IMDb > A Place in the Sun (1951)
A Place in the Sun
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A Place in the Sun (1951) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.7/10   10,631 votes »
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Director:
Writers:
Theodore Dreiser (based on the novel by)
Patrick Kearney (play)
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for A Place in the Sun on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
11 October 1951 (France) See more »
Genre:
Tagline:
Love that paid the severest of all penalties! See more »
Plot:
A poor boy gets a job working for his rich uncle and ends up falling in love with two women. Full summary » | Full synopsis »
Awards:
Won 6 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 8 nominations See more »
NewsDesk:
(140 articles)
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Maria Callas Was To Star In "The Guns Of Navarone"
 (From CinemaRetro. 25 April 2013, 4:57 PM, PDT)

Top Ten 1950s
 (From FilmExperience. 19 March 2013, 5:14 PM, PDT)

User Reviews:
As a Film, This is Haunting, Tragic Romanticism... See more (127 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Montgomery Clift ... George Eastman

Elizabeth Taylor ... Angela Vickers

Shelley Winters ... Alice Tripp
Anne Revere ... Hannah Eastman
Keefe Brasselle ... Earl Eastman

Fred Clark ... Bellows

Raymond Burr ... Dist. Atty. R. Frank Marlowe
Herbert Heyes ... Charles Eastman
Shepperd Strudwick ... Anthony 'Tony' Vickers
Frieda Inescort ... Mrs. Ann Vickers
Kathryn Givney ... Louise Eastman
Walter Sande ... Art Jansen - George's Attorney

Ted de Corsia ... Judge R.S. Oldendorff
John Ridgely ... Coroner
Lois Chartrand ... Marsha
Paul Frees ... Rev. Morrison
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert J. Anderson ... Eagle Scout (uncredited)
Gertrude Astor ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Lulu Mae Bohrman ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Ken Christy ... Warden (uncredited)
Pat Combs ... (uncredited)
Charles Dayton ... Det. Kelly (uncredited)
Marilyn Dialon ... Frances Brand (uncredited)
Mike Donovan ... Prisoner (uncredited)
Frances Driver ... Lulu - Vickers' Maid (uncredited)
Ralph Dunn ... Policeman (uncredited)
Franklyn Farnum ... Company Executive (uncredited)
Al Ferguson ... Bailiff (uncredited)
Bess Flowers ... Courtroom Reporter (uncredited)
Ann Fredericks ... Girl (uncredited)

Kathleen Freeman ... Factory Worker - Prosecution Witness (uncredited)
Art Gilmore ... Radio Broadcaster / Trailer Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Lisa Golm ... Eastmans' Maid (uncredited)
Marion Gray ... (uncredited)
Dolores Hall ... Girl (uncredited)
Sam Harris ... Man (uncredited)
Len Hendry ... Guard (uncredited)
James Horne Jr. ... Tom Tipton (uncredited)
Sonny Howe ... (uncredited)
Frank Hyers ... Guard (uncredited)
Carmencita Johnson ... Girl (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp ... Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Mary Kent ... Mrs. Roberts - Landlady (uncredited)
Philip Kieffer ... Jailer (uncredited)
Louise Lane ... Girl (uncredited)
Mike Mahoney ... Motorcycle Officer (uncredited)
Robert Malcolm ... Guard (uncredited)
Hank Mann ... Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Martin Mason ... Prisoner (uncredited)
Harold McNulty ... Jury Foreman (uncredited)
Harold Miller ... (uncredited)
Lee Miller ... Bus Driver (uncredited)
Pearl Miller ... Miss Newton (uncredited)
Frank Mills ... Courtroom Extra (uncredited)
Hans Moebus ... William - Butler at Eastman Home (uncredited)
Jay Morley ... Executive (uncredited)
William B. Murphy ... Mr. Whiting (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien ... Servant at Eastman's Party (uncredited)
Frank O'Connor ... Factory Floorman (uncredited)
Ed O'Neill ... Deputy (uncredited)
Ezelle Poule ... Receptionist (uncredited)
Joe Recht ... Prisoner (uncredited)
John M. Reed ... Joe Parker (uncredited)

Kasey Rogers ... Miss Harper (uncredited)
Wallace Scott ... Factory Guard (uncredited)
Bill Sheehan ... Court Clerk (uncredited)
Douglas Spencer ... Boatkeeper (uncredited)
Larry Steers ... Company Executive (uncredited)
Cliff Storey ... (uncredited)
Arthur Tovey ... Juror (uncredited)
Josephine Whittell ... Margaret - Eastman's Secretary (uncredited)
Eric Wilton ... Vickers' Butler (uncredited)

Ian Wolfe ... Dr. Wyeland (uncredited)
Frank Yaconelli ... Truck Driver (uncredited)
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Directed by
George Stevens 
 
Writing credits
Theodore Dreiser (based on the novel by)

Patrick Kearney (play adapted from the novel by)

Michael Wilson (screenplay) and
Harry Brown (screenplay)

