Fifty years ago, the novel peyton place shocked america with its tale of secrets, sex, and hypocrisy in a small new hampshire town, becoming one of the bestselling dirty books ever, a hit movie, and tvs first primetime soap. She also effectively captures allisons passion for life and later her disillusionment when she learns the truth about her deceased father. And lloyd nolan cannot be overlooked as the towns warmhearted doctor. Jan 22, 2007 peyton place also made a sudden star of diane varsi, the wiry newcomer who anchored the narrative as allison mackenzie. Peyton place general discussions tcm message boards. Peyton place 1957 the book that could never be filmed. Peyton place year 1957 director mark robson lana turner diane varsi based on the book by grace metalious peyton place. The film stars lana turner and hope lange and costars lee philips, lloyd nolan, diane varsi, arthur kennedy, russ tamblyn, and terry moore. Peyton place got nine oscar nominations, but unfortunately lost a lot of awards it was up for to the bridge on the river kwai.
Barry coe, who starred in the peyton place movie and on the shortlived hawaiiset abc adventure series follow the sun, has died. But its diane in her sole skin onscreen who steals the show. The movie stars lana turner, diane varsi, russ tamblyn, lee phillips, hope lange, and arthur kennedy. Peyton place directed by mark robson available on dvd alibris. June, 2007 this weekend, the small seaside town of camden, maine will celebrate its place in cinema history as the real life location for 1957s peyton place with a parade, tours of. Peyton place kindle edition by metalious, grace, ardis.
Peyton place deserves a lush, sumptuous transfer, and twilight time courtesy of fox delivers with a superior 1080pavc mpeg4 rendering thats a nice step up from the 2004 dvd. She finally found her true calling when she began taking acting lessons under the aegis of acting coach jeff corey. Even though the town and residents were fictitious, this book created an uproar. Peyton place also made a sudden star of diane varsi, the wiry newcomer who anchored the narrative as allison mackenzie. Get premium, high resolution news photos at getty images. For this work diane received an academy award nomination as best supporting actress. Russ tamblyn touching diane varsi in crowded room in a scene from the film peyton place, 1957.
Miss varsi played allison mackenzie in peyton place, the 1957 melodrama based on the novel by grace metalious. Varsi got a bestsupportingactress nomination as did hope lange, who. Oct 02, 2019 the film version of peyton place focuses the story on constance turner and her daughter allison diane varsi. Varsi s poignant narration provides the nostalgic transitions as the plot progresses from 1941 into the world war ii years. Although she had signed a longterm contract with 20th centuryfox to win her role in peyton place, the rebellious actress soon tired of filmmaking and walked out on fox and hollywood after only five films.
On april 4, 1958, star lana turners daughter cheryl killed her mothers abusive lover, mobster johnny stompanato and was placed in juvenile hall. Diane varsi, an actress nominated for an academy award after only her. Peyton place kindle edition by metalious, grace, ardis cameron. Russ tamblyn, terry moore, david nelson, lorne greene and barry coe plot. Unknown diane varsi had little interest in a film career after playing.
The success of the first film led to a sequel, return to peyton place, in 1961, with eleanor parker in the role of lana turner, and to a longrunning tv series, with the young mia farrow in the role that diane varsi had made memorable in 1957. Both diane varsi and lee philips made their film debuts in peyton place. Lana turner, diane varsi, hope lange, lee philips, arthur kennedy, lloyd nolan. Lana turner, hope lange, diane varsi and russ tamblyn all give their only oscar. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. Diane marie antonia varsi february 23, 1938 november 19, 1992 was an american film actress best known for her performances in peyton place her film debut, for which she was nominated for an academy award and the cult film wild in the streets. Peyton place was the secondhighest grossing film of 1958, although in the first few months of its release it did not do well at the box office, until a reallife tragedy gave it an unexpected boost. Mar 12, 2020 the cast was headed by lana turner in an oscarnominated role as constance mackenzie, and her daughter allison was played by newcomer diane varsi. A troubling childhood led to her dropping out of high school, toiling instead in a number of. In the original novel, allison was the illegitimate daughter of constance mackenzie, the owner of a clothing store in peyton place, a small community in new hampshire, and an imported fabric store owner also named allison mackenzie in the movie, her father was named angus, and in the television series, he was a new york city businessman named james.
