A Place in the Sun
Short description
A young man from a poor background goes to work in a factory owned by his wealthy uncle, hoping to improve his prospects. Kept apart from the family's social world by strict rules, he begins a relationship with a co-worker, Alice. He then meets Angela, a woman from the privileged circle he wants to join, and she becomes the path to the life he has been chasing. Alice's pregnancy forces him to choose between the two women and the futures they represent.
The film is based on Theodore Dreiser's novel An American Tragedy. George Stevens directed and produced it, working from a screenplay by Harry Brown and Michael Wilson. It sits near the middle of Stevens's career, arriving between Woman of the Year and Shane. Montgomery Clift plays George Eastman, with Elizabeth Taylor as Angela Vickers, Shelley Winters as Alice Tripp, Anne Revere as Hannah Eastman, Keefe Brasselle as Earl Eastman and Fred Clark as the defense attorney. Forty-nine cast members are credited.
Made for about 2 million dollars, the film returned roughly 7 million worldwide. It holds a 7.5 out of 10 critics' rating from 38 reviews, while on TMDB it has 7.3 out of 10 from 429 votes, and on IMDb audiences rate it slightly higher than critics do.
What's left behind the scenes
- A film adaptation of Theodore Dreiser’s (1871-1945) novel “An American Tragedy” (1925).
- Director George Stevens (1904-1975) believed that Gloria Grahame (1922-1981) would be perfect for the role of Alice and personally called the actress with the offer. RKO studio owner Howard Hughes (1905-1976) refused to release Grahame.
- A film adaptation of the true story of Chester Gillette, who murdered his pregnant girlfriend in 1906. He was tried in 1908, found guilty, and executed. It is said that the ghost of Gillette’s victim, Grace Brown, still haunts the house in New York State where she once lived.
- Before filming the execution scene of his character, Montgomery Clift (1920-1966) spent a night in the death row unit at San Quentin Prison.
- Before execution in the electric chair, the condemned have their heads shaved. When George is led to the electric chair, it is visible that his head has not been shaved.
Similar movies
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