Produced by
Ivan Moffat .... associate producer
George Stevens .... producer
 
Original Music by
Franz Waxman 
 
Cinematography by
William C. Mellor (director of photography)
 
Film Editing by
William Hornbeck 
 
Art Direction by
Hans Dreier 
Walter H. Tyler  (as Walter Tyler)
 
Set Decoration by
Emile Kuri 
 
Costume Design by
Edith Head (costumes)
 
Makeup Department
Wally Westmore .... makeup supervisor
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles C. Coleman .... assistant director (as C.C. Coleman Jr.)
Gerd Oswald .... second assistant director
 
Sound Department
Gene Garvin .... sound recordist
Gene Merritt .... sound recordist
 
Visual Effects by
Farciot Edouart .... process photography
Loyal Griggs .... process photography
Gordon Jennings .... special photographic effects
 
Stunts
Paul Baxley .... stunts (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joan Joseff .... costume jeweller (uncredited)
 
Music Department
Daniele Amfitheatrof .... composer: additional music (uncredited)
David Buttolph .... composer: stock music (uncredited)
Gerard Carbonara .... composer: stock music (uncredited)
Aaron Copland .... composer: stock music (uncredited)
Sidney Cutner .... orchestrator (uncredited)
John C. Hammell .... music editor (uncredited)
George Parrish .... orchestrator (uncredited)
Leonid Raab .... composer: stock music (uncredited)
Leonid Raab .... orchestrator (uncredited)
Miklós Rózsa .... composer: stock music (uncredited)
Leo Shuken .... orchestrator (uncredited)
Van Cleave .... orchestrator (uncredited)
Roy Webb .... composer: stock music (uncredited)
Victor Young .... composer: additional music (uncredited)
 
Other crew
Fred Guiol .... associate director
Howie Horwitz .... assistant to the producer
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributors
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Runtime:
122 min
Country:
Language:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)
Certification:
Australia:G (original DVD rating) | Australia:PG (DVD re-rating) | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #14461) | Argentina:Atp | Finland:K-11 (re-rating) (1986) | West Germany:12 (f) | Argentina:13 (DVD rating) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review)

Did You Know?

Trivia:
In the opening credits, as George waits at the side of the road for a ride, he's actually passed by Angela's car, as you can tell by the distinctive horn.See more »
Goofs:
Continuity: At the party at the Eastman house, George is shown talking to Angela right next to the billiard table. George holds a billiard stick in his hand. Then Mr. Eastman comes into the billiard room, and simultaneously George turns to greet him, but suddenly the billiard stick is not in his hand at all, but is now lying on the billiard table.See more »
Quotes:
Truck driver that picks up George hitchhiking:[First Lines]
[pulling up to Eastman Industries]
Truck driver that picks up George hitchhiking:Is this the place?
George Eastman:Yeah.
See more »
Movie Connections:
Soundtrack:
My Silent LoveSee more »

FAQ

How does the movie end?
Was George really guilty of murder?
Is "A Place in the Sun" based on a book?
See more »
36 out of 57 people found the following review useful.
As a Film, This is Haunting, Tragic Romanticism..., 4 April 1999
Author: Donald J. Lamb from Philadelphia, PA

George Stevens' A PLACE IN THE SUN is a poetic film, filled with tender moments, sadness, and pending doom. Having not read the book, I had the pleasure of seeing the material for the first time, which is preferable if you see a film based on a "classic" novel. Montgomery Clift is his usual mysterious self as he has a scandalous relationship with the homely Shelly Winters and falls instantly in love with a spellbindingly beautiful Liz Taylor, who was only 19 when the picture was made. She glows with energy and a sense of optimism about life, a stark contrast to Clift, whom Taylor has also fallen for. Rumor has it they had an actual affair while making the movie. This is not for all tastes, for it is slow, and Clift is not all that appealing. The idea of dropping a lesser life (with Winters) and pursuing the good life with Taylor is what makes it work and the lengths to which Clift will go are staggering.

George Stevens has a gift for "painting" a movie on-screen. Just see GIANT, also with Taylor, or SHANE, the other two parts of his "American Trilogy". The scenes on the lake and the way the mood of the movie is painted is quite simply amazing. He also uses slow dissolves that leave a ghostly image on-screen between scenes. This all adds to the atmospheric touch of tragedy that will ensue. Poor Shelly Winters. She always gets a raw deal in films. There are times when you almost sympathize with Clift. Imagine living the life of a socialite with the girl of your dreams and a good job with your family. A life with Winters would be dismal according to Clift and us. What's right is right, however. An unnecessary court room saga closes the picture to ensure the viewer's sense of justice. This must've been pretty controversial stuff back in the early-50's

A PLACE IN THE SUN truly is an American tragedy, a portrait of young lives gone wrong with post-WWII optimism as a backdrop. Clift and Taylor shine together, and provide film fans with a romance never to be forgotten. The finale is emotionally draining during Taylor's expression of undying love. Unfortunately, Clift cannot have it all. A beautiful piece of classical Hollywood film-making with a mix of method acting (Clift) and a love story we wish could work.

RATING: 8 of 10

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