The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing (1955)

Stanford White (Ray Milland) is a wealthy and famous 47 year old architect in New York. Evelyn Nesbit (Joan Collins) is a stunningly beautiful 16 year old model and chorus girl... See full synopsis »

Director:

Richard Fleischer

Writers:

Walter Reisch, Charles Brackett

Stars:

Ray Milland, Joan Collins, Farley Granger

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Ray Milland	...	Stanford White
Joan Collins	...	Evelyn Nesbit Thaw
Farley Granger	...	Harry Kendall Thaw
Luther Adler	...	Delphin Delmas
Cornelia Otis Skinner	...	Mrs. Thaw
Glenda Farrell	...	Mrs. Nesbit
Frances Fuller	...	Mrs. Elizabeth White
Phillip Reed	...	Robert Collier (as Philip Reed)
Gale Robbins	...	Gwen Arden
James Lorimer	...	McCaleb
John Hoyt	...	William Travers Jerome
Robert F. Simon	...	Stage Manager (as Robert Simon)
Harvey Stephens	...	Dr. Hollingshead DDS
Emile Meyer	...	Hunchbacher

Storyline

Stanford White (Ray Milland) is a wealthy and famous 47 year old architect in New York. Evelyn Nesbit (Joan Collins) is a stunningly beautiful 16 year old model and chorus girl... See full synopsis »

---

Plot Keywords:

old man | upper class | hatred | mother daughter relationship | argument | 

---

Genres:

Biography | Crime | Drama | History | Romance

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 October 1955 (USA)

Also Known As:

Das Mädchen auf der Samtschaukel

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min 104 min (FMC Library Print)

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Western Electric Recording) (magnetic prints) Mono (optical prints)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Before being put on suspension, Marilyn Monroe was 20th Century-Fox's original choice for the role of Evelyn Nesbit. She turned this film and a forthcoming adaptation of the then-current Broadway musical 'The Girl in Pink Tights' (which was to co-star Dan Dailey and 'Mitzi Gaynor') and was put on suspension. Sheree North was then announced as her replacement for both films until Joan Collins was eventually cast as Nesbit. 'Girl in Pink Tights' was eventually abandoned.

---

Quotes

Mrs. Nesbit: I've seen more tears run down the pretty faces than the plain ones.

---

Connections

Referenced in Norma Jean & Marilyn (1996)

---

Soundtracks

"Auf Freiem Fusse, Op. 345"
(uncredited)
Music by Johann Strauß
Played at the restaurant when Harry is discussing the Matterhorn

User Reviews

Swing high ,sweet Evelyn Thaw;

Richard Fleischer remains one of the most underrated of the American directors.His influence is huge,particularly in Europa:Chabrol's last movie "La Fille Coupée En Deux" is a disguised remake of "girl on the red velvet swing" -and not nearly so good.His movies dealing with criminal affairs are all interesting and form,in spite of their differences ,a well-knit group:"Follow me quietly" "Compulsion" "Crack in the mirror" and his more accomplished works "Boston strangler" and " 10 Rillington PLace" ."The girl on the red velvet swing" ,in spite of its costume drama side,belongs to the genre too.We're told since the beginning it's a criminal affair.The title is a transparent metaphor:Evelyn is not only caught between two men;she is a proletarian ,close to French writer Colette's "Gigi" in the world of the wealthy and the mighty.One of her men doesn't want to divorce and to marry her ,not because she is young enough to be his daughter but because the world he lives in is not prepared to accept such a monstrous union.If she were a rich heiress ,the daughter of one his rich customers who have him built desirable mansions ,all would be forgiven .And if the girl marries a millionaire ,it's only because he is impotent ,under an over possessive mother's thumb :in an amazing scene the mother recognizes the facts.People who know Mankiewicz's "The barefoot Contessa" will notice the similarities between the two "rich" marriages .

Like Max Ophuls' "Lola Montès" ,when her family-in -law denies her,it only remains for her to make a spectacle of herself in a theater ,a place she should never have left.The two scenes in which the girl is on the swing are the most impressive ,with a dazzling camera:there's something disturbing in the first one,when the girl asks for the moon (true and figurative sense)..But "it's only a paper moon sailing over a cardboard sea...it's only a canvas sky..hanging over a muslin tree"