A Summer Place
by Delmer Daves
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Arthur Kennedy, Dorothy Mcguire, Richard Egan, Sandra Dee, Troy DonahueDirector: Delmer Daves
Brand: Warner Brothers
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 1.0; English (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 1.0
Format: Color, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 130 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-02-06
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Model: 28887
Studio: Warner Home Video
Movie Reviews of A Summer Place
Movie Review: Yummy High Cholesterol '50's Fun!
Summary: 5 Stars
As a social barometer of the times it may be reading a bit too much into "A Summer Place" to proclaim it as an early ripple in the social tempests still to come in the 1960's. Still those of us alive at that time know that in 1959 it WAS controversial to sympathetically portray adultery and teen sexuality as depicted in "A Summer Place". I remember my high school years (early '70's) and how girls who "got into trouble" would simply disappear and you'd never know what became of them until a classmate told you years later of their waywardness (this was still a VERY rare occurrence here in "flyover country" even then; how things have changed). And of course while adultery and divorce were likewise not quite so prevalent "back in the day," they certainly happened but not without considerable burden of stigma for the convention-defying lovers who tossed everything over for their passion.
So yeah, I do think the sociology of "A Summer Place" is significant but that's really the least reason to see it. Mostly it's just maximum guilty-pleasure FUN and a HUGE blast of '50's nostalgia and "attitude" that still has great charm and luster for receptive movie fans.
Rule number 1 is that you must have full tolerance for what we could now call cheesy acting and intensely overripe melodrama. AND ALSO you must be prepared for the intense full-frontal gumball-vivid Technicolor cinematography of the time. Too many viewers can't see beyond the stylistic conventions of the time a movie was made to appreciate the human story being told; what a pity! Think of everyone you know who just won't watch a movie because it's in black & white, or because it's obviously an old, overcooked Hollywood potboiler. You know what? Many of those are GREAT works of art however (like most art) they require that you make the effort to meet them halfway. Think of them not only as theatrical productions but also as time capsules of the era they were created--because that's exactly what they are. And how fortunate we are now to have such easy access on DVD for our enjoyment now!
But enough of the film theory stuff. "A Summer Place" appeals on many levels; the gorgeous cinematography, the convention-challenging story & script, the VERY effective and well-remembered orchestral score, and let's not overlook the cast. Sandra Dee & Troy Donahue do indeed project a kind of youthful innocence that truly is a thing of the past now, but was common in their time. Dorothy McGuire & Richard Egan give it their all as the reunited Pine Island lovers who cannot resign themselves to half-lives of marital indifference or cruelty. And how about those jilted spouses? You gotta love Constance Ford as the scheming, triple-bitter wife interested only in keeping her husband & daughter under her thumb. Look-the DVD transfer shows how she has make-up "frown lines" painted at the corners of her mouth just in case we don't get the point that she's a sullen, PO'd bitter woman. A Snidely Whiplash mustache wouldn't have been gender-appropriate, would it?!? Arthur Kennedy also gives a GREAT performance as Dorothy's bibulous husband who despite his degraded state still musters considerable self-awareness & ultimately inspires our sympathy.
I described "A Summer Place" earlier as a guilty pleasure, but now I want to back off a little bit in closing. This is not really drama that will shake you fiercely like, say "21 Grams" or "Dead Man Walking," however I confess I AM touched by the underlying sincerity of "A Summer Place" and its intent to provoke--gently--some questioning of the Eisenhower era values that seemed set in stone and indeed WERE a cage of oppression for many. Perhaps your appreciation of "A Summer Place" will be proportional to your level of receptivity to such a re-evaluation. All I know for sure is that you enjoy it half as much as I do, you will like it a very great deal indeed!
Summary of A Summer Place
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