A Rage to Live (1965)

A woman's sexual compulsions threaten to destroy her marriage.

Director:

Walter Grauman

Writers:

John T. Kelley (screenplay), John O'Hara (novel)

Stars:

Suzanne Pleshette, Bradford Dillman, Ben Gazzara

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Suzanne Pleshette	...	Grace Caldwell Tate
Bradford Dillman	...	Sidney Tate
Ben Gazzara	...	Roger Bannon
Peter Graves	...	Jack Hollister
Bethel Leslie	...	Amy Hollister
Carmen Mathews	...	Emily Caldwell
Linden Chiles	...	Brock Caldwell
James Gregory	...	Dr. O'Brien
Ruth White	...	Mrs. Bannon
Mark Goddard	...	Charlie Jay
Sarah Marshall	...	Connie
George Furth	...	Paul Rutherford
Virginia Christine	...	Emma

Storyline

Grace Caldwell, a young Pennsylvania newspaper heiress living with her widowed mother, has trouble restraining herself when it comes to the amorous attentions of young men. As word starts to spread about her behavior, Grace becomes a major source of heartache for her mother and a big source of concern to her brother, Brock. One evening, at a Christmas party, Grace meets Sidney Tate, a gentleman farmer. They fall in love, and he asks her to marry him. Grace accepts, but only after making it clear that there are some things about her past she's not at all proud of. Sidney is taken aback by Grace's candid admission, but still wants to marry her. Grace promises to be faithful to Sidney; it's a promise she has every intention of keeping, until a former casual acquaintance, Roger Bannon, re-enters her life.

---

Plot Keywords:

nymphomania | hairy chest | bare chested male | cuckold | based on novel | 

---

Taglines:

Take it easy Grace...! Think of a good lie to tell your husband. Tell him you're late because the car broke down ...tell him anything!

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 November 1965 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

John O'Hara's A Rage to Live

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rage Productions, The Mirisch Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Walter Mirisch wanted his " West Side story " Maria, Natalie Wood, to play the lead.

---

Quotes

Grace Caldwell: I thought I loved him, and then I found I could feel the same way about someone else, someone different.
Brock Caldwell: Grace, that isn't love.
Grace Caldwell: No. But it's being wanted and needed and held close. It's almost love.
Brock Caldwell: "Almost love"? You don't have to settle for that.
Grace Caldwell: I'm not settling.
Brock Caldwell: I just don't get this. You talk like a girl who's got nothing else in her life, who nobody cares about ...
Grace Caldwell: No ...
Brock Caldwell: Well, that's the way it sounds --
Grace Caldwell: I don't care how it sounds. When I feel that way, I can't think of anything else. ...

---

Soundtracks

Rage To Live
Music by Art Ferrante and Lou Teicher
Lyrics by Noel Sherman
Performed on two pianos by Art Ferrante (as Ferrante) and Lou Teicher (as Teicher)

User Reviews

Suzie's in a Rage!

This is soap opera pure and simple about a woman who in more enlightened times would have been viewed as a person with a crippling disorder that would require treatment but for our purposes here is a wanton slut. Suzanne Pleshette was a superior actress so she is able within the confines of the script to present her character as someone who is ruled by urges she can not control. There are minor attempts at some insight into her problem but they are quickly tossed away in favor of sensationalism. Good supporting cast including in a small role a rare on screen role for Brett Somers Klugman from Match Game. For those who enjoy trashy cinema with quality actors enacting silly situations with earnest professionalism.