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Actors: Lana Turner, Diane Varsi, Russ Tamblyn
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| Review Summary and Plot Commentary about Peyton Place |
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Allison McKenzie (Diane Varsi) is a beautiful and sensitive high school student who aspires to be a writer and chafes under the confines of the small New England town in which she lives. Allison is being raised by her beautiful but neurotic single mother, Constance MacKenzie (Lana Turner), a shopkeeper. Constance is constantly harping on Allison about all matters pertaining to her life. She is very strict. In truth, Constance is hiding the fact that Allison was conceived out of wedlock, and despite her telling Allison that her father died, in fact, Constance was never married to Allison's father. Although she's trying to clean up her act, Constance develops the hots for the new teacher in town, Michael Rossi. Allison is hot and heavy over Norman (Russ Tamblyn), a serious Mama's boy. Meanwhile, Allison's best friend, Selena (Hope Lange), is being sexually abused by her white trash stepfather. When Allison discovers the truth about her parentage she flees Peyton Place and heads to New York City for a writing career. When Selena ends up killing her stepfather a scandalous murder trial takes place which lays bare dark, simmering secrets about Peyton Place. As Allison heads home to support Selena emotions in Peyton Place are running at an all time high. Will the town band together to support Selena or will the town's hidden scandals erupt in discord? This is a coming of age story that grapples with difficult issues such as unwed motherhood, incest, rape, and illicit relationships. This movie was a scandal when it came out in the 1950's.
--sandra calhoune, Resident Scholar
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| Analysis of Peyton Place |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about
books by breaking them down into many different literary
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Time/era of movie:
- 1930's-1950's
Kids growing up/acting up?
Yes
Family, struggling with
Yes
Struggle with:
- Mother
Parent(s) gone?
- Dada gone
Age group
- trouble in high school
Sexing?
- guy chasing
Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Profession/status:
- writer
Age:
- 40's-50's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Hair color?
- blonde
Hair type
- (woman) medium/shoulderlgn wavey
Body type
- (woman) average
Events of movie makes character more...
- tougher
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor?
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Hair color
- blonde
Hair style
- (woman) medium/shoulderlgn straight
Body type
- (woman) very skinny
How much in movie?
- 60%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Main Adversary
Identity:
- general circumstances
Setting
United States
Yes
Small town?
Yes
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- no torture/death
Movie makes you feel...
- thoughtful
Sex/nudity in movie?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- vague references only
- kissing
Any profanity?
- None
Is this movie based on a
- book
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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