Parrish (1961)

In the Connecticut River Valley, Parrish McLean and his mother are newly employed by the Sala Post tobacco farm that is engaged in a competition war with the neighboring Judd Raike tobacco corporation.

Director:

Delmer Daves

Writers:

Mildred Savage (novel), Delmer Daves

Stars:

Claudette Colbert, Troy Donahue, Karl Malden

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Troy Donahue	...	Parrish McLean
Claudette Colbert	...	Ellen McLean
Karl Malden	...	Judd Raike
Dean Jagger	...	Sala Post
Connie Stevens	...	Lucy
Diane McBain	...	Alison Post
Sharon Hugueny	...	Paige Raike
Dub Taylor	...	Teet Howie
Hampton Fancher	...	Edgar Raike
David Knapp	...	Wiley Raike
Saundra Edwards	...	Evaline Raike
Sylvia Miles	...	Eileen
Bibi Osterwald	...	Rosie
Madeleine Sherwood	...	Addie
Hayden Rorke	...	Tom Weldon

Storyline

Parrish McLean lives with his mother Ellen on Sala Post's tobacco plantation in the Connecticut River Valley. His mother winds up marrying Sala's rival Judd Raike, ruthless planter who wants to drive Sala out of business. Judd insists that Parrish learn the business from the ground up.

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Plot Keywords:

tobacco | connecticut | plantation | adultery | based on novel | 

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Taglines:

The Boy Who Exploded Into Manhood Across Three Years and Three Girls!

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

Delmer Daves replaced Joshua Logan as director.

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Goofs

The submarine shown in stock footage was not the USS Nautilus (SSN-571). It was the USS Skate (SSN-578). The Skate was the second sub to reach the North Pole after the Nautilus accomplished this historic feat the previous week. The Nautilus is seen at the sub base, where as of 2018 she remains as part of the Submarine Force Library and Museum, being the world's first nuclear-powered submarine.

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Quotes

Teet Howie: [after Alison Post comes breezing through in a sport convertable] There goes Little Miss Wildcat, home from school.

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Soundtracks

Don't Give Up the Ship
Music by Harry Warren
Lyrics by Al Dubin
Played under scenes of Parrish's naval career.

User Reviews

Warners had a treasure in Diane - What happened?!?

I recall a review of this one in which the cinematographer, Harry Stradling, Sr., was given high marks for his very classy showcasing of the young Diane McBain's ravishingly blonde beauty. She gave a riveting performance in this one, amidst some rather high-powered competition from the likes of Karl Malden, Dean Jagger, Claudette Colbert, and Connie Stevens getting some well-earned sympathy as a poor young thing besotted with her yearning for pretty-boy Troy Donahue. Miss McBain's filmography is a sorry testament to how Hollywood could take an extraordinarily attractive young actress, possessed of some genuine talent, and misuse and disuse her until everyone within the industry eventually believed that she had nothing worthwhile to offer.

The story was quite a mish-mash and I remember being quite upset that the lovely Miss Colbert had come out of retirement to play a role that reinforced the old cliche that "It's a man's world and you women better kowtow or else!" I wanted her to give that greedy old brute, mercilessly enacted by Karl Malden, and his bullying sons some kind of a comeuppance, which certainly shouldn't have been beyond the screenwriters, whose contrivances were about as convoluted as one could get away with before the revolutions in social mores, just a few years away when this was filmed, overwhelmed us.

But it's a guilty pleasure nevertheless. Delmer Daves really knew how to maneuver the elements to give audiences back then a good measure of mindless satisfaction. It's worth a not-too-demanding look-see.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 May 1961 (USA)

Also Known As:

Parrish

Filming Locations:

Mystic Seaport - 75 Greenmanville Avenue, Mystic, Connecticut, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

138 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1