It concerns the fictional town of the same name, a beautiful hamlet with perfect, picturesque settings, but layered with a topcoat of smotheringly upright morals that hide a lot of sins. Both diane varsi and lee philips made their film debuts in peyton place the films also marked the first time that david nelson had appeared separately from his family, ozzie, harriet, and ricky. An episode of backstory where they explore the groundbreaking novel and eventually feature film, peyton place. Lana turner and lee philips in peyton place 1957 arthur kennedy and hope. Aug 06, 2019 barry coe, who starred in the peyton place movie and on the shortlived hawaiiset abc adventure series follow the sun, has died.
Russ tamblyn as norman page and diane varsi as allison mackenzie in the film version of peyton place 1957. Apr 05, 2006 the success of the first film led to a sequel, return to peyton place, in 1961, with eleanor parker in the role of lana turner, and to a longrunning tv series, with the young mia farrow in the role that diane varsi had made memorable in 1957. In a twinkling, varsi was signed to a 20th centuryfox contract and was cast as alison mckenzie in the 1957 film version of grace metalious peyton. Diane varsi, and hope lange, but hollywoods selfcensorship codes didnt really allow for an accurate screen. This lovely, longhaired, freshfaced and most promising product of the late 1950s was born diane marie antonia varsi in san mateo. The story of meek allison mckenzie, growing up in the late thirties in a hypocritical mill town in new england in the household of a demanding mother, fascinated many.
Filmed in color and cinemascope, peyton place gets a big visual jump from dvd to bluray, aided by the excellent 5. In 1957, screenwriter john michael hayes faced this kind of stigma over the film version. The real trouble is isolated and would be easily rooted out if it werent for oldfashioned suspicion and ignorant gossip. It blew off the lid of a small new england town full of rape, murder, sex, abortion, infidelity, suicide etc etc. I remember peyton place as the dirtiest book i read in high school.
Peyton place the movie covers the book in a glaze of hollywood glamour. Peyton place the 20th centuryfox hit that as a book shocked every town in the nation. This lovely, longhaired, freshfaced and most promising product of the late 1950s was born diane marie antonia varsi in san mateo, california, on february 23, 1938, the elder of two daughters of russell varsi, a florist, and wife beatrice demerchant. But it is really with the sensitive performances of diane varsi and hope lange that this film gains its legs. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required.
Later there would come a sequel with none of the orginal actors and a primetime soap opera. Grace metalious oncenotorious bestseller peyton place is given a lavish and necessarily toneddown film treatment in this deluxe 20th centuryfox production. Carrolls on location in peyton place will be screened along with the world premiere of the 35mm restoration of the feature film wednesday night, july, at the maine international film. Diane varsis allison is saccharine in the films first half, and when she returns from new.
Just as fascinating was the strange career of turners onscreen daughter, diane varsi. Aug 10, 2010 peyton place 1957 the book that could never be filmed. One of my alltime favorite scores, and one of my favorite films of the 50s. Peyton place dvd, 2004, studio classics for sale online ebay. This week, thomas mallon and anna holmes discuss what its like reading peyton place today, 50 years after. Turner is the seemingly uptight owner of a local dress shop who is struggling with losing control over the teenage allison. This week, thomas mallon and anna holmes discuss what its like reading peyton place. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading peyton place. The smallbreasted beauty is seen in bed topless with. It gathered nine academy award nominations, including miss varsis for best. Monash countered with a slightly revamped version of peyton place, which had been a wildly popular novel by grace metalious and subsequent hollywood film starring lana turner and diane varsi. Less than a month after the novels release in 1956. The blockbuster success of peyton place which earned nine academy award nominations, including best picture, director, actress turner, supporting actor kennedy and tamblyn, supporting actress lange and varsi, adapted screenplay, and cinematography spawned countless imitations and laid the groundwork for tvs durable daytime dramas. Peyton place follows allyson mackensie diane varsi, an aspiring writer, her mother lana turner, whose veiled past.
