A Place in the Sun - Citizendia

For other uses, see A Place in the Sun (disambiguation).

A Place in the Sun
original film poster
Directed by	George Stevens
Produced by	George Stevens
Written by	Theodore Dreiser (novel An American Tragedy) Patrick Kearney (play An American Tragedy) Michael Wilson (screenplay) Harry Brown (screenplay)
Starring	Montgomery Clift Elizabeth Taylor Shelley Winters Anne Revere
Music by	Franz Waxman
Editing by	William Hornbeck
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date(s)	August 14, 1951 U. George Stevens ( December 18, 1904 - March 8, 1975) was an Academy Award -winning American motion picture Theodore Herman Albert Dreiser ( August 27 1871 &ndash December 28 1945) was an American novelist and journalist Edward Montgomery Clift ( October 17, 1920 – July 23, 1966) was an American film actor Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor, DBE (born 27 February 1932) is a two-time Academy Award -winning English-American actress Shelley Winters (August 18 1920 &ndash January 14 2006 was an American actress who appeared in dozens of films as well as on stage and television Anne Revere ( June 25 1903 &ndash December 18 1990) was an Academy Award - and Tony Award -winning American Franz Waxman (24 December 1906 &ndash 24 February 1967 was a Jewish German American Composer, known for his bravura Carmen Fantasie William Hornbeck is an acclaimed Film editor. He was nominated four times of the Academy Award for Film Editing. Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American motion picture production and Distribution company, based in Hollywood California. Events 1183 - Taira no Munemori and the Taira clan take the young Emperor Antoku and the three sacred treasures Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January S. premiere
Running time	122 min
Language	English
Budget	$2,295,304 (estimated)
IMDb profile

A Place in the Sun is a 1951 film which tells the story of a working class young man who is entangled with two women, one who works in his wealthy uncle's factory and the other a beautiful socialite. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January It stars Montgomery Clift, Elizabeth Taylor, Shelley Winters, Anne Revere, Keefe Brasselle and Raymond Burr. Edward Montgomery Clift ( October 17, 1920 – July 23, 1966) was an American film actor Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor, DBE (born 27 February 1932) is a two-time Academy Award -winning English-American actress Shelley Winters (August 18 1920 &ndash January 14 2006 was an American actress who appeared in dozens of films as well as on stage and television Anne Revere ( June 25 1903 &ndash December 18 1990) was an Academy Award - and Tony Award -winning American Raymond William Stacey Burr ( May 21, 1917 &ndash September 12, 1993) was a Canadian Emmy -winning Actor and The film was a critical and popular success, winning six Academy Awards. "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film.

The movie was adapted by Harry Brown and Michael Wilson from the novel An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser and the adapted play by Patrick Kearney. Harry Peter McNab Brown Jr ( April 30 1917 – November 2 1986) was an American poet novelist and screenwriter Michael Wilson ( July 1, 1914 – April 9, 1978) was an American multiple- Academy Award winning Screenwriter An American Tragedy ( 1925) is a Novel by the American writer Theodore Dreiser. Theodore Herman Albert Dreiser ( August 27 1871 &ndash December 28 1945) was an American novelist and journalist It was directed by George Stevens. George Stevens ( December 18, 1904 - March 8, 1975) was an Academy Award -winning American motion picture In 1991, A Place in the Sun was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The National Film Registry is the registry of Films selected by the United States National Film Preservation Board for preservation in the Library of The Library of Congress is the De facto National library of the United States and the research arm of the United States Congress

1 Synopsis
2 Plot
3 Inspiration for the novel
4 Academy Awards
5 Further reading

Synopsis

George Eastman (Montgomery Clift), the nephew of industrialist Charles Eastman (Herbert Heyes), takes a job in his factory to learn the business. Edward Montgomery Clift ( October 17, 1920 – July 23, 1966) was an American film actor Herbert Heyes ( 3 August, 1889 &ndash 31 May, 1958) was an American film actor While working there, he starts dating factory worker Alice "Al" Tripp (Shelley Winters), who becomes pregnant. Shelley Winters (August 18 1920 &ndash January 14 2006 was an American actress who appeared in dozens of films as well as on stage and television

At the same time, he meets society girl Angela Vickers (Elizabeth Taylor), and becomes disillusioned with Al. Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor, DBE (born 27 February 1932) is a two-time Academy Award -winning English-American actress Shortly after Al threatens to expose him to Angela, she is killed in an accident. The film ends when George is convicted of her murder.

