AFI Movies: #92 A Place in the Sun
Do you like old rickety rollercoasters? This is the movie version of that.
If you missed my first post where I explain what this is and how I’m scoring things, here you go.
One of the most common and relatable stories told in our society is the “fish out of water” story. This structure allows for an outsider to come into an established scenario and be a sort of avatar for the audience to learn about this situation that the outsider is coming into. A story like this is relatable because most of us as human beings have a situation where we feel like we don’t fit in, and need to find a way to adapt so that they can fit into this new scenario. It is also an effective way to tell a story because it is an easy way to share about the unfamiliar without using loads of explanation to catch the audience up to speed. The audience can learn along with the main character, and can experience the struggles of that main character in a way that is relatable.
Today’s movie, A Place in the Sun, is a great example of using a character as an avatar into a different world. In this film, George Eastman, played by Montgomery Clift, is the young nephew of a rich elitist by the name of Charles Eastman. George, unlike the rest of his family, comes from a lower socioeconomic position, so his entrance into the world of the rich and elite comes as a shock to his system. George has moved to town to try and work his way up his uncle’s company, and is first given a position working on the factory line. While working in the factory, George begins dating, against company policy, one of his coworkers on the floor, Alice.
For a while, Alice, played by Shelley Winters, becomes the number two character in the film, and we follow the romance of the beautiful young couple in the early stages of their relationship.
This is where the movie honestly started to lose me, as I began to wonder why what I assumed to be a basic love story was named the 92nd best American movie ever.
But then came Elizabeth Taylor.
For those of you that are unfamiliar, Elizabeth Taylor is one of the most beautiful women to ever be put on screen, at least in American cinema. She plays Angela Vickers, the daughter of a very wealthy couple that runs in the same circle as the Eastmans. George meets Angela at a party at his uncle’s house, and man, the movie goes on a wild, wild ride after that meeting.
I don’t know how many of you that read this are using my list to find new recommendations for movies, or you just are being nice and reading my writing, but this is the point where, if you are going to watch this film, I’d suggest you stop reading and come back to it later.
I’m going to spoil some things in the rankings:
Entertainment Value- 1.5/2
I’m probably being a little harsh here taking off half a point, but the movie really doesn’t pick up until about the 45 minute mark, when the crazy love triangle stuff starts to become evident. Until then, it’s a nice little romance story, but that lost my interest after a few minutes.
When Angela meets George, though, the movie kicks into a gear I was not expecting. George and Angela instantly have chemistry. Maybe not any real chemistry to build a sustained relationship on, but the type of chemistry that only exists when two incredibly attractive people find each other incredibly attractive. Almost immediately, George is willing to give up everything he has with Alice, who by the way is now pregnant with George’s baby. Alice notices that George is spending less time with her, but he tells her that he is simply working more to try and support their soon-to-be family. This flips when Alice sees a picture of George and Angela on vacation together in the tabloids1 . Alice calls George, and threatens to tell his family everything about her, because their relationship has been a secret up until this point. George goes to meet Alice, and promises to make everything up to her by taking her on a little getaway. On the way there, the car runs out of gas next to a lake, and George suggests the two of them go rent a boat and have their lunch on the lake. Alice has told George in the past that she can’t swim2, so when the boat “accidentally” capsizes and George “can’t save” Alice, she and her unborn child are drowned in the lake. From here, the movie sort of turns into a courtroom drama, as George is tried for Alice’s murder.
Like I said, wild ride.
Correctness- 1/2
I’m making an exception to my “movies can only get zero points or two points in this category” rule for movies that don’t have anything offensive, but also have a serious lack of diversity/representation in the cast.
Influence- 1/2
Of all of the categories I decided to include when I started this project, this is the one that I have had the most trouble with. I know why I included it, because there are some movies higher up the list that are just absolutely obvious two point earners here, but with movies like this, I don’t have enough context or understanding to know if this was the first movie of its kind, or part of a bigger trend, or the introduction to a new type of storytelling that I’ve seen 100 times now that it has been 72 years.
Rewatchability: 1.5/2
This one was definitely fun to rewatch after I knew all the twists and turns so I could appreciate the setup of it all, but I’m not sure this will go into my regular rotation of movies that I watch over and over again.
Technical Score: 2/2
I’m going to lean on the Academy of Motion Pictures for this one, as this film won Best Directing, Best Writing, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Editing, and Best Score at the 1952 Oscars. That pretty much covers everything I wanted to appreciate in this category, so yeah, two out of two.
Overall- 7/10
Definitely worth a watch for anyone who hasn’t seen it.
Did you check it out? What did you think?
You can stream A Place in the Sun on Pluto TV.
Hasta luego,
Josh
Up Next: #91 My Fair Lady
Life advice for any of my cheaters out there, if you are going to cheat on your significant other, maybe don’t do it with a public figure that the paparazzi will take photos of. Just a thought.
If you are pregnant, can’t swim, and just found out your significant other is cheating on you, maybe sit out the boat ride on the quiet lake.