PIXOTE A LEI DO MAS FRACO FILMS. 4 EDITIoN Pixote a lei do mais fraco Tavares, Zulmira Ribeiro, " A Briga de Pixote, in Filme e Cultura, Azeredo, Ely, O Globo(Rio de Janeiro), 5 February 1993 number 38/39. August/November 1981 The New york Times. vol. 147. A34 and B29. 19 December 1997. Sullivan, James, Films in Review(New York), 12 September 1981 Purtell, Tim, in Entertainment Weekly, no 414, 16 January 1998 Sullivan, J, Films in Review(New York), November 1981 Kael. Pauline. New yorker. 9 November 1981 Bonneville, L, Sequences(Montreal), January 1982 Corliss, Richard, Time, 18 January 1982 Pixote a lei do mais fraco directed by Hector Babenco, is one of Cuel, F, Cinematographe(Paris), April 1982. those films whose subject matter has so escaped the darkness of the Paranagua, P.A., "Sur le fil du rasoir"in Positif(Paris), April 1982. projection room as to make it impossible to comment on it merely in e sh. h terms of filmmaking. Pixote's story continued, a painful and foretold Cros, J L, Image et Son(Paris), June 1982 tragedy, for seven years, until its dreadful epilogue Csicsery, G, ""Individual Solutions"in Film Quarterly(Berkeley) The launch of Pixote(the word means"urchin')in 1980 hit the Fall 1982 public like a mule’s meson,J,Monthly Film Bulletin(London), January 1983 couched in scenes of raw beauty--of one of Brazils most serious LeFanu, M, Films and Filming (London), January 1983 social problems, that of abandoned children, of which there are Hawken, J, and C. Htewski, "Exploitation for Export, in Screen several million in the country. The international recognition of Pixote London), March/April 1983. (voted the third best foreign film of the 1980s by the magazine Stam, R, Cineaste(New York), 1983 American Film) confirmed that Hector Babenco had conceived an Schild, Susana, Jornal do Brasil(Rio de Janeiro), 9 February 1986 outstanding film about violated youth and the painful loss of inno- Schild, Susana, Jornal do brasil(Rio de Janeiro), 27 February 1988. cence, ranked with Vittorio de Sicas Ladri di biciclette and Luis Folha de sao paulo(sao Paulo), 6 December 1989 Bunuel's Los Olvidados. Hector Babenco, born in Argentina, resident
PIXOTE A LEI DO MAS FRACO FILMS, 4th EDITION 950 Pixote a lei do mais fraco Tavares, Zulmira Ribeiro, ‘‘A Briga de Pixote,’’ in Filme e Cultura, number 38/39, August/November 1981. Sullivan, James, Films in Review (New York), 12 September 1981. Sullivan, J., Films in Review (New York), November 1981. Kael, Pauline, New Yorker, 9 November 1981. Bonneville, L., Séquences (Montreal), January 1982. Corliss, Richard, Time, 18 January 1982. Cuel, F., Cinématographe (Paris), April 1982. Paranagua, P. A., ‘‘Sur le fil du rasoir’’ in Positif (Paris), April 1982. Welsh, H., Jeune Cinéma (Paris), April/May 1982. Cros, J. L., Image et Son (Paris), June 1982. Csicsery, G., ‘‘Individual Solutions’’ in Film Quarterly (Berkeley), Fall 1982. Imeson, J., Monthly Film Bulletin (London), January 1983. LeFanu, M., Films and Filming (London), January 1983. Hawken, J., and C. Htewski, ‘‘Exploitation for Export,’’ in Screen (London), March/April 1983. Stam, R., Cineaste (New York), 1983. Schild, Susana, Jornal do Brasil (Rio de Janeiro), 9 February 1986. Schild, Susana, Jornal do Brasil (Rio de Janeiro), 27 February 1988. Folha de Sao Paulo (Sao Paulo), 6 December 1989. Azeredo, Ely, O Globo (Rio de Janeiro), 5 February 1993. The New York Times, vol. 147, A34 and B29, 19 December 1997. Purtell, Tim, in Entertainment Weekly, no. 414, 16 January 1998. *** Pixote a lei do mais fraco directed by Hector Babenco, is one of those films whose subject matter has so escaped the darkness of the projection room as to make it impossible to comment on it merely in terms of filmmaking. Pixote’s story continued, a painful and foretold tragedy, for seven years, until its dreadful epilogue. The launch of Pixote (the word means ‘‘urchin’’) in 1980 hit the public like a mule’s kick by addressing the shocking reality— couched in scenes of raw beauty—of one of Brazil’s most serious social problems, that of abandoned children, of which there are several million in the country. The international recognition of Pixote (voted the third best foreign film of the 1980s by the magazine American Film) confirmed that Hector Babenco had conceived an outstanding film about violated youth and the painful loss of innocence, ranked with Vittorio de Sica’s Ladri di biciclette and Luis Bunuel’s Los Olvidados. Hector Babenco, born in Argentina, resident