Plot

The film opens with George Eastman being picked up while hitchhiking and then dropped off at the factory of an important businessman, his uncle, Charles Eastman. Mr. Eastman is not in the office so his staff phones him at home. Eastman invites George to drop out to the house at 7:00 p. m. Eastman intends to hire George to work in his factory. Suddenly, Angela Vickers (Elizabeth Taylor), who was seen earlier driving past George in her white Cadillac convertible, comes in with her date, and George is obviously smitten with her, although she rushes out before he can even meet her. Cadillac is a Brand of Luxury vehicles owned by General Motors. A convertible is a type of automobile in which the vehicle's roof can retract and fold away converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle

The next day George is thoroughly instructed to "act like an Eastman" and not date any of the women who work at the company. He is given a tour, and the women are quite taken with him. He starts with menial work, and a worker, Alice "Al" Tripp cannot take her eyes off him. George begins making suggestions to Mr. Eastman about ways to improve productivity in the mill. Later George goes to the movies alone and happens to sit next to Al. He moves closer to her and engages her in conversation. After the film George walks with Al, and she briefs him on how Eastmans are brought up through the company. George walks Al home. He puts his arm around her; it appears that he is unconcerned with the anti-fraternization policy at work. The two seem to have an instant chemistry and kiss right away. Al warns George that he has to be careful.

The next day George and Al chat as they leave work and then go for a drink together. Al points out the culture clash, but George tells her he has only been to Mr. Eastman's home once; he is not living the high life. Al seems to warm up to George more and stops worrying about his high-class status. George takes her home, and because it is raining and he is driving a convertible car, he comes in the house despite Al's reservations about her strict landlady, and they begin to dance in the darkness. George does not leave until the morning.

The next day Mr. Eastman spots George in the factory and instructs his staff to promote him. Mr. Eastman also invites George to a party at his home. George attends the party, although Al is unhappy with it because it is his birthday, and she wants him with her. George finds himself ignored at the party and ends up playing pool alone. Angela happens in just as George is making a difficult trick shot. She asks him why he is all alone and seems to enjoy watching him play pool. Angela is a socialite and seems to appreciate that George knows it and reads about her in the newspaper. Mr. Eastman insists that George phone his mother, who works at a mission. The contrast between the poor mission and the affluent Eastman home is stark. Angela takes George dancing. Suddenly, George's relationship with Al seems lessened. Al expects George to try and come over early so they can celebrate his birthday together, but he ends up staying late with Angela. Al seems to sense that George has met someone new and specifically asks if he likes Angela; this prying troubles George. His new status as department head at the plant seems to put her off balance. Upset and crying, she reveals that she is pregnant.

George is seen seeming to stew over his options. He calls Al and tells her he is looking for a doctor. He finds one (Ian Wolfe) who refuses to help. Ian Wolfe ( November 4, 1896 &ndash January 23, 1992) was an American actor whose films date from 1934 to 1990 What the movie implies, but does not explicitly state, is that the doctor is intended to procure for Al an abortion. An

Angela invites George to spend Friday night together. George is melancholy. He is trying to decide if he wants to join Angela's world. Angela is at peace in George's arms. He is an outsider, different, deep and far away, mysterious and alluring. George tells Angela he loves her and has since the first time he saw her, maybe even before he met her. Angela tells George she loves him too. Angela plans the weekend at the lake and invites George to join her. She starts planning their future together. George's tries to figure out how to handle both his pregnant girlfriend and a debutante.

