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A Place in the Sun

A Place in the Sun

List Price: $29.99
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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Something lurks beneath the exterior
Review: 'A Place in the Sun' is rumoured to be classic Hollywood melodrama, but refamiliarizing oneself with George Stevens' film shows it to be so much more than just melodrama. There are infinite subleties in the elaborate construction that is 'Place in the Sun', gorgeous cinematography and a smoothly luxurious cutting technique that, for a while at least, makes you think you are following a rather artificial love story about two beautiful doomed people, where in fact the tragedy unfolds in a relentness, downbeat manner that makes you almost choke with pain. Elizabeth Taylor (and I was never a fan to put it mildly) is brilliant, and Montgomery Clift overcomes the limitations of method acting.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: DVD features review
Review: This magnificent film, undoubtedly my vote for Greatest of All Time, is deserving of a 5 star rating. However, this review is based upon the film as a DVD special edition - AS I FIND REVIEWS SUCH AS THIS TO BE MOST BENEFICIAL TO DVD PURCHASERS. I found that of all the features the only thing of true value was the documentary/ interview montage "Filmmakers Who Knew Him". This referring to a collation of interviews about George Stevens, the master behind the film. These interviews have been revealed before albeit in edited form in the 80s doco "George Stevens - A Filmmaker's Journey". BUT for the uninitiated, Alan Pakula/Warren Beatty/Fred Zinnemann are among those who shed light on the directorial style of George Stevens.

There is a half hour piece concerning the participants still alive, such as the filmmaker's son G Stevens Jr, Ivan Moffett associate producer, and the two leading ladies. But this is simply well made diatribe.

As for the much anticipated commentary - well it should have been insightful, compelling, revealing. Instead, it trod a well worn path providing information of use only for those inexperienced in DVD commentary. AFTER ALL we have come to accept a certain standard, and I certainly think reviewers need to consider more the actual value of commentaries, rather than simply assuming that they are great bonuses. (Ever heard "US Marshalls" commentary with director Stuart Baird - worst on offer!). BUT this is not bad mouthing for its own sake - the same commentators did an outstanding ***** star effort with George Stevens' "Shane" DVD - a masterpiece, and I personally feel the greatest Western of all time (I'm sure people are howling over that call!!).

As for technical quality, the picture stability was somewhat shaky at times. No doubt a fault of the original negative that it was mastered from. But for a definitive DVD version, a fan has the right to expect better. ALL IN ALL, it is a worthy disc to own if you happen to love the film as I do. Alas though, if you love the work of George Stevens, and wish to own one of his masterpieces in DVD, with added value of surpassing quality (ie commentary by George Stevens Jr & assoc producer Ivan Moffett), then the best bet is SHANE. A FINAL THOUGHT - who could ever forget the lingering kiss between Taylor and Clift, which dissolves into an over the shoulder reverse shot????? Incredible motion picture, for all its artifice and melodrama, it still retains a spellbinding one of a kind humanity, sincerity, and TRUTH.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Haunting Movie
Review: A Place in the Sun is a movie about classes-the have's and the have-nots. It displays the struggle of a man haunted by a choice at a major fork in his life's road.
Montgomery Clift was an excellent choice to play George Eastman because he was foreign(fish out of water) and that added to the mysterious element. Dark, handsome and mysterious. His poor choices lead him to a self-appointed hell-being an affair with one of the working class women in his Uncle's factory to pass his time. The plot thickens when he finally meets the object of his affection, a wealthy young socialite(a very young Liz Taylor)and she unexpectedly falls in love with him.
His co-worker announces she's pregnant and he falls into a state of torturous gloom...plotting for her demise so that he can be with his socialite and live the glamorous life.
Set in the 50's-you can feel the pressure of the out-of wedlock child which would not have had the same impact as in present society. But the class division still rings true.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Place in the Sun
Review: Title of film: A Place in the Sun
Year Released: 1951
Running Time: 120 minutes
Director/Studio: George Stevens/Paramount Studio
Actor/Actress: Montgomery Clift/Elizabeth Taylor

Young George Eastman is the country mouse that goes to the city looking to lead a different life than his family before him. His mother is a missionary. He has a wealthy Uncle who owns a swimsuit company.

George is hired on at the factory to work on the floor packing swimsuits for shipment. He is told not to fratenize with the women on the line. But, he can't help it. He begins to flirt with Alice Tripp (Shelly Winters). Lust soon turns to fevered lovemaking.