FILMS. 4th EDItION A PLACEIN THE SUN in Brazil since the late 1960s, found inspiration for Pixote in A Notwithstanding the Cinema Novos awareness of social con- Infancia dos Mortos(The Infancy of the Dead) by Jose Lonzeiro. cerns, Hector Babenco opted for a straightforward narrative in Pixote, With Pixote-which followed O Rei da Noite(1976) and Lucio in which the camera restricts itself to depicting scenes and situations Flavio, O Passageiro da Agonia(1977), a huge box office success- and, above all, their effect on the characters. The pace is sustained by Babenco consolidates what would become his dominant theme: the careers of the boys themselves and the tragedy stamped on the people living on the fringes of society, treading the fine line between faces of these youthful crooks; tension is provided by the awfulness of petty crime and considerable risk. The theme is resumed in his later ome of the scenes and by the hopelessness of the childrens lot. films, The Kiss of the Spider Woman, Ironweed, and Ar Play in the Babenco was remorselessly realistic in his portrayal, while remaining Fields of the Lord. The underprivileged communities living on th sympathetic in his search for lost innocence. Not wishing to produce Paulo provided t poor a documentary about street children, nor attempting to identify social and ostracized youngsters, none of whom had ever acted before. causes for the problem, Babenco stated that he"used the reality as Among them was Fernando Ramos da Silva, who lived with eight a trampoline in trying to find the human being inside every juvenile orothers and his widowed mother in a sao Paulo shanty town. Slightly offender . built, shy and, as Babenco put it, " with an old man's face"Fernando Early in the film, Babenco shows hundreds of""Pixotes, slowly was Il years old when filming began on Pixote. His poignant acting is homing in on the group whose progress he would follow, and a mixture of naivete and fear, his expressions bore the cares of the gradually narrowing his sights on Pixote. At the end of the film, world. His face became a symbol for what he was and what he Pixote, who carries the weight of three murders on his childish represented: the drama of the abandoned child. The film was"univer- shoulders, walks alone down the railway track, a revolver his sole sal in its grief, according to the author of the book on which it was based Fernando Ramos da Silva tried to pursue a career as an actor, Following the trajectory of Pixote--first in a police station, then ollowing the success of Pixote but his stardom was short-lived. Once a reformatory, and finally on the streets of Rio and Sao Paulo-the again on the road to nowhere, through total lack of prospects, he ran film plunges deep into the world of abandoned Brazilian youth. nto trouble with the authorities, and was shot dead by the police in Pixote witnesses and is a product of the three-fold collapse which is 1987, at the age of 19. He fulfilled the destiny of the Pixote of the film the root cause of the tragedy of street children: the breakdowns of the but, more tragically, that of the many Pixotes in true life, also family unit, the social services and the institutions. The children and Femando Ramos da Silva became Pixote--on screen and in true adolescents have on their side one paradoxical guarantee: that of lifeforever exemption from the punitive aspects of the law until they reach official adulthood at the age of 18. This impunity also makes leal as apprentice criminals, especially under the tutelage of fully -Susana schild blown adult drug runners. The sordid environment of the reformatory is the back drop for the initial part of the film; to the insensitive attitude of those in authority is A PLACE IN THE SUN added the impotence of those who wish to help(teachers and psychologists). Only the very strong can survive the situation, where solidarity and sadism set the tone. USA,1951 Hector Babenco did not recoil at revealing the atrocities of the environment-sexual abuse, police violence, early contact with drugs. Director: George Stevens lowever, he still manages, despite the ugliness and degradation, to produce scenes of great poetry. An example is the scene where Pixote Production: Paramount Pictures: black and