 The movie is based on the Tennessee Williams play "The Milk Train  Doesnt Stop Here Anymore", which flopped on Broadway, closing on 16  March 1963 after just 69 performances. Director Tony Richardson, hot  after the release of his film _Tom Jones (1963)_ (qv), directed the  revival that opened with Tallulah Bankhead (qv) as Gloria Goforth  and Tab Hunter (qv) as Chris in January 1964. The revival was a  disaster, closing after just 5 performances. The dual failures of  "Milk Train" signalled the end of Williams greatness as a  playwright.