Now, George's Uncle takes notice of his nephews hard work ethic and decides to promote him. He invites him over to his place for a party. At the party George meets Angela Vickers (Elizabeth Taylor) and can't believe his eyes at her marked beauty. She reciprocates with unspoken eye contact. The two soon become romantically involved.

Alice suspects that Angela is moving in on her man. George denies that anything is happening. Soon Alice announce "George I have something to tell you". He is frantic. He doesn't want his Uncle to find out nor Angela to find out. Yet, he feels some responsibility to Alice.

The agony and mental exhaustion is felt by the audience as George tries to cope with what is happening to him. Success is so close; yet, so far away. Alice delivers an ultimatum to George. He must marry her or she is going to tell the Uncle that she is pregnant.

George plots to get rid of Alice and invites her to the lake where he is staying with his Uncle and Angela for a weekend retreat.

The ending is somewhat surprising given the fact that the Uncle could probably have saved George.

This movie is a classic worth watching!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Classic Montgomery
Review: Although this film was around two decades before my birth, it's definately one of my favorite movies of all time. I love any movie with Montgomery Clift who is mesmerizing as he reads his lines. In this case, matching Monty with Liz was a brilliant plan by the directors. These two stars are excellent as the two main characters who fall in love. Monty, the poor boy who was raised in a homeless shelter ran by his mother. Liz, the rich socialite from a well-to-do family. As Monty tries to fit in, a pregnant girlfriend may ruin his chances with Liz so he briefly thinks about drowning the girlfriend but changes his mind. Without spoiling the movie, this classic tale is suspenseful as we see Montgomery's life torn apart. If you like old movies or just a good, suspenseful story, rent this!! A good Sunday afternoon movie.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A Love Triangle
Review: A Place in the Sun was released in 1951 by Paramount Studio and directed by George Stephens. The film was produced in black and white and runs for 120 minutes. The cast list includes Montgomery Clift as George Eastman, Elizabeth Taylor as Angela Vickers, and Shelley Winters as Alice Tripp. A Place in the Sun won six Oscars in 1952 for best cinematography, black & white; best costume design, black & white; best director; best film editing; best music; and best writing. The film was also nominated for an Oscar for best actor and actress in a leading role and best picture.

A Place in the Sun was based on the novel An American Tragedy written by Theodore Dreiser. This movie is a romantic tragedy involving a love triangle. The triangle consists of George Eastman, who comes from a poor family and has low self esteem wants to be rich and successful. Alice Tripp a poor girl working in a factory wants a husband to take care of her. Angela Vickers is a beautiful rich girl who falls in love with George Eastman. The plot is tangled between George and two women who love him. George starts dating Alice because she is available and he is lonely. He also appears to have low self-esteem by wanting a rich girl but settling for a poor plain girl. In the meantime Angela does get interested in him and they fall in love. However, Alice gets pregnant and wants George to marry her. The right thing for George to do is to marry Alice but he loves Angela. He contemplates killing Alice and the story thickens from there.

Even though this movie took place in the 50's, the plot is still applicable in today's society. This movie was very good and worth watching. The acting by Elizabeth Taylor, Montgomery Clift and Shelly Winters was superb. With the movie being filmed in black and white it just makes it more of a classic.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: The Good Guys Don't Always Win
Review: The Good Guys Don't Always Win

A Place In The Sun
Released: 1951
Length: 120 minutes
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Key Actors/Actresses: Elizabeth Taylor as Angela Vickers
Montgomery Clift as George Eastman
Shelley Winters as Alice Tripp
Herbert Heyes as Charles Eastman

A Place in The Sun is a romantic tragedy set in the 60's about poor George Eastman, who has been raised by his religious family and is looking to make his mark on the world. Traveling across country to work for his uncle Charles Eastman who owns a swimsuit factory George starts to work his way up the company ladder. It seems that George can do no wrong except that he breaks the company rule and starts fraternizing with one of the factory girls Alice Tripp.
When George meets Angela Vickers the two of them fall hopelessly in love and it seems George will be working his way into the social elite if he can only solve one problem. What to do about Ms. Tripp who is now carrying his child. George begins to consider drowning Tripp so that he can be with Angela, but when he takes her out on the lake she accidentally drowns instead and George is wrongfully charged with murder.
This tragedy gets three stars for excellent acting from Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift, original dialog and story line.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Daydreaming can be unhealthy
Review: A place in the sun is a move worth watching. Montgomery Clift, Elizabeth Taylor and Shelly Winters played their roles to a "Tee". Academy awards should have been handed to these three when they were finished filming. Imagine learning you have a long lost wealthy uncle while packing his luggage to his car, just to be invited to his home of snobs and given the next to the lowest job from a janitor at his company.

