Rating: 
Summary: THIS ONE HAS IT ALL - THE CLASSY/TRASHY 50s KITSCH CLASSIC
Review: "Peyton Place" is the 50s big budget, big screen precursor to all 60s television soap operas. It's got rape, adultry, secrets and lies and they all take place in small town America - a place where everybody knows your name and nobody is above a good scandal or torrid piece of gossip. Lana Turner headlines as the lusty mother of wayward teen, Allison MacKenzie (Diane Varsi)who is so touched with neurotic fear that she drives her mother and her boyfriend (Russ Tamblyn) to distraction. Meanwhile, back at the ranch: Selena Cross (Hope Lange) fights off the drunken advances of her evil stepfather. The movie is a sanitization of the original sin soaked pages of Grace Metalious' novel but it still packs a heck of a wallop.
TRANSFER: In keeping with its usual quality, the anamorphic 2:35:1 Cinemascope picture has been richly rendered, with solid blacks, saturated colors and minimal film grain. Occasionally rear projection shots give themselves away and there is a hint of edge enhancement and pixelization for a picture that, while smooth, occassionally draws attention to itself. The audio is 5.1 and nicely remixed to celebrate the richness of the original six-track stereo elements.
EXTRAS: A brief BACKSTORY that chronicles the making of the movie and an audio commentary.
BOTTOM LINE: This one's a keeper. Get it today!
Rating:
Summary: THIS ONE HAS IT ALL - THE CLASSY/TRASHY 50s KITSCH CLASSIC
Review: "Peyton Place" is the 50s big budget, widescreen precursor to all 60s television soap operas. It's teeming with adultery and bald faced lies set against the backdrop of a small mid-west America town - a place where everybody knows your name and nobody is above a good scandal or torrid piece of gossip. Lana Turner headlines as Constance MacKenzie, the prudish mother of upright and proper teenager, Allison (Diane Varsi). Constance?s neurotic fear of sex masks her own checkered past, one that eventually drives her daughter to distraction. Sensitive to her own values, Allison befriends introvert and sexually repressed, Norman Page (Russ Tamblyn). The two develop a lasting friendship that is temporarily put on ice when a rumor circulates that Norman and Allison were skinny dipping in a nearby lake ? imagine that! Meanwhile, newly appointed high school principal, Mike Rossi (Lee Philips) is in hot pursuit of Constance?s affections. Though Constance thwarts Mike?s initial advances with all the tact and remedy of an ice pick, she can?t help but eventually warm to the heat of desire that exists between them. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, or at least the flee bitten dilapidated shack of Nellie (Betty Field) and Lucas (Arthur Kennedy) Cross; Selena Cross (Hope Lange) struggles to ward off the drunken advances of her maniacal stepfather. Selena?s procurement of work in Constance?s dress shop seems like a step in the right direction. Her mother is Constance?s housekeeper. However, Lucas? jealous rage over a budding romance between Selena and Ted Carter (David Nelson) leads to her rape and impregnation. When Selena suffers a miscarriage, also by Lucas? hand, Nellie puts two and two together, come up with four and commits suicide by hanging herself in Allison?s closet. Doc Swain (Lloyd Nolan), the kindly physician who tended to Selena?s miscarriage exiles Lucas from Peyton Place with a signed confession that he threatens to turn over to the authorities. But Lucas can?t help himself. He returns one snowy and unsuspecting eve to ravage Selena again. But this time Selena is ready for him. She murders Lucas and buries the body in the back yard. There?s plenty more sin on tap in town, between fast and easy Betty Anderson (Terry Moore) and Rodney Harrington (Barry Coe), the heir to a textile industry presided over by Rodney?s father (Leon Ames). Mr. Harrington tries everything to thwart their illicit romance, even fabricating an interest on Allison?s part which results in a disastrous graduation dance for all concerned. Eventually, Rodney acquires enough conviction to oppose his father and marry Betty. The movie, considered something of a censorship breakthrough at the time of its general release, is a complete sanitization of the original sin soaked pages from Grace Metalious' novel which included, among other things, incest and sexual perversion. Considered something of a Benedict Arnold in her own home town, Metalious? real life ended tragically at the age of 36 when alcohol addiction caught up with her. Nevertheless, the film still packs one heck of a wallop. Several months following its release, Lana Turner?s own life mirrored the film?s narrative when her daughter, Cheryl Crane murdered her lover, Johnny Stompanado ? the right hand thug of racketeer, Mickey Cohen. In keeping with Fox?s usual quality in their ?Studio Series?, the anamorphic 2:35:1 Cinemascope picture has been rendered with rich and saturated colors and minimal film grain. Occasionally rear projection shots give themselves away, being slightly blurry and exhibiting a different color scheme than other shots in the film. There is also a hint of edge enhancement and pixelization for a picture that, while smooth, occasionally draws attention to itself. There?s also one gigantic tear in the original negative that intrudes on the scene where the graduating class has gathered for a party in the high school gymnasium. The audio is 5.1 and nicely remixed to celebrate the richness of the original six-track stereo elements. Extras include a brief BACKSTORY episode from AMC that chronicles the making of the movie. There?s also an audio commentary in which Terry Moore incorrectly remembers Peyton Place as being the first Cinemascope movie ever made.
