1951 film invites comparisons

By DAVE DELLECESE
Observer-Dispatch

The 1951 film, A Place in the Sun, was based on Theodore Dreiser’s novel “An American Tragedy” -- itself a work of fiction based on the real-life events of the Grace Brown/Chester Gillette case.

The film starring Montgomery Clift, Shelley Winters and Elizabeth Taylor was nominated for nine Academy Awards, and won six, including best directing, best editing, and best screenplay.

The film told the story of George Eastman, a poor man taking work in his wealthy uncle’s factory where he meets fellow worker, Alice Tripp, with whom he begins a secret relationship that could become scandalous when she becomes pregnant.

Eastman finds himself torn when he meets the beautiful, well-to-do Angela Vickers. Though the movie differs from the real-life case, the many similarities make for some good conversation. It was with that in mind that Observer-Dispatch screened the film for a group of viewers, and they came away with some different takes.

“He planned everything so perfectly and definitely had the motive,” said Harrison Landry, a New Hartford High School advanced placement English student. “Marrying Alice would have ruined the life he had planned for himself. The fact that he tried to run also increases his guilt in my mind.”

David J. Plescia, Proctor High School English teacher, said:

“I sympathize with George, because he seemed like your archetypical everyman. What happened to him could happen to any of us. He seems to be just a normal person who has made a series of unwise decisions. He’s a difficult character to dislike, despite his actions.”

Kay Lanaux, community service volunteer, said:

“I believe the incident was accidental. When (Alice) stood-up in the boat it became unbalanced and caused the boat to capsize. I think he had a desire to drown her to prevent being exposed, but that he didn’t have the nerve to follow through.”

Susan Nackley Mojave, Players of Utica, said:

“I empathized with the two women - Alice and Angela, both victims of George’s passions and desires. I empathized with the ‘lot in life’ of Alice - poor, unwed and pregnant in a time of few choice for women. I empathized with Angela because she never knew the truth about George and was deceived by him.”

Jeff Miller, Utica College associate professor of communications, said:

“Montgomery Clift’s performance stood out in particular; a convincing and powerful portrayal of a conflicted conscience. He is constantly placed in circumstances where he is forced to choose between the strict religious upbringing he received from his mother and the temptations of the flesh represented by Alice and Angela, or the temptations of material wealth represented by his uncle’s fortune. George is forced to choose between the strict moral upbringing provided by his mother and the temptations of Alice and Angela on one hand and the temptations of wealth and privilege as an Eastman on the other.”

Matt Watkajtys, - New Hartford High School advanced placement English student, said:

“Very well constructed from a cinematic stance. The story was rather captivating and overall the film did indeed look good. Clearly it allows the viewer to establish a mindset of their own.”

Lynne Mishalanie, director of Utica Monday Nite, said:

“I thought it was very good ‘ensemble’ work. I like my history in historic time and place, but the themes - class, place, social climbing, was well portrayed.”