Embers under the ashes

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Movie
German title Embers under the ashes
Original title Peyton Place
Country of production USA
original language English
Publishing year 1957
length 157 minutes
Age rating FSK 12
Rod
Director Mark Robson
script John Michael Hayes
production Jerry Wald for 20th Century Fox
music Franz Waxman
camera William C. Mellor
cut David Bretherton
occupation

Embers under the Ashes (original title: Peyton Place ) is an American feature film from 1957 with Lana Turner and Hope Lange . The melodrama was directed by Mark Robson and is based on the unveiling novel The People of Peyton Place (original title: Peyton Place ) by Grace Metalious . With his portrayal of taboo subjects in society such as adultery, marital violence, sexual abuse of minors, illegitimate pregnancy, abortion, alcoholism and bigotry, which was open to the public at the time, Embers under the ashes contributed to the rapid end of the Production Code at the end of the 1950s. The success of the film resulted in a whole series of similar productions such as All My Dreams and The Summer Island , which broke new taboos, especially in their portrayal of sexual situations.

plot

Michael Rossi comes to Peyton Place, a small New England town, to find work. He makes the acquaintance of Lucas Cross, a bitter alcoholic, whose wife Nellie works as a housekeeper for Constance MacKenzie. Constance, a young widow, runs the local fashion salon. Michael eventually gets hired at the local college where he meets Constance's daughter Allison MacKenzie and her best friend Selena Cross. Selena is engaged to Ted Carter, an aspiring lawyer. Some time later, there is a falling out between Constance and Allison when Constance abruptly ends her daughter's birthday party because she suspects the young guests present to indulge in sexual activities.

Shortly afterwards Michael and Constance get closer. Things are made even more complicated by Constance's strict refusal to even kiss her admirer Michael, let alone other forms of affection. At the same time, Mr. Harrington, who owns half the town, tries to persuade his son Rodney to break his friendship with Betty Anderson, who in the eyes of Mr. Harrington is a cheap slut with no morals.

Selena is meanwhile raped several times by her drunken stepfather Lucas. When she discovers that she is pregnant by Lucas, she turns to doctor Mathew Swain in desperation and asks for an abortion. Dr. Swain refuses Selena the requested assistance, but forces Lucas to sign a written confession of his crimes. Full of anger about the revelation, he attacks Selena one last time, who falls while trying to escape and has a miscarriage.

Meanwhile, Betty seduces her boyfriend Rodney on a picnic and forces him to make a marriage vows. On the fringes of the event, Allison and her good friend Norman go swimming, which some older women make a scandal. Rumor has it that Allison gave himself up to Norman. Constance learns of the talk and completely loses her composure. Angry, she confronts her daughter and believes her assurance that it was just a harmless get-together, not a word. The argument escalates and, in her uncontrolled anger, Constance reveals to the horror Allison the secret of her parentage: Constance was never married, but for years the mistress of a married man. Allison is the result of this liaison. The young woman is shocked and runs into her room in a panic, where she finds the body of Nellie, who hanged herself out of shame over Selena's rape.

At the same time, Rodney confesses to his father that he and Betty were married. Old Harrington wants the marriage annulled at all costs, but Rodney stands firm. He leaves college and takes a job as a handyman in a sawmill. Allison is shocked by all the terrible things that are going on around her. She leaves Peyton Place to live a new life free of lies and self-deception. World War II breaks out and the young men from Peyton Place go into battle. When news arrives that Rodney has fallen, Mr. Harrington and his unloved daughter-in-law are reconciled. Just as Selena is about to leave the house on Christmas Eve, Lucas is back at the door. He tries to rape his stepdaughter again, but Selena slays Lucas in a fit of panic. She buries the body in the garden and hopes that no one will ever discover her secret. But in the end the crime comes to light and Selena is charged. Only at the last second does Dr. Swain the real facts for the act. Selena is acquitted. She urges Allison, who has been her self-sacrificing support throughout the trial, to make up with her mother. In the end, the two women hug each other again.

