Peyton Place (1957)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Mark Robson

Writers:

John Michael Hayes (screenplay)
Grace Metalious (novel)

Release Date:

3 March 1958 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Now all of it is on the screen!

Plot:

Allison MacKenzie looks back on life in the New England town where she grew up around the time of Pearl Harbor...

Plot Keywords:

Stepfather | Scandal | Village | High School | Principal

Awards:

Nominated for 9 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Lana Turner	...	Constance MacKenzie
Lee Philips	...	Michael Rossi
Lloyd Nolan	...	Dr. Swain
Arthur Kennedy	...	Lucas Cross
Russ Tamblyn	...	Norman Page
Terry Moore	...	Betty Anderson
Hope Lange	...	Selena Cross
Diane Varsi	...	Allison MacKenzie
David Nelson	...	Ted Carter
Barry Coe	...	Rodney Harrington
Betty Field	...	Nellie Cross
Mildred Dunnock	...	Miss Elsie Thornton
Leon Ames	...	Mr. Harrington
Lorne Greene	...	Prosecutor
Robert H. Harris	...	Seth Bushwell

Runtime:

157 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Canada:14A (video rating) | USA:Approved (certificate #18628) | Germany:12 (DVD rating) | West Germany:16 (f) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Spain:T | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Belfast, Maine, USA

Company:

Jerry Wald Productions

Trivia:

Pat Hingle and Joan Crawford were both quoted as being interested in the leading roles.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Mr. Rossi introduces Miss Thornton at the senior prom, the audience is heard applauding a moment before they are actually seen applauding.

Quotes:

Mr. Harrington: This job starts at 3,000 a year.
Michael Rossi: Then we're all wasting our time. That's only $5 a week more than I was making as a teacher, Mr. Harrington
Mr. Harrington: But this offers you security -- a long term contract.
Michael Rossi: Guaranteed poverty is not security.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in L'important c'est d'aimer (1975)

Soundtrack:

Chattanooga Choo Choo

"Soaper" defined

I had heard so much about this film for so long and was aware of its multiple acting nominations - so my hopes were high when I pushed it in the VCR. What a letdown. It's apparent that everyone involved thought they were making an important film - and maybe they were at the time. But it's impossibly dated now and has value only as a Hollywood time capsule. It astounds me, after seeing the cast at work, how they pulled off all of the Oscar nods! Diane Varsi and Lana Turner as mother and daughter duel for most boring performance in a motion picture; they both look uncomfortable in their own bodies. The film comes up a couple of notches, though, just for the work of Hope Lange (Selena) and Russ Tamblyn (Norman).