white, 35mm; running tries to follow a football match and darts and pokes his head around time: 122 minutes. Released 1951 he laboriously writes"the earth is round like an orange, his facete the body of the woman who is cutting his hair. Later, in the classroon Producer: George Stevens: screenplay: Harry Brown and Michael The claustrophobic atmosphere of the reformatory, accentuated wilson, from the novel An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser, by cold, blue lighting, gives way to the colours of the streets of Sao photography: William C. Mellor; editor: William Hornbeck; mu- Paulo and Rio. After fleeing the reformatory, Pixote, the youngest sic: Franz Waxman; costume designer: Edith Head boy, forms a little gang with three friends, one of whom is a transves Cast: Montgomery Clift( George Eastman): Elizabeth Taylor (Angela contact with a cocaine dealer, the little gang departs for Rio to sell the Vickers): Shelley Winters (Alice Tripp): Anne Revere(Hannah drugs; increasing violence culminates in Pixote committing his first murder. His encounter with the prostitute Sueli(Marilia Pera in an (Mrs. Vickers); Keefe Brasselle (Earl Eastman): Fred Clark(Bel- outstanding performance) figures among the most significant scene in ows): Raymond Burr(Frank Marlowe) y or all Brazilian films: having killed his customer and his friend Pixote suckles at the breast of the prostitute, who had aborted a few Awards: Oscars for Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best days previously, in a poignant allusion to the Pieta. The conclusion of Cinematography-Black and Best Editing, Best Music- the scene probes the heavy ambiguity of the prostitute in relation Dramatic or Comedy picture Best Costume-Black and 951
FILMS, 4 A PLACE IN THE SUN th EDITION 951 in Brazil since the late 1960s, found inspiration for Pixote in A Infância dos Mortos (The Infancy of the Dead) by José Lonzeiro. With Pixote—which followed O Rei da Noite (1976) and Lucio Flávio, O Passageiro da Agonia (1977), a huge box office success— Babenco consolidates what would become his dominant theme: people living on the fringes of society, treading the fine line between petty crime and considerable risk. The theme is resumed in his later films, The Kiss of the Spider Woman, Ironweed, and At Play in the Fields of the Lord. The underprivileged communities living on the outskirts of São Paulo provided the cast for the film: dozens of poor and ostracized youngsters, none of whom had ever acted before. Among them was Fernando Ramos da Silva, who lived with eight brothers and his widowed mother in a São Paulo shanty town. Slightly built, shy and, as Babenco put it, ‘‘with an old man’s face’’ Fernando was 11 years old when filming began on Pixote. His poignant acting is a mixture of naiveté and fear, his expressions bore the cares of the world. His face became a symbol for what he was and what he represented: the drama of the abandoned child. The film was ‘‘universal in its grief,’’ according to the author of the book on which it was based. Following the trajectory of Pixote—first in a police station, then in a reformatory, and finally on the streets of Rio and São Paulo—the film plunges deep into the world of abandoned Brazilian youth. Pixote witnesses and is a product of the three-fold collapse which is the root cause of the tragedy of street children: the breakdowns of the family unit, the social services and the institutions. The children and adolescents have on their side one paradoxical guarantee: that of exemption from the punitive aspects of the law until they reach official adulthood at the age of 18. This impunity also makes them ideal as apprentice criminals, especially under the tutelage of fully blown adult drug runners. The sordid environment of the reformatory is the back drop for the initial part of the film; to the insensitive attitude of those in authority is added the impotence of those who wish to help (teachers and psychologists). Only the very strong can survive the situation, where solidarity and sadism set the tone. Hector Babenco did not recoil at revealing the atrocities of the environment—sexual abuse, police violence, early contact with drugs. However, he still manages, despite the ugliness and degradation, to produce scenes of great poetry. An example is the scene where Pixote tries to follow a football match and darts