Peyton Place

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: As a fan of classic films, I expected to love this movie, but was sorely disapointed. The score is great, and the direction isn't bad, either, but the writing is horrendous. Why must the characters stand around giving each other speeches? Michael Rossi, the new school prinicpal, is the worst. Every time he opens his mouth it's time to pull out the soapbox. Hardly a word of the dialogue in the movie is crisp or realistic. Dialogue such as "In a way I've always felt that way, but I'm just now realizing it. . ." pepper the entire film. That's a shame, too, because the story itself contains some daring elements, as well as some very promising characters, such as Allison's boyfriend.

Rating:
Summary: The secrets and scandals of a small New England town
Review: Based the bestselling novel by Grace Metalious, Peyton Place is a hallmark of mid-20th century American culture and remains powerful melodrama to this day. Modern audiences in particular might notice similarities with the currently popular Dawson's Creek.

The story centers around shopowner Constance MacKenzie (Lana Turner), hiding a secret from her past; her daughter Allison (Diane Varsi), who dreams of escaping from Peyton Place and becoming a writer; Allison's best friend Selena Cross (Hope Lange), who lives literally on the other side of the tracks and suffers abuse at the hands of her drunken stepfather (Arthur Kennedy); Norman Page (Russ Tamblyn), a shy, quiet student yearning to break away from his domineering mother; Rodney Harrington (Barry Coe), the playboy son of millowner Leslie Harrington (Leon Ames), who disapproves of his son's relationship with the flashy Betty Anderson (Terry Moore); and Mike Rossi (Lee Phillips), the new high school principal smitten with Constance.

Screenwriter John Michael Hayes did a magnificent job of distilling Metalious's occasionally crude story, making it acceptable to film audiences, though it can be argued that Metalious's feminist slant was lost in the process. The film was beautifully directed by Mark Robson, who's never gotten enough respect, perhaps due to his reputation as a craftsman; well, Peyton Place is a finely crafted work, solid entertainment, with majestic location work in Camden, ME, much of which will be lost in the transfer to the small screen. The cinematography is by William C. Mellor and the wonderful score is by Franz Waxman.

Peyton Place received 9 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay-Adapted, Best Cinematography, Best Actress (Lana Turner--her only nomination), Best Supporting Actress (Hope Lange, Diane Varsi), and Best Supporting Actor (Arthur Kennedy, Russ Tamblyn). 1957 was the year of The Bridge on the River Kwai, so Peyton Place lost in every category.

Rating:
Summary: Where is Diane Varsi?
Review: Diane Varsi played Alison, the main character in this adaptation of the Metalious novel. She was nominated for an Acadamy Award for this, her first film.

When she left Hollywood to follow a path of non-commercial artistic and spiritual pursuits, the Moguls at the big studios never forgave her and blacklisted her. They were afraid then and now that her example would create a revolution.

Diane's name is relegated to a minor place even on the cover for the video, nearly 45 years after the film. Lana Turner, who received an Acadamy Award for her part in the film, admired Diane's work and publicly praised her intensity and integrity.

In later years she played a nurse in the anti-war film Johnny Got His Gun" by Dalton Trumbo. But each of her films display her craft and dedication, and the Hollywood machine atill fears her influence, even ten years after her untimely death.

Rating:
Summary: SEX OUTSIDE THE CITY.........
Review: HEAVILY 'doctored' by the Studio, this brilliant saga of small-town life predates the almost dated David Lynch excursions into Smallville, but still holds many a thrill today.

Quite a lot of trash too and those taboo subjects! Splendid performances by ever-glamorous Lana Turner - this time as a mother with a little secret or two.....DIANE VARSI plays the daughter and 'tell-all' narrator. Yes, it's a coming of age tale centering around a high school senior class nearing graduation with WW11 looming, lots of unfairness in the little town too complete with gossips, rapists, abortionists, nude [or is it semi nude?] bathing? etc. You know - regular life!

Oh, they certainly don't make them like this today. Would like to see cutting room footage on this one!

[Very worthy of mention? Hope Lange as the fragile, almost doomed Selena Cross - beautiful performance!]

Highly recommended!