Rating:
Summary: THIS ONE HAS IT ALL - THE CLASSY/TRASHY 50s KITSCH CLASSIC
Review: "Peyton Place" is the 50s big budget, big screen precursor to all 60s television soap operas. It's got rape, adultry, secrets and lies and they all take place in small town America - a place where everybody knows your name and nobody is above a good scandal or torrid piece of gossip. Lana Turner headlines as the lusty mother of wayward teen, Allison MacKenzie (Diane Varsi)who is so touched with neurotic fear that she drives her mother and her boyfriend (Russ Tamblyn) to distraction. Meanwhile, back at the ranch: Selena Cross (Hope Lange) fights off the drunken advances of her evil stepfather. The movie is a sanitization of the original sin soaked pages of Grace Metalious' novel but it still packs a heck of a wallop.
TRANSFER: In keeping with its usual quality, the anamorphic 2:35:1 Cinemascope picture has been richly rendered, with solid blacks, saturated colors and minimal film grain. Occasionally rear projection shots give themselves away and there is a hint of edge enhancement and pixelization for a picture that, while smooth, occassionally draws attention to itself. The audio is 5.1 and nicely remixed to celebrate the richness of the original six-track stereo elements.
EXTRAS: A brief BACKSTORY that chronicles the making of the movie and an audio commentary.
BOTTOM LINE: This one's a keeper. Get it today!
Rating:
Summary: The Darkside of Small Town Life
Review: 1957's Peyton Place was based on the tawdry best seller by Grace Metalious that depicts the sorted lives of the residents of the titular small New England town. The film was quite controversial at the time as it contains frank talk about sex, an incestuous rape, a hinted at abortion and murder. The film helped paved the way for the abandoning of the Hollywood moral codes. Everyone in Peyton Place, it seems, has something to Hide. Constance MacKenzie (Lana Turner) is an uptight single mother to Allison MacKenzie (Diane Varsi). She is fearful of scandal and rebuffs the advances of new high school principle Michael Rossi (Lee Phillips). Constance is hiding a secret from Allison and after Allison is wrongful accused of swimming naked with Norman Page (Russ Tamblyn) she reveals that Allison was born illegitimately as her father was living with Constance but was married. Allison leaves Peyton Place to go to New York City. Allison's best friend Selena Cross (Hope Lange) lives in a shack with her drunken stepfather Lucas Cross (Arthur Kennedy). Lucas is abusive and beats Selena and eventually rapes and impregnates her. Confronted by Dr. Swain (Lloyd Nolan), Lucas leaves town. He eventually returns and tries to take advantage of her again and Selena kills him. This leads to trial where Allison returns to town to speak on her Selena's behalf. She avoids her mother and in a bitter meeting tells her of her feelings towards her. At the trial, Selena refuses to let Dr. Swain speak about the rape. Dr. Swain's conscious gets the best of him and in an impassioned statement on the stand he reveals Selena's secret and chides the townspeople for their gossiping ways that led Selena to this position. Selena is acquitted and Allison reunites with Constance. The film was a huge hit and ironically Ms. Turner was embroiled in her our murder trial when her fourteen daughter stabbed her mobster boyfriend to death. It spawned a sequel and a popular television series. The film garnered nine Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, Best Director (Mark Robson), Best Actress for Ms. Turner (her only nomination) and two Best Supporting Actor & Actress nomination for Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Tamblyn, Ms. Lange & Ms. Varsi. The film holds the ignominy of having the most nomination without a single win.
