Some Came Running (1958)

Dave Hirsch, a writer and an army veteran winds up in his small Indiana hometown, to the dismay of his respectable older brother. He meets and befriends various different characters and tries to figure out what to do with his life.

Director:

Vincente Minnelli

Writers:

James Jones (novel), John Patrick

Stars:

Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Shirley MacLaine

Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Frank Sinatra	...	Dave Hirsh
Dean Martin	...	Bama Dillert
Shirley MacLaine	...	Ginnie Moorehead
Martha Hyer	...	Gwen French
Arthur Kennedy	...	Frank Hirsh
Nancy Gates	...	Edith Barclay
Leora Dana	...	Agnes Hirsh
Betty Lou Keim	...	Dawn Hirsh
Larry Gates	...	Professor Robert Haven French
Steve Peck	...	Raymond Lanchak (as Steven Peck)
Connie Gilchrist	...	Jane Barclay
Ned Wever	...	Smitty

Storyline

In the post-war, the alcoholic and bitter veteran military and former writer Dave Hirsch returns from Chicago to his hometown Parkman, Indiana. He is followed by Ginnie Moorehead, a vulgar and easy woman with whom he spent his last night in Chicago that has fallen in love with him. The resentful Dave meets his older brother Frank Hirsh, who owns a jewelry store and is a prominent citizen of Parkman that invites him to have dinner with his family. Dave meets his sister-in-law Agnes that hates him since one character of his novel had been visibly inspired on her, and his teenage niece Dawn. Frank introduces the school teacher Gwen French to him and Dave feels attracted by the beautiful woman that is daughter of his former Professor Robert Haven French and idolizes his work as writer. However, his unrequited love with Gwen drives Dave back to the local bar where he befriends the professional gambler Bama Dillert and meets Ginnie again with the Chicago's mobster Raymond Lanchak that was ...

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Plot Keywords:

indiana | veteran | soldier | midwest | homecoming | 

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Taglines:

Dave was back and the whole town knew that trouble- and women- were close behind!

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 December 1958 (USA)

Also Known As:

Some Came Running

Filming Locations:

Pittsburgh ,Pennsylvania, USA

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$28,594

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sol C. Siegel Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

137 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System) 4-Track Stereo

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Dean Martin's role of Bama Dillert was one of his favorites.

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Goofs

When Dave Hirsch meets Professor French at Frank Hirsch's home they shake hands and drop their arms. In the next shot they are shaking hands again.

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Quotes

Dave Hirsh: [to bartender, as he exits and leaves a tip] Buy yourself a Quonset hut.

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Connections

Referenced in The Family (2013)

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Soundtracks

After You've Gone
(uncredited)
Lyrics by Henry Creamer
Music by Turner Layton
Performed by Shirley MacLaine and unidentified male vocal trio with jazz combo

User Reviews

Powerful, stylish Minnelli gem!

Vincente Minelli was a master at creating powerful cinematic imagery that made unforgettable many a film which, in other hands, might have been quite ordinary. So many aspects of the story he deals with in "Some Came Running" had to be compromised because of the censorship issues that governed movies of that era. This led to some very awkward scripting, suggesting but never explicitly spelling out much that was central to the story. As a result, the drama veers into a rather dated soap-opera feel from time to time.

The wonder of this picture lies in how the director draws consistently strong performances from his cast and then, using striking visual compositions, magical lighting, stunning use of color, delivers a startlingly powerful result. Like so many of his films, this is the sort of richly satisfying visual experience that you want to re-visit again and again.

Serious home theater buffs should loudly protest that such Minnelli masterpieces as "Some Came Running", Home from the Hill" and "Lust for Life" are still unreleased as widescreen DVD's. This seems so shamefully, incomprehensibly neglectful!