Discuss A Place in the Sun
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Excellent 1951 film, winner of 6 Academy Awards
posted by genplant29STAFFMOD on June 20, 2020 at 9:58 PM
While I feel that this movie goes somewhat into free fall during its latter portion (thus bumping it from a 9 in my eyes to a still solid 8), it's definitely, nonetheless, overall excellent, often outstanding. Not surprisingly, this classic was deservedly selected by the Library of Congress for inclusion and preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry.
It features terrific first-rate performances by young Montgomery Clift, Shelley Winters, and Elizabeth Taylor - actually also by everyone involved. Clift and Taylor certainly make a spectacularly beautiful couple together. It's incredible that Taylor was only 17 during filming, as she looks and seems like around 20-21; I'd not have realized she was still school age had not her 17-years age been specifically mentioned in the interesting, informative making-of 23-minutes documentary that's included on the DVD.
The direction and cinematography, as well as sets, production values, also costumes, etc., is all superb.
Most importantly, of course, the story is engrossing, and expertly told. Shelley Winters (in an Oscar-nominated performance [as was Clift's performance]) is I think particularly compelling, as it's clear she really put herself out there for the role and completely invested in and committed to the Alice Tripp character. You (at least I always do) totally feel for Alice at all points. She's a nice, sweet girl who, due to being hopelessly in love and experiencing a weak moment, winds up in a dire predicament, that ultimately results in tremendous tragedy for herself and others.
As mentioned, I really don't care for the latter minutes of this movie - mainly from the point when George is talking with his mother and the minister after he's imprisoned, and onwards. (However, when things begin slipping for me - though I'm still more so fine with it than not - is the court trial portion.) Pretty much everything prior, I'm onboard with.
This movie won six Academy Awards (Best Picture: George Stevens; Best Director: George Stevens; Best Screenplay Writing: Michael Wilson, Harry Brown; Best B&W Cinematography: William C. Mellor; Best B&W Costume Design: Edith Head; Best Film Editing: William Hornbeck; Best Music Score: Franz Waxman), and the first-ever Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture, Drama.
By the way, the part when, after the drowning, George is wandering through the woods, trying to find his car, and literally stumbles over a sleeping camper, that teen is of course instantly recognizable as none other than Robert J. Anderson who about four years earlier played the role of George Bailey as a boy in It's a Wonderful Life. Every time I watch A Place in the Sun, I find myself thinking Anderson should have been cast in some movie as either Montgomery Clift's kid brother or as the younger version of some character that Clift played, as the two actors looked pretty much spot-on identical to one another!
At any rate, very good movie, and job very well done by all involved.
Please check out the following list of titles and celebrities I've created TMDb threads for: https://www.themoviedb.org/list/118052
Reply by tmdb53400018
on June 21, 2020 at 12:19 PM
Agreed, gen! Good write-up, there. Speaking of cinematography, the filmmakers sure made Clift look grim in parts of the film... I won't spoil anything, but this fit the storyline well....
Reply by DonGable
on August 3, 2021 at 11:45 AM
I'm not exactly sure what to think of this film. When you get past the star factor of the two beautiful leads, it doesn't really do anything extraordinary for me. Between some scenes, it used some extremely long fades between scenes where the pictures blurred together, which was a very weird transition. Story wise, I don't know, really... A guy screws up and doesn't deal with his problem and pays the price. I wasn't entirely grabbed emotionally between Alice and George, which just led me to not care that much. A few times I curved my toes, so to speak, as I knew where it would go. I liked how George was starting to get accepted by the Vickers family, it was some good progression. Coincidentally, on Wikipedia, it mentions that: "The film's acclaim did not completely hold up over time. Reappraisals of the film find that much of what was exciting about the film in 1951 is not as potent in the 21st century. Critics cite the soporific pace, the exaggerated melodrama, and the outdated social commentary as qualities present in A Place in the Sun that are not present in the great films of the era [...]". Which pretty much hits it on the nail for me. I would wish I could say I loved it, though.
Reply by tmdb53400018
on August 3, 2021 at 1:23 PM
My opinion of this film has lowered since I wrote my above post.