September 4 - A Place In The Sun

Today’s movie is a drama with a scene that happens on September 4. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

A PLACE IN THE SUN      

George Eastman arrives in town to take advantage of a job offer from his wealthy uncle. He is put into an entry level position at the factory, but excluded socially by the wealthy Eastman family. At work George meets Alice Tripp and they begin a relationship in spite of rules forbidding social contact  between employees. At a party where George gets promoted to a supervisors position he meets Angela Vickers who comes from another wealthy and socially prominent family. When Alice tells George she’s pregnant, they unsuccessfully try to find an abortionist. Alice insists he marry her, but he keeps putting it  off and begins a relationship with Angela Vickers. Finally on September 4, 1950 [1:04:18 to 1:17:05] when George and Alice go to get marry, it’s Labor Day so they can’t. They go to nearby Loon Lake. While out on a boat, Alice accidentally drowns. The police investigate Alice’s death, while Angela’s parents finally warm to George. The police finally get on to George and he is arrested for Alice’s murder. He is tried and convicted. In the end George admits that he is guilty because even though he did not try to kill Alice, he had planned her death and after the boat capsized he did not really try to save her.

This first adult role for Elizabeth Taylor is a fine dramatic film. The characters are some what clichéd and sterotyped, but the storyline is still interesting.  All in all one of tinseltown’s better efforts.

Sign at 1:04:46 says “Monday, September 4^th, Labor Day”

Producer - George Stevens

Director - George Stevens

Screenplay - Michael Wilson and Harry Brown

Awards – The movie won the Best Black-and White Cinematography, Best Black-and-White Costume Design, Best Director, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score and  Best Screenplay Oscars. It was also nominated for the Best Picture, Best Actor (Clift) and Best Actress(Winters) Oscars at the 24^th Academy Awards

Runtime – 2 hours 2 minutes

Released – August 14, 1951

Starring –

Montgomery Clift as George Eastman

Elizabeth Taylor as Angela Vickers

Shelley Winters as Alice Tripp

Anne Revere as Hannah Eastman

Keefe Brasselle as Earl Eastman

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.