and pokes his head around the body of the woman who is cutting his hair. Later, in the classroom, he laboriously writes ‘‘the earth is round like an orange,’’ his face is viewed close-up while he mutters the words he is writing. The claustrophobic atmosphere of the reformatory, accentuated by cold, blue lighting, gives way to the colours of the streets of São Paulo and Rio. After fleeing the reformatory, Pixote, the youngest boy, forms a little gang with three friends, one of whom is a transvestite, Lilica (played by the excellent Jorge Julião). Having made contact with a cocaine dealer, the little gang departs for Rio to sell the drugs; increasing violence culminates in Pixote committing his first murder. His encounter with the prostitute Sueli (Marilia Pera in an outstanding performance) figures among the most significant scene in any or all Brazilian films: having killed his customer and his friend, Pixote suckles at the breast of the prostitute, who had aborted a few days previously, in a poignant allusion to the Pietá. The conclusion of the scene probes the heavy ambiguity of the prostitute in relation to motherhood. Notwithstanding the Cinema Novo’s awareness of social concerns, Hector Babenco opted for a straightforward narrative in Pixote, in which the camera restricts itself to depicting scenes and situations and, above all, their effect on the characters. The pace is sustained by the careers of the boys themselves and the tragedy stamped on the faces of these youthful crooks; tension is provided by the awfulness of some of the scenes and by the hopelessness of the children’s lot. Babenco was remorselessly realistic in his portrayal, while remaining sympathetic in his search for lost innocence. Not wishing to produce a documentary about street children, nor attempting to identify social causes for the problem, Babenco stated that he ‘‘used the reality as a trampoline in trying to find the human being inside every juvenile offender.’’ Early in the film, Babenco shows hundreds of ‘‘Pixotes,’’ slowly homing in on the group whose progress he would follow, and gradually narrowing his sights on Pixote. At the end of the film, Pixote, who carries the weight of three murders on his childish shoulders, walks alone down the railway track, a revolver his sole companion. Fernando Ramos da Silva tried to pursue a career as an actor, following the success of Pixote, but his stardom was short-lived. Once again on the road to nowhere, through total lack of prospects, he ran into trouble with the authorities, and was shot dead by the police in 1987, at the age of 19. He fulfilled the destiny of the Pixote of the film; but, more tragically, that of the many Pixotes in true life, also. Fernando Ramos da Silva became Pixote—on screen and in true life—forever. —Susana Schild A PLACE IN THE SUN USA, 1951 Director: George Stevens Production: Paramount Pictures; black and white, 35mm; running time: 122 minutes. Released 1951. Producer: George Stevens; screenplay: Harry Brown and Michael Wilson, from the novel An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser; photography: William C. Mellor; editor: William Hornbeck; music: Franz Waxman; costume designer: Edith Head. Cast: Montgomery Clift (George Eastman); Elizabeth Taylor (Angela Vickers); Shelley Winters (Alice Tripp); Anne Revere (Hannah Eastman); Sheppard Strudwick (Anthony Vickers); Frieda Inescort (Mrs. Vickers); Keefe Brasselle (Earl Eastman); Fred Clark (Bellows); Raymond Burr (Frank Marlowe). Awards: Oscars for Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography—Black and White, Best Editing, Best Music— Dramatic or Comedy Picture, and Best Costume—Black and White, 1951
A PLACE IN THE SUN FILMS. 4 EDITIoN REU BIRTH S MARRIAGES DEATHS HOURS 9-4 Publications McCann, Graham, Rebel Males: Cliff, Brando, and Dean, Books. Kalfatovic, Mary C, Montgomery Clift: A Bio-Bibliography, Richie, Donald, George Stevens: An American Romantic, New York Morley, Sheridan, Elizabeth Taylor, New York, 1999 Phillips, Gene D, The Movie Makers: Artists in the Industry, Chi Articles. cago, 1973 Hirsch. Foster. Elizabeth Taylor. New York. 1973 d'Arcy, Susan, The Films of Elizabeth Taylor, London, 1974 Lewis, Stephen, in Films in Review(New York), October 1951 Laguaria, Robert, Monty: A Biography of Montgomery Cliff, New Pichel, Irving, Revivals, Reissues, Remakes, and A Place