Some Came Running (1958)

A veteran returns home to deal with family secrets and small-town scandals.

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:

Everyone knew Dave was back in town ... and woman-trouble must be close behind !

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

Included among the "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die", edited by Steven Schneider.

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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

Doctor: I'm afraid we're going to have to keep you here for a while, Mr. Dillert.
Bama Dillert: Now, what is this? A hospital or a jail?
Doctor: It's not a question of legality. It's a question of professional responsibility. You're a sick man, Mr. Dillert. Oh, not from the knife wound - that was slight. But we discovered quite accidentally that you have rather an advanced case of... diabetes mellitus.
Bama Dillert: I got what?
Dave Hirsh: Diabetes?
Doctor: I noticed there was considerable alcohol content in your blood test. How much whiskey do you drink in a ...
[...]

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Connections

Featured in Flubber (1997)

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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

Shirley steals the show

In any other year Shirley MacLaine would have walked off with the Best Actress Oscar, but NO ONE was going to take it from Susan Hayward in 1958.

In fact the film is filled with nominations, Arthur Kennedy for Best Supporting Actor, Martha Hyer for Best Supporting Actress and these were great performances. Dean Martin does a great follow-up to The Young Lions in playing Bama Dillert here. This was no stretch for Dino however. This is exactly the kind of background he came from, so the part fit him like a comfortable old shoe.

The flaw is Sinatra. To his credit, he really tries hard and succeeds in spots. But he's miscast in a part that either Paul Newman or Montgomery Clift might have taken an Oscar home for.

But the acting honors go to MacLaine. The high point of the movie is her scene with Martha Hyer in Martha's classroom at the college. This poor pathetic Ginny Moorehead trying to assess her situation vis a vis Dave Hirsch pulls all the stops out. You have to be made of stone not to be moved by her pleas to Martha Hyer and Hyer's reactions in this scene probably got her, her nomination.

If you can get past a miscast Frank Sinatra, then this film is a gem.

Details

Official Sites:

HBOMAX [United States] TCM [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 December 1958 (USA)

Also Known As:

Some Came Running

Filming Locations:

Pittsburgh ,Pennsylvania, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,151,000 (estimated)

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