A Place in the Sun (1951)

Director:

George Stevens

Writers:

Theodore Dreiser (based on the novel by)
Patrick Kearney (play)
(more)

Release Date:

11 October 1951 (France)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Love that paid the severest of all penalties!

Plot:

A poor boy gets a job working for his rich uncle and ends up falling in love with two women.

Plot Keywords:

Party | Love | Factory | Assembly Line | Falling In Love

Awards:

Won 6 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

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)

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

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures (George Stevens' Production)

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1951) (USA) (theatrical) (as A Paramount Picture)
• Paramount Pictures (1959) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1966) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Paramount Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Pictures Entertainment (1951) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Paramount (1951) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Paramount (1952) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (????) (Argentina) (VHS)
• CIC Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Emerald (2008) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2003) (Germany) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

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)

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

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.

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.

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.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Guiding Light: Episode dated 31 July 1981" (1981)

Soundtrack:

My Silent Love

As a Film, This is Haunting, Tragic Romanticism...

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