in the York,1977. Sun, in Quarterly of Radio, Television, and Film(Berkeley) Bosworth, Patricia, Montgomery Cliff: A Biography, New York, 1978 Summer 1952 Agte, Lloyd M, Harry Peter McNab Brown: A Classical Stylist and Martin, Pete, " "The Man Who Made the Hit Called Shane, " in Hollywood Screenwriter, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1980 Saturday Evening Post(Philadelphia), 8 August 1953 Petri,Bruce, A Theory of American Film: The Films and Techniques Archer, E, ""George Stevens and The American Dream of george Culture(New York), no 1, 1957. Vermilye, Jerry, and Mark Ricci, The FiIms of Elizabeth Taylor, Luft, Herbert, " George Stevens, 'in Films in Review(New York). Secaucus. 1989 November 1958 Parker, John, Five for Hollywood: Their Friendship. Their Fame, Stang J, "" Hollywood Romantic, in Films and Filming (London), Their Tragedy, Secaucus, 1991 July 1959 952
A PLACE IN THE SUN FILMS, 4th EDITION 952 A Place in the Sun Publications Books: Richie, Donald, George Stevens: An American Romantic, New York, 1970, 1985. Phillips, Gene D., The Movie Makers: Artists in the Industry, Chicago, 1973. Hirsch, Foster, Elizabeth Taylor, New York, 1973. d’Arcy, Susan, The Films of Elizabeth Taylor, London, 1974. Laguaria, Robert, Monty: A Biography of Montgomery Clift, New York, 1977. Bosworth, Patricia, Montgomery Clift: A Biography, New York, 1978. Agte, Lloyd M., Harry Peter McNab Brown: A Classical Stylist and Hollywood Screenwriter, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1980. Petri, Bruce, A Theory of American Film: The Films and Techniques of George Stevens, New York, 1987. Vermilye, Jerry, and Mark Ricci, The Films of Elizabeth Taylor, Secaucus, 1989. Parker, John, Five for Hollywood: Their Friendship, Their Fame, Their Tragedy, Secaucus, 1991. McCann, Graham, Rebel Males: Clift, Brando, and Dean, Piscataway, 1993. Kalfatovic, Mary C., Montgomery Clift: A Bio-Bibliography, Westport, 1994. Morley, Sheridan, Elizabeth Taylor, New York, 1999. Articles: Lewis, Stephen, in Films in Review (New York), October 1951. Pichel, Irving, ‘‘Revivals, Reissues, Remakes, and A Place in the Sun,’’ in Quarterly of Radio, Television, and Film (Berkeley), Summer 1952. Martin, Pete, ‘‘The Man Who Made the Hit Called Shane,’’ in Saturday Evening Post (Philadelphia), 8 August 1953. Archer, E., ‘‘George Stevens and The American Dream,’’ in Film Culture (New York), no. 1, 1957. Luft, Herbert, ‘‘George Stevens,’’ in Films in Review (New York), November 1958. Stang J., ‘‘Hollywood Romantic,’’ in Films and Filming (London), July 1959
FILMS. 4th EDItION THE PLAYER Monograph of George Stevens's Films, in Cinema(Beverly Much to her parents'horror, Angela reciprocates Georges love. Hills), December-January 1965 With his uncle's support, George overcomes their opposition. How Mc Vay, Douglas, " George Stevens: His Work, in Films and ever, while dreaming of Angela George makes love to Alice Tripp Filming(London), April and May 1965 a girl who works with him at the factory. When she falls pregnant and Houston, Penelope, in Sight and Sound (London), Winter 1955-56 tries to blackmail him into marrying her George's whole future is put Roman, Robert C, ""Montgomery Clift, in Films in Review(New in jeopard York ), November 1966 Angela and Alice are presented in opposition to each other as Beresford, R, "George Stevens, in Film (London), Summer 1970. lightness and darkness. Angela is always dressed in pure, virginal Essoe, Gabe, Elizabeth Taylor, 'in Films in Review(New York), white or conservative sober black: Alice, in contrast, wears overly August-September 1970 Buckley, Michael, ""Shelley Winters, in Films in Review(New wealth and luxury: Alice represents hard work and poverty. York), March 1970 It is hardly surprising that George considers murdering Alice. The Dialogue on Film(Washington, D.C. ) no. 1, 1972. fact that he changes his mind at the last moment leaves the viewer Kliman, B, An American Tragedy: Novel, Scenario, and Films, 'in ambivalent when Alice finally overturns the boat and dies Is George Literature/Film Quarterly(Salisbury, Maryland), Summer 1977. responsible? Did Alice die because of Georges momentary hesitation Kass, Judith M, in Magill's Survey of Cinema 3, Englewood Cliffs, before he tries to rescue her? Is his execution just New Jersey, 1980 In the scene when the boat overturns Stevens uses a long