Yes.. I do like a widescreen colour American fifties film... but this one is too long, and it's symptomatic of the way they were then, they thought not only the novelty of CinemaScope and colour would bring audiences away from television, but they had to make them super-long as well. Here, the courtroom scene just starts to sink the entire film.
Lana Turner is Diane Varsi's no-fun mom, though she begins to be intrigued by new principal Lee Philips, who became a hard-working TV director. Hope Lange is the unfortunate step-daughter of Arthur Kennedy, Betty Field (from Kings Row) is her mom. Lloyd Nolan of course is the nice doctor and Russ Tamblyn the bookish love interest (not of the doctor - that would be another film altogether, and not one from 1957 either). Then the sub-story of Barry Coe and Terry Moore (how does she describe herself - 'flashy') and disapproving father Leon Ames.
John Michael Hayes adapted Grace Metalious's novel.
William Mellor photographed it, in Maine and on Fox sets, Franz Waxman wrote the great music which Edward Powell orchestrated. Film, Robson, cast, cinematography, script, all Oscar nominated... not the score??
Labor Day, September 5, is a national holiday designed to honour the Labor movement, beginning in the late nineteenth century. Which is all well and good - the problem I have is the fried frankfurters.
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| Artful lighting. Even when Turner crosses to the other side of the room, she's still the one lit, Philips remains in shadow |
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