Danielle Solzman
The Oscar-winning A Place in the Sun is among the recent films to join the Paramount Presents Blu-ray line with collectible packaging.
There’s no denying that A Place in the Sun is one of the greatest films ever made in cinematic history. The film took home six Oscars out of nine nominations. It lost Best Picture to An American in Paris. Had this film been in color rather than black and white, who knows what the wins would look like. Anyway, the remaster is from a 4K scan of the film transfer to celebrate this year’s 70th anniversary. Film critic/historian Leonard Maltin discusses some of the filmmaker’s innovations in a new bonus feature.
The film sees the ambitious George Eastman (Montgomery Clift) arrive in town with the determination to not only win a place in society but win over the heart of Angela Vickers (Elizabeth Taylor). George’s uncle just happens to be a rich industrialist and owns a factory in town. While working at the factory, George begins a relationship with Alice Tripp (Shelley Winters). From here on out, it becomes a love triangle between George, Alice, and Angela especially after George starts climbing up the company ladder.
True crime tales are pretty popular in this century and this film draws on one when you trace its origins. Michael Wilson and Harry Brown base the script on Theodore Dreiser’s novel, An American Tragedy. The novel, in turn, also draws upon a true crime story for its basis.
In theory, the film also comes with a digital copy in the package. However, I certainly cannot promise you’ll get a digital copy because mine is missing. Upon opening my package, I was surprised to find a digital copy for the 2-movie A Quiet Place/A Quiet Place Part II.
During the bonus feature on filmmakers who knew him, Warren Beatty mentions George Stevens suing NBC over placing commercials during a television airing of the film. Personally, I cannot blame Stevens for doing so. Honestly, this is also one of the reasons why I love TCM–they do not place commercials during a movie! Anyway, this particular bonus feature includes a wide variety of filmmakers. Among them are Frank Capra, who is also included in Five Came Back. Upon coming back from World War 2, Stevens would also join Capra and William Wyler in forming Liberty Films.
A Place in the Sun remains a classic even if some aspects of the film do not age well.
Bonus Features
- Filmmaker Focus: Leonard Maltin on A Place in the Sun (NEW)
- George Stevens and His Place in the Sun
- Commentary by George Stevens Jr. and Ivan Moffat
- George Stevens: Filmmakers Who Knew Him
- Theatrical Trailers
DIRECTOR: George Stevens
SCREENWRITERS: Michael Wilson and Harry Brown
CAST: Elizabeth Taylor, Montgomery Clift, Shelley Winters, with Keefe Brasselle