shot and Kinder. M.. The Subversive Potential of the pseudo-lterative, in then darkness to blur the issue. We do not see what happens but we know that when Alice upsets the boat she is frightened of George:we Reid's Film Index(wyong), no 32, 1997 feel her fear. We are left to make our own judgement about george's guilt Stevens uses montage, close-ups, and very slow scenes to create an almost dream like atmosphere. The plot moves along slowly but with great fluidity. Similarly the use of steady slow drums as George When producer-director George Stevens made A Place in the Sun, contemplates murder creates a hot, dark, and menacing atmosphere based on the highly successful novel, An American Tragedy by The viewer knows that something awful is going to occur Theodore Dreiser, in 1951, he faced the difficult job of turnin The famous kiss between Taylor and Clift, which is shot with a popular book into a worthwhile film. a six-inch lens in close-up, conveys the intensity and passion existing Dreisers book, a detailed work of 850 pages, had already been between the couple-a sensuality that never exists between Alice and made into a film in 1931. Directed by Josef von Sternberg, the film George. It is the last thing that George thinks of as he goes to his death was condemned by Dreiser as it changed the emphasis of the story, showing that no matter what has happened his love for Angela is the naking the hero the precipitator of events rather than a victim of his most important thing in his life society and environment. The celebrated Soviet director Sergei a Place in the Sun is a significant film not only because of Eisenstein had also produced a treatment of the book when he came to excellent performances elicited from Montgomery Clift and Eliza- lollywood in 1930. This version emphasized the importance beth Taylor, but also because of the society it depicts. Although society in the tragic events of the story, and was closer to Dreiser's George has the opportunity to succeed--his upbringing, his own book than any other version. However, Eisenstein's story neve sense of morality bring about his downfall. In a sense george is reached the screen doomed from the beginning-he is a victim. Irving Piechl comments in his essay""Revivals, Reissues, Remakes and'A Place in the Sun, that Stevens's film is"not only excep- tional in being more successful than the first[1931]film, it is also the A. pillai made as though for the first essentially the same story as the earlier film but with a totally different emphasis and perspective. A Place in the Sun was a success on its lease, earning six Academy Awa THE PLAYER Stevens's story is not an"American tragedy as such. The director changed the time period of the story to the 1950s and created a hero, George Eastman( Clyde griffith in Dreisers book), whe UsA,1992 a chance at achieving his dream, and misses it through a string of umstances which combine to bring about his downfall Director: Robert Altman George(Montgomery Clift) is a bright, handsome, but poor boy with rich connections. He visits his successful uncle and gains Production: Avenue Entertainment: DeLuxe colour, 35mm; running employment at his factory stacking swimming costumes, but he quickly shows how determined and ambitious he is by suggesting minutes. Filmed in Los angeles, 1991 improvements to his workplace. He meets and falls in love with Angela Vickers(Elizabeth Taylor), a rich young socialite who is Producer: David Brown, Michael Tolkin, Nick Weschler:screen- dating Earl, Georges cousin play: Michael Tolkin, from his own novel; photography: Jean
FILMS, 4 THE PLAYER th EDITION 953 ‘‘Monograph of George Stevens’s Films,’’ in Cinema (Beverly Hills), December-January 1965. McVay, Douglas, ‘‘George Stevens: His Work,’’ in Films and Filming (London), April and May 1965. Houston, Penelope, in Sight and Sound (London), Winter 1955–56. Roman, Robert C., ‘‘Montgomery Clift,’’ in Films in Review (New York), November 1966. Beresford, R., ‘‘George Stevens,’’ in Film (London), Summer 1970. Essoe, Gabe, ‘‘Elizabeth Taylor,’’ in Films in Review (New York), August-September 1970. Buckley, Michael, ‘‘Shelley Winters,’’ in Films in Review (New York), March 1970. Dialogue on Film (Washington, D.C.), no. 1, 1972. Kliman, B., ‘‘An American Tragedy: Novel, Scenario, and Films,’’ in Literature/Film Quarterly (Salisbury, Maryland), Summer 