Rating:
Summary: The commentaries make this DVD a must-have
Review: I already had a beautiful copy of this movie--the outrageously priced ($49.95) laserdisc set put out by Fox Home Video sometime in the 90s--but the selling point for me this time around was the promised audio commentaries by Russ Tamblyn and Terry Moore. I wasn't disappointed! I've always considered Tamblyn one of the unsung heroes of moviedom (his credits read like a list of the best films ever made--"Gun Crazy," "Father of the Bride," "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers," "West Side Story," and this gem among others) and I'm certain that those viewers only familiar with his remarkable dancing and acrobatics in musicals would be surprised by his sure handling of a complex character in this film. The performance earned him a well-deserved Oscar nomination--a feat not shared by the majority of his musical colleagues. Tamblyn comes off as a very likable, unassuming guy in his audio commentary, and his memory of the long-ago events is pretty sharp--even to the point of remembering that a double for Lana Turner did a couple of the shots in the last scene rather than the actress herself. Along the way he has plenty of interesting stories about the other actors, the location shoot, and what was going on in his life at the time. Terry Moore is also very engaging in her commentary, although she's clearly less familiar with the movie itself--e.g., she registers surprise at the fate of Betty Field's character the same way a first-time viewer would. But Ms. Moore also has some intersting recollections, such as roasting in her winter coat while surrounded by fake snow in the blazing California sunshine. And her obvious respect for the story's themes and its characters (as significantly altered and arguably improved for the film adaptation) is very endearing, particularly if you're as enamored of the film as this viewer.

Rating:
Summary: Oh what a beautiful movie
Review: I bought this DVD when it origionally came out and I loved it so much. I never heard about this film before I saw the DVD because my parents considered this a Taboo piece of Cinema History. But when I bought the DVD and watched I loved it and I cried through the whole movie. You weep with Selena Cross, with the incidents with her father, and you cry with Allison with her problems with her mother that we all go through at that age. And you just weep through the whole movie. Lana Turner was dynamite as Constance, and Diane Varsi was so good as her mother. I don't understand why so many people say this is a bad movie. It is the best movie I have seen in years. Hopefully they will release the 2 sequels on DVD. Return To Peyton Place, and Murder In Peyton Place.

Rating:
Summary: My cat is pouncing on the animated cactus cursor
Review: I can't say a whole lot that is positive about this movie. The three stars I give it go exclusively to Hope Lange for her superbly done role as Selina - the only character here that I could feel sympathy for. The main girl - I've forgotten her name - I thought she was very strange, and I wasn't impressed with her or with her mother. The Mr Rossi dude wasn't the right kind of romantic lead that his role should have had. Norman was okay but I just wasn't moved by his plight. But Teddy, Selina's boyfriend, was a very sweet, kind guy.

I watched this several months ago. The only thing that stuck strongly in my mind was the shot of Selina's hands gripping those two bars. If you have seen this movie, you know what I mean. If you haven't, you'll know it when you see it. I won't take away the one moment of true terror for you. Other things I remember are how interesting it was that Selina, being from such a poor family, was able to go to the prom and not be neglected. Another star for Teddy for being so sweet to her. I also found the formality of the prom fascinating - how different from the way school dances are conducted now, in the dark with flashing strobe lights and pounding music... and how much better school dances would be if they were still conducted like that. Anyway. That's about all I remember that I find worth commenting on. You may enjoy this movie. I didn't hate it, but I doubt I would sit through the whole thing again.

Rating:
Summary: Great Movie
Review: I loved this book and I think the movie is great also. When watching it please keep in mind American society of the 1950's. Most movies before Peyton Place ignored the underlying problems of small town life and presented a sugar-coated version of reality.

This movie deals with problems such as child abuse and abortion in an era when these topics were barely whispered about.

The filming of this movie is beautiful (much was filmed in Camden Maine). I also loved the musical score.

Much of the cast, especially Lloyd Nolan and Russ Tamblyn hit the mark. The only minus is Lee Phillips he is too preachy and can't hold up the scenes he is in with Lana Turner.

This is a great movie to get lost in on a cold winter day.

Great Movie!

Rating:
Summary: Cant wait for the dvd of Peyton Place
Review: I remeber reading my grandmothers copy of Peyton Place when I was about 15 and loved the book. But the movie I feel in love with, the scenery and the whole outlook of the movie was keept in tune with the book. Lana Turner and Hope Lange and Diane Varsi are just simply what old Hollywood is all about. The only sad thing is that it never received not one oscar for it outstanding work. I have it on laser disc, I cant wait for the dvd to come out as it will be superb!!!!!!

Rating:
Summary: Back to King's Row?
Review: I was struck by how much this movie reminded me of the 1940's classic King's Row, exploring the claustrophobic way of life in a small town, with families that come from (literally) both sides of the tracks. Although I think King's Row is a better film, this one is entertaining on certain levels. I found myself laughing out loud at some of the dialogue and scenes, but I had to remind myself that this was probably cutting edge material back in the Fifties. The performances are all good. Lana Turner is surprisingly effective as the conservative mother with the secret past and has a number of highly emotional moments. Hope Lange and Betty Field are both excellent as members from the troubled family on the wrong side of the tracks. Russ Tamblyn and Diane Varsi have some good moments as the teenagers exploring their feelings and trying to break free from their mothers. Peyton Place is basically a soap opera, and although I'm not into soap operas, this one kept my attention for the message it delivered about the narrow-mindedness of small towns and the people who live there. Sometimes we tend to romanticize small town life, and this film reminds us of some of the pitfalls.