TCM Pick O’ The Day: Saturday, February 14th
by John Nolte
7:30am PST - A Place in the Sun (1951) – An ambitious young man wins an heiress’s heart but has to cope with his former girlfriend’s pregnancy. Cast: Montgomery Clift, Elizabeth Taylor, Shelley Winters, Anne Revere Dir: George Stevens BW-122 mins, TV-PG
When you hear the word “nuanced” from Hollywood today, dollars to donuts they mean “immoral,” as in, we’re going to appease some terrorists and sexualize young children and call it “sophisticated.” Whether they know it or not (and I think they do), those particular plot points don’t represent “subtle shades of meaning,” they represent appeasing terrorists and sexualizing young children.
True dramatic nuance, the idea of exploring the complexity of the human condition (as opposed to excusing repugnant behavior), can be found, not too surprisingly, in those old-fashioned, black and white flickers – and today’s pick is one of the finest examples you’re likely to come across.
The power of George Stevens’ masterpiece is that no matter how many times you’ve seen it, you keep hoping a fit of cinematic magic will force events to unroll differently. Based on Theodore Dreiser’s 1925 novel “An American Tragedy,” which itself was inspired by a true story, “A Place in the Sun” would win six Oscars, including screenplay, cinematography, and director.
In other words, Montgomery Clift wuz robbed.
As George Eastman, Monty Clift performs a miracle on screen, retaining our sympathy even as he paints himself further and further into a dark corner with increasingly desperate and ultimately monstrous acts. The genius of the film is that while we’re never asked to excuse his behavior, by the time Eastman’s gone too far he’s so captured our sympathy we can’t help but hope for some kind of fate to step in and give him a do over.
Part of our sympathy may also arise from the fact that the idea of committing terrible deeds in order to be with Elizabeth Taylor at the pinnacle of her raven-haired beauty doesn’t seem altogether unreasonable, especially when the alternative is dowdy, grasping, needy Shelley Winters. Both actresses are terrific, especially Winters, who was actually something of a sex symbol at the time. In her entertaining autobiography. Winters blames this role (which she aggressively pursued) for typecasting her forevermore.
A one of a kind film. Not exactly Valentines Day material, unless your idea of celebrating the holiday is with a knot in your stomach slowly tightening over 122 expertly paced minutes.
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27 Comments
As always, I am stunned by the depth of Nolte's reviews. I'm a big of a Contrarian film wise (I hated both "Wizard of Oz" AND "Gone With the Wine"), but here Nolte and I agree completely. He just clearly identified the unsettling theme of the film, that though we understand what George Eastman is doing is wrong, morally and legally,
we identify with why he did it and feel if we can just see the film a second time, maybe he won't make the choices he made. This is nuance. This is life. This is film as art.
Good choice. Frankly all the movies Clift made with Taylor were good. "Rain Tree County" was excellent. "Suddenly Last Summer" features Catherine Hepburn in a role that was at the same time exquisite and creepy. This is probably the best however.
Okay, this critique was actually engaging enough to get me to want to watch an old movie. Thanks.
Genius, actually. I wish I lived in the U.S. and had two hours to spare.
One of the reasons Stevens' films look so good is that he was a former cinematographer. In fact, he got his start at the Hal Roach Studio where, among other things, he photographed several of Laurel and Hardy comedies.
I was surprised that the first comment I saw was to confirm my own thoughts about Nolte's review of "A Place in the Sun" and Monty Clift's performance as George Eastman. I have seen this film several times and each time I was left feeling exactly as Nolte describes. A tribute to Clift's acting and he should have won the Academy Award for it.
I also remember his performance in Judgment at Nuremburg as incredible. Come to think of it he was excellent in Red River. Did he ever do anything that was not outstanding? I know he was nominated several times but did he ever win? I don't remember that he did.
Clift's performance in this film is one of the all-time greatest. The film itself is brilliant and one of the many gems that I found thanks to Nolte and his old site. Thanks again!!
The film is also a great argument for the death penalty. George Eastman goes peacefully to the gas chamber because he knows in his heart of hearts that what he did was murder an innocent girl so that he could possess a more desirable one. Paul Frees as the Chaplain doesn't try to find excuses for George or to commiserate with him about his fate; he instead helps George find some peace for his eternal soul.
The first time I saw this movie I didn't like it one bit. I had just read An American Tragedy and was put off by the differences between the book and the movie version. Dreiser's portrait of Eastman was far less sympathetic. The murdered girl was simple and plain, pitiable rather than obnoxious. As I recall, the rich family turned against Eastman in horror when the murder became known; i.e., there was none of that nonsense about the beautiful babe comforting the doomed guy on death row, loving him till the end.
A decade or more later, I caught the movie again and was surprised by how good I thought it was. Without excusing Eastman, they fully humanized him as an individual, rather than making him a stick figure in a sociological melodrama. And yes, Clift was robbed by not getting an Oscar for that performance.
Book or movie? You have to take each on their OWN terms.
Clift does a great job here but losing Oscar to Bogart is at least defensible. And Snowbunnie, I can't think of him ever giving a bad performance. From Red River on he was so much more than a pretty face that so many young actors today are.
Stevens was much darker after his time in WWII. Compare his films pre-war and post-war and you see a definite change. Being there when Dachau was liberated had to have an impact on his work. I'm not sure if he would have made this movie or Shane but for what he saw in Europe.
There may never be a more beautiful onscreen couple than Monty Clift & Liz Taylor in "A Place in the Sun."
That particular Oscar year was loaded in the Best Actor category with Brando, Bogart, Clift, Frederic March, and Arthur Kennedy.
I think an argument can be made that Monty also coulda, shoulda won a couple years later for "From Here to Eternity."
He was nominated for his role that year as Private Prewitt—but yet again, it was a loaded category; Brando, Richard Burton, Burt Lancaster, and William Holden (who won the Oscar).
It's also hard to believe Monty didn't even get nominated for "Red River," "The Heiress," I Confess," or "Wild River."
Clift only made 17 pictures, and his infrequent performances be attributed to the fact that he chose to turn down an awful lot of lead roles in scripts that turned out to be high quality pictures, and later on he worked infrequently due to the fact that he suffered tremendously as a result of the disfiguring car accident in May 1956 following a party at Liz Taylor's house in the Hollywood Hills.
Since it's Presidents Day on Monday, it's worth a mention that Monty's great grandfather (Montgomery Blair) was Abe Lincoln's postmaster general.
Also, President James Polk nominated Monty's great great granfather (Levi Woodbury) to the Supreme Court in 1845. Woodbury would serve on the Supreme Court for several years.
I still remember the first time I saw Clift in Red River. I thought – Clift, as a cowboy? Yeah right – then I was blown away by how good he was.
Poor Clift, he had so many demons haunting him. If only he could have conquered them, what more performances he might have given us.
he was sooo good looking, yes i know he was gay, and i liked him better i a place in the sun with liz taylor.
Mac-
Fascinating info. The deeper we delve into history, the more fascinating it becomes.
Please continue to dazzle us.
Respects
"Part of our sympathy may also arise from the fact that the idea of committing terrible deeds in order to be with Elizabeth Taylor at the pinnacle of her raven-haired beauty doesn’t seem altogether unreasonable, especially when the alternative is dowdy, grasping, needy Shelley Winters"
What a great example to explain a whole string of excellent review points. Enrolling the audience as a co-conspirator with the on-screen villain is something Hitchcock could do so well.
I'm of the position that Clift was the best co-star Wayne ever had.
Liz fainting here and in National Velvet are the best.
hey ! a spoiler alert would hav
e been nice !!
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