1977. Kass, Judith M., in Magill’s Survey of Cinema 3, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1980. Kinder, M., ‘‘The Subversive Potential of the Pseudo-Iterative,’’ in Film Quarterly (Berkeley), no. 2, 1989–90. Reid’s Film Index (Wyong), no. 32, 1997. *** When producer-director George Stevens made A Place in the Sun, based on the highly successful novel, An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser, in 1951, he faced the difficult job of turning a popular book into a worthwhile film. Dreiser’s book, a detailed work of 850 pages, had already been made into a film in 1931. Directed by Josef von Sternberg, the film was condemned by Dreiser as it changed the emphasis of the story, making the hero the precipitator of events rather than a victim of his society and environment. The celebrated Soviet director Sergei Eisenstein had also produced a treatment of the book when he came to Hollywood in 1930. This version emphasized the importance of society in the tragic events of the story, and was closer to Dreiser’s book than any other version. However, Eisenstein’s story never reached the screen. Irving Piechl comments in his essay ‘‘Revivals, Reissues, Remakes, and ‘A Place in the Sun,’’’ that Stevens’s film is ‘‘not only exceptional in being more successful than the first [1931] film, it is also the first remake . . . which is made as though for the first time. It tells essentially the same story as the earlier film but with a totally different emphasis and perspective.’’ A Place in the Sun was a success on its release, earning six Academy Awards. Stevens’s story is not an ‘‘American tragedy’’ as such. The director changed the time period of the story to the 1950s and created a hero, George Eastman (Clyde Griffith in Dreiser’s book), who has a chance at achieving his dream, and misses it through a string of circumstances which combine to bring about his downfall. George (Montgomery Clift) is a bright, handsome, but poor boy with rich connections. He visits his successful uncle and gains employment at his factory stacking swimming costumes, but he quickly shows how determined and ambitious he is by suggesting improvements to his workplace. He meets and falls in love with Angela Vickers (Elizabeth Taylor), a rich young socialite who is dating Earl, George’s cousin. Much to her parents’ horror, Angela reciprocates George’s love. With his uncle’s support, George overcomes their opposition. However, while dreaming of Angela George makes love to Alice Tripp, a girl who works with him at the factory. When she falls pregnant and tries to blackmail him into marrying her George’s whole future is put in jeopardy. Angela and Alice are presented in opposition to each other as lightness and darkness. Angela is always dressed in pure, virginal white or conservative sober black; Alice, in contrast, wears overly tight clothes, is weary, whiny, and slovenly. Angela is the epitome of wealth and luxury; Alice represents hard work and poverty. It is hardly surprising that George considers murdering Alice. The fact that he changes his mind at the last moment leaves the viewer ambivalent when Alice finally overturns the boat and dies. Is George responsible? Did Alice die because of George’s momentary hesitation before he tries to rescue her? Is his execution just? In the scene when the boat overturns Stevens uses a long shot and then darkness to blur the issue. We do not see what happens but we know that when Alice upsets the boat she is frightened of George: we feel her fear. We are left to make our own judgement about George’s guilt. Stevens uses montage, close-ups, and very slow scenes to create an almost dream like atmosphere. The plot moves along slowly but with great fluidity. Similarly the use of steady slow drums as George contemplates murder creates a hot, dark, and menacing atmosphere. The viewer knows that something awful is going to occur. The famous kiss between Taylor and Clift, which is shot with a six-inch lens in close-up, conveys the intensity and passion existing between the couple—a sensuality that never exists between Alice and George. It is the last thing that George thinks of as he goes to his death, showing that no matter what has happened his love for Angela is the most important thing in his life. A Place in the Sun is a significant film not only because of excellent performances elicited from Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor, but also because of the society it depicts. Although George has the opportunity to succeed—his upbringing, his own sense of morality bring about his downfall. In a sense George is doomed from the beginning—he is a victim. —A. Pillai THE PLAYER USA, 1992 Director: Robert Altman Production: Avenue Entertainment; DeLuxe colour, 35mm; running time: 124 minutes. Filmed in Los Angeles, 1991. Producer: David Brown, Michael Tolkin, Nick Weschler; screenplay: Michael Tolkin, from his own novel; photography: Jean