background

Grace Metalious published her debut novel Peyton Place in early 1956. The book depicts the mendacity and bigotry in a fictional small town in New England with an unprecedented frankness. According to the author, every conceivable form of human misconduct exists behind the façade of decency and morality. Coexistence in Peyton Place is characterized by wickedness, betrayal, resentment, gossip and malice. Received by critics with a mixture of disapproval and amazement, Peyton Place became the biggest bestseller since Gone With the Wind . In the first ten days after publication alone, 60,000 copies sold. Contributing to this is the general assumption that the author reported firsthand, so to speak, actual scandals from her hometown in New Hampshire.

The book's overwhelming commercial success led Jerry Wald to secure the film rights for $ 250,000 in September 1956. At the same time, the producer was aware that the filming would automatically lead to massive conflicts with the censorship authorities. Since mid-1934, under the rigid Production Code , it has been practically impossible to bring certain aspects of human coexistence onto the screen. As a first step, John Michael Hayes began to tone down a number of aspects of the novel in his script. For example, while in the book Selena has an abortion that doctor Dr. Swain performs, she miscarries in the film. In the novel, the pregnant daughter of the employee Anderson is forced to have an abortion and has to leave town. The relationship between Constance and Michael in the novel is anything but chaste and, unlike in the film, Allison also loses her virginity after leaving Peyton Place. Even so, the production company 20th Century Fox was ultimately forced to release the film with a strict age limit.

Producer Jerry Wald had to personally convince Lana Turner to play the mother of a grown daughter. The actress also feared that her image as a glamorous star, which was still associated with numerous fans, could suffer from the role. Wald took the worries seriously and contractually guaranteed Turner significantly more costume changes and jewelry than would have been appropriate for the role of a single parent in a clothing store. Diane Varsi made her screen debut as Allison MacKenzie after making a name for herself on Broadway. Critics hailed the film as entertainment for adults, and in the end, Embers Beneath the Ashes, which went on sale in late December 1957, grossed over $ 8 million. An event from the private life of Lana Turner, which occurred in early 1958, made a significant contribution to financial success. Her daughter Cheryl Crane stabbed her mother's then lover with a knife in self-defense when he was abusing Turner. However, Lana Turner's career did not suffer any damage. On the contrary, the actress made a comeback and a short time later played a role in the film As Long as There Are People , who she in turn presented as the self-sacrificing mother of a teenage daughter. The studio shot a sequel with the return to Peyton Place in 1961, but it flopped.

TV series Peyton Place

In 1964, the template became the basis for the TV series of the same name, the first soap opera , which ran for half an hour in prime time until 1969. The series lastingly promoted the careers of Mia Farrow , Ryan O'Neal and Dorothy Malone .

Reviews

The critics praised the film as dignified entertainment for adults, but criticized the many changes compared to the novel.

Variety said in summary:

On the screen you don't see the uncomfortable, sexual secrets riddled town where Grace Metalious sets her story. These are not these gossipy, despicable, and immoral people she portrays. There are hints of her in the film, but only hints.

Awards

Embers under the Ashes went to the 1958 Academy Awards with a total of nine nominations , but failed to prevail in any category:

  • Best movie
  • Best Director: Mark Robson
  • Best Female Lead Actress: Lana Turner
  • Best Supporting Actress: Hope Lange
  • Best Female Supporting Actress: Diana Varsi
  • Best Male Supporting Actor: Arthur Kennedy
  • Best Male Supporting Actor: Russ Tamblyn
  • Best Adapted Screenplay: John Michael Hayes
  • Best Cinematography by William C. Mellor

In 1958 the film won a Laurel Award in the Best Drama category.

source

Web links

Single receipts

  1. ^ Peyton Place. In: Variety . 1957, accessed on October 3, 2019 (English): “On the screen is not the unpleasant sex-secret little town against which Grace Metalious set her story. These aren't the gossiping, spiteful, immoral people she portrayed. There are hints of this in the film, but only hints. "