Al and George decide they will marry when he gets his vacation, somewhere out of town where people will not know of it. But George is starting to think about life with Angela. George hears a radio report about the high incidence of death from car accidents and drownings. He starts to hatch a plan to relieve him of his burden. Angela pops in unexpectedly and picks George up, inviting him to spend his Labor Day vacation with her at her lakeside home. Labor Day is a United States Federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September Angela insists he come so she can show him off to her family. George accompanies Angela to the lake, telling Al that he will be visiting his uncle there.

At the lake, Angela and George carry on their affair. A picture of the two ends up in the newspaper; Al sees it, and rushes to the bus station where she meets George in secret and demands he marry her immediately. George lies to Angela, telling her that his mother is sick, and leaves with Al. Unable to find anyone to officiate because of the holiday, George takes Al to the lake, where they rent a boat, and row out to a secluded area. Al tries to put a brave face on their relationship, while George struggles with his frustrations and implied thoughts of murder. They get into an argument, and both fall out of the boat, in an accident.

George pulls himself out of the lake, terrified. He encounters some campers, who point him back to his car where he is able to make his way back to Angela. Al's body is dragged from the lake, and suspicions are roused by the fact that the man who rented them the boat noticed their car, and it is has disappeared.

George tries to relax, going for a boat ride with Angela and some of her friends. There is, however, much talk of the drowning, and he is visibly shaken. Angela's father (Shepperd Strudwick) has a heart-to-heart with George, who tells him of his impoverished and hardworking background. Shepperd Strudwick (born John Shepperd, 22 September 1907 &ndash 15 January 1983 George's honesty wins him over, and he approves of their relationship.

Meanwhile, investigators question Al's landlady, who tells them that George and Al were dating. When Angela and George return to her house from a drive there are police waiting. George makes his way on foot through the woods, but is caught by sheriffs, and given to district attorney Marlowe (Raymond Burr). Raymond William Stacey Burr ( May 21, 1917 &ndash September 12, 1993) was a Canadian Emmy -winning Actor and Marlowe questions the Vickers family; Angela collapses in shock when she hears about what happened.

At the trial, a parade of witnesses seem to condemn George, including a coroner who testifies that Al was beaten before she drowned. He takes the stand, and testifies that he wanted to drown her but didn't. Marlowe accuses George of lying, forcing him to reenact the event by bringing the boat into the courtroom. George is found guilty of committing the murder, and sentenced to death by electric chair. He comes to the understanding that by not saving Al as she was drowning, he was guilty of her murder. Angela comes to see him one last time and tells him she loves him. The movie ends as George is led off to the electric chair, dreaming of Angela.

Inspiration for the novel

An American Tragedy was based upon the 1906 murder of Grace Brown. In 1906, Chester Gillette was convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend, Grace Brown, at Big Moose Lake in the Adirondacks in upstate New York. Year 1906 ( MCMVI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Chester Gillette ( August 9 1883 - March 30 1908) an American convicted murderer Grace Minerva Brown ( March 20 1886 – July 11 1906) was an American skirt factory worker whose murder became the basis for the Big Moose Lake, at the head of the Moose River, is a large lake about five miles (8 km north of Fourth Lake in the Adirondacks in Upstate New York The Adirondack Mountains are a Mountain range located in the northeastern part of New York, that runs through Clinton, Essex, Franklin Upstate New York is the region of New York State north of the core of the New York metropolitan area. The murder trial drew international attention as Brown's love letters to Gillette were read in court. Murder is the unlawful killing of another human person with Malice aforethought, as defined in Common Law countries Theodore Dreiser saved newspaper clippings about the case for some 15 years before writing the novel.

Academy Awards

Wins :

Nominations :

Contents

Synopsis

Plot

Inspiration for the novel

Academy Awards

Further reading