Rating:
Summary: The Darkside of Small Town Life
Review: 1957's Peyton Place was based on the tawdry best seller by Grace Metalious that depicts the sorted lives of the residents of the titular small New England town. The film was quite controversial at the time as it contains frank talk about sex, an incestuous rape, a hinted at abortion and murder. The film helped paved the way for the abandoning of the Hollywood moral codes. Everyone in Peyton Place, it seems, has something to Hide. Constance MacKenzie (Lana Turner) is an uptight single mother to Allison MacKenzie (Diane Varsi). She is fearful of scandal and rebuffs the advances of new high school principle Michael Rossi (Lee Phillips). Constance is hiding a secret from Allison and after Allison is wrongful accused of swimming naked with Norman Page (Russ Tamblyn) she reveals that Allison was born illegitimately as her father was living with Constance but was married. Allison leaves Peyton Place to go to New York City. Allison's best friend Selena Cross (Hope Lange) lives in a shack with her drunken stepfather Lucas Cross (Arthur Kennedy). Lucas is abusive and beats Selena and eventually rapes and impregnates her. Confronted by Dr. Swain (Lloyd Nolan), Lucas leaves town. He eventually returns and tries to take advantage of her again and Selena kills him. This leads to trial where Allison returns to town to speak on her Selena's behalf. She avoids her mother and in a bitter meeting tells her of her feelings towards her. At the trial, Selena refuses to let Dr. Swain speak about the rape. Dr. Swain's conscious gets the best of him and in an impassioned statement on the stand he reveals Selena's secret and chides the townspeople for their gossiping ways that led Selena to this position. Selena is acquitted and Allison reunites with Constance. The film was a huge hit and ironically Ms. Turner was embroiled in her our murder trial when her fourteen daughter stabbed her mobster boyfriend to death. It spawned a sequel and a popular television series. The film garnered nine Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, Best Director (Mark Robson), Best Actress for Ms. Turner (her only nomination) and two Best Supporting Actor & Actress nomination for Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Tamblyn, Ms. Lange & Ms. Varsi. The film holds the ignominy of having the most nomination without a single win.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting bit of melodrama
Review: A less than ordinary town is displayed through the eyes of the diverse lives of the residents. Ahead of its time then and contains thought-provoking moments, but it might not connect with viewers today. A disappointing conclusion it has, but Lana Turner is a real standout.
Rating:
Summary: Hosting a Swinger Party?
Review: After I viewed the heady fare of "My Dinner with Andre", what better antidote than classic trashy melodrama where the morals are strict and the breasts pointy? Many giggle (and some laugh out loud) moments, but was glad to have noted it in the classic section at Blockbusters and wanted to knock off this much referenced work. I am in no way comparing this movie (1957) in quality with "Splendor in the Grass" (1961) but couldn't help but notice some similarities: - both utilize country fair to show off Americana ("PP" New England vs. "SIG" Mid West) - both show faith in science/modern medicine - both show mental illness as result of duress - both have nifty necking scenes - both have high achieving female lead character - both have low achieving male lead character - both Technicolor high achievers Overall, great enjoyment, would be ideal video to play if hosting a swinger party. Grade A-/B+.
Rating:
Summary: Great Entertainment - Superior technical qualities
Review: Although not on the level of the great films of all-time, this is a wonderful representation of how our small town society was viewed by not only author Grace Metalious, but by Hollywood. An unforgettable musical score by Franz Waxman, and breathtaking photography by William C. Mellor make this a sumptuous indulgence. Although the script is somewhat dated, the acting is excellent - especially Hope Lange and Russ Tamblyn.
Rating: 
Summary: the art of adaptation
Review: another reviewer mentioned the wonderful job screenwriter John Michael Hayes did in adapting Grace Metalious' novel to the screen. He really did make a gem out of something tawdry and earned an Oscar nomination and recognition from the Screenwriter's Guild for his effort. There's a book on Hayes' collaboration with Alfred Hitchcock, "Writing with Hitchcock" (they made 4 movies together, beginning with Rear Window), but it's pretty near to being a biography of Hayes himself, as all his work is well covered, especially Peyton Place. It also includes a reprinted New York Times article written by Hayes about the trials and tribulations of writing the screenplay for Peyton Place. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Enlightening Classic
Review: As a big fan of the classics, I recently discovered this treasure of a movie, which is now one of my top favorites. It is a heartwarming movie about the biases of a small town, a town and its people who eventually learn to rise above these biases. I love the touching acting of Lee Philips who simply tells it like it is to the small town of Peyton Place. A combination of heartwarming and strength makes this charming movie a real winner. I highly recommend this wonderful classic to all who would enjoy an excellent story. They certainly don't make them like this anymore.
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