THE PLAYER FILMS. 4 EDITIoN The Player Lepine; editor: Geraldine Peroni, Maysie Hoy; assistant directors John, Susan Sarandon, Rod Steiger, Lily Tomlin, Robert Wagner, Allan Nichols, CC. Barnes: production design: Stephen Altman; Bruce Willis art director: Jerry Fleming; music: Thomas Newman; sound edi- tors: Joseph Holsen, Ed Lachmann; sound recording: Rich Gooch, Awards: Best Director, Cannes Film Festival, 1992 John Pritchet, John Vigran; costume design: Alexander Julian. Cast: Tim Robbins (Griffin Mill); Greta Scacchi (June Publications Gudmundsdottir); Fred Ward(Walter Stuckel): Whoopi Goldberg (Detective Susan Avery); Peter Gallagher (Larry Levy): Cynthia Books: I Levison); D'Onofrio(David Kahane); Dean Stockwell(Andy Civella); Richard Kolker, Robert P, A Cinema of Loneliness:Penn,Kubrick,Scorsese E. Grant(Tom Oakley); Sydney Polack(Dick Mellen): Lyle Lovett Spielberg. Altman, New York, 1988 (Detective Delongpre ). McGilligan, Patrick, Robert Altman: Jumping Off the Cliff: A Biogra phy of the Great American Director, New York, 1989 Appearing as themselves: Harry Belafonte, Karen Black, Gary Keyssar, Helene, Robert Altman's America, New York, 1991 Busey, Robert Carradine, Cher, James Coburn, John Cusack, Brad Altman, Robert, Altman on Altman, in Projections 2, edited by Davis, Peter Falk, Louise Fletcher, Teri Garr, Scott Glenn, Jeff John Boorman and Walter Donohue. London 1993 Goldblum, Elliot Gould, Joel Grey, Buck Henry, Angelica Houston, Cagin, Seth, Born to Be wild: Hollywood the Sixties Generation, Sally Kellerman, Sally Kirkland, Jack Lemmon, Marlee Matlin Boca Raton. 1994 Andie McDowell, Malcolm McDowell, Nick Nolte, Burt Reynolds, O'Brien, Daniel, Robert Altman: Hollywood Survivor, New York, 1996 Julia roberts, Mimi Rogers, Annie Ross, Alan Rudolph, Jill St. Sterritt, David, editor, Robert Altman: Interviews, Jackson, 2000. 4
THE PLAYER FILMS, 4th EDITION 954 The Player Lepine; editor: Geraldine Peroni, Maysie Hoy; assistant directors: Allan Nichols, C. C. Barnes; production design: Stephen Altman; art director: Jerry Fleming; music: Thomas Newman; sound editors: Joseph Holsen, Ed Lachmann; sound recording: Rich Gooch, John Pritchet, John Vigran; costume design: Alexander Julian. Cast: Tim Robbins (Griffin Mill); Greta Scacchi (June Gudmundsdottir); Fred Ward (Walter Stuckel); Whoopi Goldberg (Detective Susan Avery); Peter Gallagher (Larry Levy); Cynthia Stephenson (Bonnie Sherow); Brion James (Joel Levison); Vincent D’Onofrio (David Kahane); Dean Stockwell (Andy Civella); Richard E. Grant (Tom Oakley); Sydney Polack (Dick Mellen); Lyle Lovett (Detective DeLongpre). Appearing as themselves: Harry Belafonte, Karen Black, Gary Busey, Robert Carradine, Cher, James Coburn, John Cusack, Brad Davis, Peter Falk, Louise Fletcher, Teri Garr, Scott Glenn, Jeff Goldblum, Elliot Gould, Joel Grey, Buck Henry, Angelica Houston, Sally Kellerman, Sally Kirkland, Jack Lemmon, Marlee Matlin, Andie McDowell, Malcolm McDowell, Nick Nolte, Burt Reynolds, Julia Roberts, Mimi Rogers, Annie Ross, Alan Rudolph, Jill St. John, Susan Sarandon, Rod Steiger, Lily Tomlin, Robert Wagner, Bruce Willis. Awards: Best Director, Cannes Film Festival, 1992. Publications Books: Kolker, Robert P., A Cinema of Loneliness: Penn, Kubrick, Scorsese, Spielberg, Altman, New York, 1988. McGilligan, Patrick, Robert Altman: Jumping Off the Cliff: A Biography of the Great American Director, New York, 1989. Keyssar, Helene, Robert Altman’s America, New York, 1991. Altman, Robert, ‘‘Altman on Altman,’’ in Projections 2, edited by John Boorman and Walter Donohue, London 1993. Cagin, Seth, Born to Be Wild: Hollywood & the Sixties Generation, Boca Raton, 1994. O’Brien, Daniel, Robert Altman: Hollywood Survivor, New York, 1996. Sterritt, David, editor, Robert Altman: Interviews, Jackson, 2000