The Story of The Whales of August
The Whales of August follows Libby and Sarah, two elderly widowed sisters who've arrived at an impasse in their relationship. Every summer, they escape the heat of Pittsburgh to a small cottage on the Maine coast — a ritual they've maintained for decades, yet one that now feels hollow, weighed down by unspoken grievances and the simple fact of aging. The film doesn't traffic in melodrama or manufactured conflict. Instead, it's a quiet study of how two people who share a lifetime of history can somehow feel like strangers. Can they rediscover the powerful bonds of memory, family, and love that once held them together? That's the gentle but profound question the film turns over, again and again.
Behind the Making of The Whales of August
Director Lindsay Anderson adapted David Berry's stage play for the screen in 1987, bringing a distinctly theatrical sensibility to what could have been a maudlin television movie. The result is something far more restrained and dignified. The cast reads like a roll call of Hollywood royalty in their final chapters: Bette Davis (who'd appear in only one more film after this), Lillian Gish (making her final screen appearance, having debuted in cinema in 1912), Ann Sothern (also in her last film role), and Vincent Price, who brings unexpected warmth to the role of a visiting old friend. The supporting cast includes Harry Carey Jr., Margaret Ladd, and Mary Steenburgen, each adding texture to this intimate portrait.
The film earned a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay at the Academy Awards and picked up two wins and five nominations overall at various ceremonies. It's the kind of modest success that doesn't set box offices on fire — the film grossed $1.3 million domestically — yet lingers with those who see it. The 90-minute runtime is perfectly calibrated; there's no filler, no unnecessary subplot padding. What you're watching is craft: the kind of filmmaking that trusts its actors and its audience to sit with discomfort and silence. Movie OTT tracks where films like this end up across streaming platforms, and The Whales of August has found a home on several services, making it easier than ever to revisit Anderson's final feature.
What Makes The Whales of August Stand Out
What's striking is how much of the film's power comes from what isn't said. Davis and Gish don't deliver big, theatrical monologues about their fractured sisterhood — they bicker about trivial things, they sit in silence, they watch the ocean. One reviewer noted that watching these two legends onscreen raises an almost metaphysical question: how much of their performance is acting, and how much is simply two elderly women being themselves, drawing on seven decades of accumulated screen presence? That ambiguity is the film's secret weapon.
The performances aren't showy. They're lived-in. Davis, in particular, brings a brittleness to Libby that feels earned rather than performed — the kind of thing you can only do when you've been in front of cameras since before most people were born. Gish, by contrast, plays Sarah with a kind of stubborn grace, a woman who's made peace with her choices in ways Libby never has. Vincent Price's appearance as a suave, charming visitor from their past adds an unexpected note of wistfulness to the second half. The film doesn't judge these characters for their resentments or their small cruelties toward each other. It simply observes, the way a good documentary might, that loneliness and familiarity aren't opposites — they often go hand in hand. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 64% Fresh rating, while IMDb users settled on 7.1 out of 10, suggesting the film appeals most to those patient enough to meet it on its own meditative terms.
Where to Stream The Whales of August Online
The Whales of August is currently available across multiple streaming platforms. You can watch it on Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Prime Video (with a subscription), or purchase it through the Apple TV Store. If you subscribe to MGM Plus, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, or the MGM+ Amazon Channel, it's included in your library. The film also streams on fuboTV, Philo, and Tubi TV. Rather than hunting across a dozen services, check the Where to Watch widget at the top of this page — it'll show you exactly where the film is streaming right now in your region and whether it's included with your current subscriptions or requires a rental purchase.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who directed The Whales of August?
Lindsay Anderson directed the film, adapting David Berry's stage play for his final feature. Anderson was known for his distinctive, often austere visual style — and that restraint serves the material beautifully here.
Q: Is The Whales of August based on a true story?
No, it's based on David Berry's original play of the same name. While the characters and their specific story are fictional, the emotional truths about aging, sibling relationships, and memory that the play explores feel deeply rooted in real human experience.
Q: Was this the final film for Bette Davis and Lillian Gish?
It was the final film for Lillian Gish and Ann Sothern. Bette Davis appeared in one more film after this — Wicked Stepmother (1989) — making The Whales of August her second-to-last screen appearance.
Q: How long is The Whales of August?
The film runs 90 minutes, a tight runtime that Anderson uses efficiently, never overstaying its welcome.
Q: What's the movie rated?
The Whales of August is not rated, though it contains no objectionable content — it's a gentle, mature drama suitable for most audiences.
Final Thoughts on The Whales of August
This is a film for people who don't need explosions or plot twists to feel moved. It's a film that trusts silence, that lets its actors breathe, that understands that the deepest conflicts between people who love each other often go unresolved. If you're looking for a character-driven drama anchored by two of cinema's greatest actresses at the end of their careers, The Whales of August delivers something rare: genuine, unforced intimacy. Movie OTT helps you find it wherever it's streaming.
