Mary McCarthy's 1963 novel "The Group" follows eight Vassar graduates of the class of 1933 who remain friends as they face the tribulations and joys of the real world. Lesbianism, pre-marital sex, women arranging for contraceptives, abortion, spousal abuse, and marital infidelity are among the themes. Australia, Ireland, and Italy banned the novel as "offensive to public morality," but it remained on The New York Times bestseller list for nearly two years. Norman Mailer was among its critics, saying McCarthy was a good writer, but not good enough to write this kind of fiction. In 1966, Sidney Lumet filmed it, using a screenplay by Sidney Buchman. It's available on DVD and for streaming. It remains vivid and topical, if less shocking.
Kay Strong (Joanna Pettet) is the first of the Group to marry. Her husband Harald Peterman (Larry Hagman) is a playwright who took graduate classes at Yale, but whom Kay describes as a "Yale man." She goes to work at Macy's to support him while he waits for his theatrical break. Dottie Renfrew (Joan Hackett) wants to be a welfare worker. She's seduced by Dick Brown (Richard Mulligan), only to discover that she was simply a sexual conquest. Mary "Pokey" Prothero (Mary Robin-Redd) is the richest of the Group, and is happy to live the life of a wealthy society matron. Next-wealthiest and the most beautiful is the enigmatic, sensitive "Lakey" Eastlake (Candice Bergen in her film debut). She goes to Europe to get her Ph.D. in art history, and returns with more than a degree.
Warm, patient Polly Andrews (Shirley Knight), whose family lost its money during the Depression, works as a hospital technician. Her neighbors seem to be socialists. She has an affair with a married publisher, Gus LeRoy (Hal Holbrook), who spends a fortune on psychoanalysis to determine if he should leave his wife. Beautiful English major Libby MacAusland (Jessica Walter) is hired by Gus to read manuscripts, earning $5 for each one. She fails to become an editor, but instead establishes herself as a successful literary agent. Brainy Priss Hartshorn (Elizabeth Hartman), an adamant supporter of President Roosevelt, goes to work in the National Recovery Administration. She marries the controlling Dr. Sloan Crockett (James Congdon) and suffers after the birth of their son, Stephen, because he prevents her from bonding with the infant. Witty Helena Davidson (Kathleen Widdoes) defies family expectations to teach at an experimental school in Cleveland.
The Group stays in touch, celebrates birthdays, weddings, births, and other happy events. They balance rivalry with loyalty, competitiveness with camaraderie. Kay, perhaps the most ambitious, rises rapidly at Macy's. She insists on taking a larger apartment and furnishing it in the latest style. Harald, who has not established himself in the theatre, resents her success and becomes physically and verbally abusive. After one harrowing beating, Kay is taken to the hospital where Polly works. Kay's shame and denial are deeply touching, as is Polly's supportive, sympathetic response. She introduces Kay to Dr. James Ridgely (James Broderick), who offers help.
Each of the Group grows in response to life's challenges and reveals more of herself. Dottie gets over Dick without becoming bitter and marries a warm, older man. Libby, flirtatious, gossipy, with "a red scar for a mouth," says Polly, is actually frightened of men and of sex. Polly lets Gus Edwards return to his wife without any bitterness. She and Dr. Ridgley fall in love. Kay, on the other hand, cannot admit her marriage has been a failure. Lakey introduces the Group to the severe Baroness (Lidia Prochnicka), her lover, whom she met in Europe. They accept her without hesitation.
The untimely death of one of the Group unites them in tragedy for the first time. Each one's reaction is consistent with her character. Together, they do the right thing.
Lumet gets excellent work from his young cast. Part of the pleasure of the film is watching the talented actors early in their careers. Knight, perhaps the most experienced (she had already been nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar twice), is splendid as Polly, bringing humor to a part that could easily have been merely noble. Walter relishes playing bitchy Libby, yet reveals her fears and is ultimately moving. Hackett's Dottie projects a rueful wittiness, making her resiliency touching. Pettet is superb as Kay, capturing her drive and fear of not being the best at everything, whether it's a model wife or a model career woman.
Widdoes is excellent, especially in her confrontation with Vassar classmate Norine Blake (Carrie Nye), whose resentment at not having been one of the Group is poisonous. Hartman is fine as Priss, tormented by her controlling husband, but unable to break free and do what she knows is right. As Lakey, Bergen's self-assurance, self-acceptance, and compassion make her performance memorable and unlike almost anything she would ever do. Her response to the angry Harald's questions about her relationship with Kay is memorable.
Hagman is fearless in portraying the troubled, mean Harald, yet keeps him multi-dimensional. Holbrook's Gus demonstrates the risks of "analysis paralysis." Broderick is warm, confident, and smart enough to value Polly.
Buchman's screenplay remains faithful to the novel and avoids bathos. Lumet keeps the action moving without ever stinting on character development or sharp dialogue. The Manhattan locations are evocative, beautifully rendered by Boris Kaufman's first-rate cinematography. Anna Hill Johnstone designed the outstanding costumes.
Lesbianism is no longer a big deal for much of American society, but the other issues raised by McCarthy's novel and its film adaptation remain disturbing and unresolved.