Her first starring role was the portrayal of allison mackenzie in the film made from the bestselling book, peyton place. Peyton place 1957 movie simple english wikipedia, the. Peyton place is the sensitive and poignant story of coming of age in a small new england village whose peaceful facade hides love and passion, scandal and hypocrisy. Peyton place and millions of other books are available for instant access. John michael hayes screenplay, grace metalious from the novel by. Peyton place could have been a heaving, overblown showcase, but instead made its way into becoming an important melodrama that has stood the test of time. The screenplay by ronald alexander is based on the 1959 novel return to peyton place by grace metalious.
The standouts in the peyton place cast are young stars diane varsi and hope lange. The cast was headed by lana turner in an oscarnominated role as constance mackenzie, and her daughter allison was played by newcomer diane varsi. It still holds the record as the movie most nominated to have received no awards. The lives and loves of several high school graduates are followed leading up to the start of wwii. Peyton place ist ein usamerikanischer spielfilm aus dem. She left hollywood in order to pursue personal and artistic aims, notably at bennington college in vermont, where she studied poetry with poet and translator ben belitt, among others. The film was distributed by 20th century fox and is a. Spawned an inferior sequel, return to peyton place 1961, and the abc soap opera peyton place.
Peyton place stars diane varsi and russ tamblyn climbing mount battie outside camden, maine above and on set while filming in camden below, lower left. It was based on a 1956 novel of the same name by grace metalious. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. While the book and series centered on the pious, hypocritical behavior of new england residents, the tv series eschewed most of that lasciviousness and. Imdb, the worlds most popular and authoritative source for movie, tv and celebrity content. Based on one of the bestselling novels ever, peyton place is the ultimate smalltown soap opera, which spawned a sequel and numerous tv versions and reunion films.
Evelyn page, would play nurse esther choate in the 1960s peyton place tv series. A single mother of allison diane varsi, she had lied for 18 years that her husband was dead. In 1957, screenwriter john michael hayes faced this kind of stigma over the film version of peyton place, grace metaliouss scandalous. The township of peyton place is too beautiful to be evil.
Peyton place did indeed sell a million copies several millions by now and inspired a movie, a sequel, and a longrunning television soap opera. Beautifully photographed, peyton place revitalized the career of lana turner, who played constance mackenzie. Varsis poignant narration provides the nostalgic transitions as the plot progresses from 1941 into the world war ii years. Devoid of so much of the nonsense that has been known to permeate other melodramas, peyton place is a beautifully filmed, effective film that uncovers the hidden scandals of a quaint, new england town. Grace metalious explosive bestselling novel is given the hollywood treatment in 1957s peyton place. Actress diane varsi diane marie antonia varsi february 23, 1938 november 19, 1992 was an american film actress best known for her performances in peyton place her film debut, and for which she was nominated for an academy award and the cult film wild in the streets. Diane varsi gab als allison mackenzie ihr leinwanddebut, nachdem sie sich bereits am broadway einen namen gemacht hatte. She received notoriety in the late 1950s as a very promising american film and television actress. Diane varsi started her showbusiness career by playing the coffeehouse circuit as a folksinger. Evelyn page, would play nurse esther choate in the 1960s peyton place tv series production. The whole thing is narrated by diane varsi as allison mckenzie who grew up and wrote a book about her home town. Each week in bookends, two writers take on questions about the world of books.
Received 9 oscar nominations including best actress, best supporting actor and actress two each, best picture, best director and best screenplay. Peyton place 1957 made diane varsi a star, but bloody mama 1970 made the hairy palms at skin central see stars. Mar 11, 2016 the standouts in the peyton place cast are young stars diane varsi and hope lange. The films also marked the first time that david nelson had appeared separately from his family, ozzie, harriet, and ricky. Theres no ugliness in human nature, only tragic misunderstandings. Aug 08, 2011 an episode of backstory where they explore the groundbreaking novel and eventually feature film, peyton place.