan Bates stars as Ben Butley, a bitter and repressed English literature professor at a British university. Taking place during the course of one day in Butley's office, the acerbic professor's harsh exterior is torn down bit by bit as his world crumbles around him when he learns, nearly simultaneously, of his wife's intent to divorce him, his live-in homosexual lover's infidelities, and a hated colleague's success. Grounded by by Mr. Bates' absolutely brilliant performance, BUTLEY is at once a very funny and tremendously moving film.DVD Features:Region 1Keep CaseAnamorphicAdditional Release Material: Production Interview - 1. Edie Landau Featurette - 1.Ely Landau: In Front of the Camera TrailersInteractive Features: Scene Access Interactive MenusText/Photo Galleries: Stills/Photos Production Art Poster ArtSimon Gray and BUTLEY - An essay by Michael Feingold, Head Theater Critic, The Village Voice