Trying to make the best out of the situation in order to advance in the company, you meet this pretty country girl and have a one night affair which turns out to be a living Hell. Along comes Elizabeth Taylor aka Angela Vickers a high class girl wanting to spend time with a wanta be rich rebel. Only to have Shelly Winters aka Alice Tripp crowding, nagging, not wanting you nor herself to advance in life was enough to drive the poor man crazy.

Montgomery Clift aka George Eastman played a role I don't think any man could have played better if they tried. Trying to figure out how to get rid of Alice and stay lovie dubbie with Angela was a job that men today couldn't handle if they wanted to.

The poor man didn't know if he was coming or going. If there had been drugs in the movie he would have become an addict. Being dealt such a hand in life, trying to live a life that wasn't for him to live and forget about a life he lived wasn't hard when Alice was around. Angela reminded him of the life he wanted and should have had at least he thought. Fate deals him a raw hand when Alice drowns in a lake. He ends up in prison for a crime he didn't commit by hand only by thought. Anyway it is a film worth watching again.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Unfortunate Circumstances
Review: Paramount Studios released this black and white film in 1951 that runs for 120 minutes. A Place In The Sun is based on the novel An American Tradegy written by Theordore Dreiser. Montgomery Clift portrays a poor gentleman trying to better himself by leaving his family and moving away to take a position at his wealthly uncle's business. Montgomery Clift(George Eastman) becomes involved with a co-worker, Shelley Winters (Alice Tripp)which was taboo for an Eastman to become involved with the workers. Clift catches a glimpse of Elizabeth Taylor (Angela Vickers), who is both beautiful and wealthy, and it's love at first site. The dangerous love triangle begins. Montgomery Clift quickly grows tired of the manipulating and whinny Shelley Winters and plots her demise. Montgomery Clift soon finds out that the grass is not as green on the other side of the fence as he thought.
This film was given Four Stars for it's ability to keep the audience wondering what George would do to get out of the circumstances he finds himself faced with.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: As Fate Would Have It
Review: A Place in the Sun is a 1951 black and white film that runs 120 minutes and was released by Paramount Pictures and directed by George Stevens. This film is based on Theodore Drieser's American Tragedy. Cast members include Montgomery Clift (George Eastman), Elizabeth Taylor (Angela Vickers), Shelley Winters (Alice Tripp), and Raymond Burr (Frank Marlowe), the D.A. This classic won six Oscars including Best Direction, Screenplay, Cinematography, Film Editing and Costume Design.
The tragedy begins with George Eastman hitch hiking to call on his uncle and be hired to work in his uncle's factory. George is on the opposite side of the tracks than his wealthy uncle and his family and this is apparent from the beginning. When he begins work at the almost all women factory, his cousin, Earl Eastman (Keefe Brasselle) gives him a short tour and makes it well known that it is forbidden to associate with any of the women in the factory. George immediately notices one of the workers, Alice Tripp, and she him. One other woman George noticed in his new surroundings is Angela Vickers, a rich and beautiful star. She, unfortunately for George, doesn't notice him at all. One, unexpected night, Alice and George meet and begin a secret relationship.
All is well for Alice and George in the beginning, but she starts demanding more of George and really gets under his skin. After accepting a promotion, George attends one of his uncle's parties at his mansion and there he meets the woman he has truly had eyes for from the beginning, Angela Vickers. Their love for each other is honest and strong, but he dared not tell Angela about Alice or visa versa. While he is seeing Angela more and more, he is losing interest in Alice due to her nagging and demands. She reveals to George she is pregnant and he is devastated. What to do, marry Alice and be miserable or marry Angela and be happy? He knew Alice would not let him be with Angela and continue to be happy.
George devised a plan to murder Alice so he could live his life with Angela, but at the last minute, he decides he cannot do it. However, Alice dies and George is brought in for her murder and found guilty after being prosecuted by Frank Marlowe, D.A. He is sent to execution and the last scene is Angela saying her goodbyes to him and telling him that she still loves him and always will.
This movie receives a four star rating due to the story line and how the actors and actresses interacted. It was almost as if there was a true attraction between Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift and a true dislike between Shelley Winters and Montgomery Clift and they made viewers believe this. Shelley Winters played a perfect role of a young, homely woman and Elizabeth Taylor as a rich, beautiful young star. The drama, as presented in the court case, was exciting and unexpected. A Place in the Sun would end as fate would have it.


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