From The Terrace (1960)

This is the first in a three part seris on movies made from John O'Hara novels.

Cast:
Paul Newman - Alfred Eaton
Joanne Woodward - Mary St John
Myrna Loy - Martha Eaton
Ina Balin - Natalie
Leon Ames - Samuel Eaton
Elizabeth Allen - Sage Rimmington
Barbara Eden - Clemmie
George Grizzard - Lex Porter
Patrick O'Neal - Dr Jim Roper
Felix Aylmer - MacHardie
Raymond Greenleaf - Fritz Thornton
Malcolm Atterbury - George Fry
Raymond Bailey - Mr St John
Ted DeCorsia - Mr Benziger
Howard Caine - Duffy
Kathryn Givney - Mrs St John
Dorothy Adams - Mrs Benziger
Lauren Gilbert - Frolick
Blossom Rock - Nellie
Cecil Elliott - Josephine
Rory Harrity - Steve Rimmington
Ottola Nesmith - Lady Sevringham
Clive L. Halliday - Lord Sevringham
Gordon B. Clarke - Weinkoop
Ralph Dunn - Jones
Felippa Rock - Jean Duffy
Jimmy Martin - Sandy
William Quinn - Von Elm
Stuart Randall - Kelly
John Harding - Newton Orchid
Sally Winn - Mrs Pearson
Elektra Rozanska - Mrs Ripley
Clemmie Shreve-Barbara Eden


Crew:
Director and Producer-Mark Robson
Screenplay - Ernest Lehman
Source Material (from novel) - John O'Hara
Director of Photography - Leo Tover
Director of Photography - Sam Leavitt
Editor - Dorothy Spencer
Music - Elmer Bernstein
Art Direction - Lyle R. Wheeler
Art Direction - Maurice Ransford
Art Direction - Michael Richman
Set Deocrator - Walter M. Scott
Set Decorator - Paul S. Fox
Assistant Director - Hal Herman
Sound - Harry M. Leonard
Sound - Alfred Bruzlin
Musical Orchestration - Edward G. Powell
Special Effects - L. B. Abbott
Special Effects - James B. Gordon
Color Consultant - Leonard Doss
Makeup - Ben Nye
Hairstyles - Helen Turpin

Casting Notes:
Myrna Loy was an unexpected choice as Alfred's alchoholic,cheating mother. She does an excellent job.

Look for Barbara Eden in the Party Scene at the beginning of the movie. She has a few lines of dialog.

Production Notes:
O'hara's book was  a huge, bulging with an army of characters, and scanning the lifetime of one Alfred Eaton, a millionaire, who reached his fifties spiritually bankrupt—after two wives, children, mistresses and two wars. The film had to be cut to show only 15 yrs of Alfred's life.  Also, Alfred and Mary were childless in the film.

The film was released on July 16, 1960.

Plot:
The screen play was based on a best-selling novel of the same name by John O'Hara.  This is a handsome picture, well-performed and emotionally intriguing as it describes the rise of a young business man and the corrosive dead-lock of his loveless marriage.  Newman and  Woodward,(real life spouses) are supported by a great cast. Leon Ames and Myrna Loy play his parents.  George Grizzard, Patrick O'Neal and Elizabeth Allen do well in minor roles

Wealthy Philadelphian iron and steel heir Alfred Eaton (Paul Newman) wants no part of his father's (Leon Ames) business. He returns home to find the house empty and no one to meet him at the train station. The next scene shows Martha Eaton (Mryna Loy)drunk and passed out on an empty train.  Alfred learns that his father has gone to pick up his drunk mother. After experiencing horrors of war, and seeing upon his return home how his father hasn't warmed to him in the slightest, Alfred wants to strike out on his own. Years earlier, Samuel, his father (Leon Ames),  spurned Alfred after another son died young.  Samuel's  coldness also  helped turn his wife, Martha ,into an alcoholic adultress.  When Alfred tell his father about his plans, Sam to tells Alfred why he really doesn't love him, before dropping dead of a heart attack. Freed from his father's crushing, unloving influence, Alfred joins up with rich pal Lex Porter(George Grizzard), to design aircraft. Then, he pursues an engaged society girl Mary St. John and eventually marries her. A few years later, his career then takes an unexpected turn along with his marriage.

 Through a strange twist of fate, Alfred saves the life of mega-wealthy investment banker, James Duncan MacHardie's (Felix Aylmer) grandson, and guess who's on the fast-track to a partnership with the prestigious firm? After years of hard, punishing work away from home, Alfred loses his philandering wife to a former beau, swinger/swapper Dr. Jim Roper (Patrick O'Neal).

Will Alfred risk his career with a stuffy Wall Street firm by divorcing a restless, frankly promiscuous wife, who likes the "arrangement"? On a business trip, he meets Natalie, daughter of a coal mine owner and realizes that he is unhappy with his life and wants a "real" family. Natalie is played my Ina Balin, she is fresh-faced and sweet to watch. Should he start all over with a decent out-of-town girl (beautifully played by Miss Balin) who loves him?  Along the way their are juicy twists and turns that keep you interested. Watch the movie to find out who Alfred picks.

Costumes:
Studio costume designer Travilla should be noted for his wonderful costumes. He was most famous for his designs in the 50's for Marilyn Monroe. Here he presents a stunningly elegant collection of the best looks of the late 50's and early 60's. His designs are rich and restrained and a feast for the eye. In her first scene,(at Lex Porter's party), Joanne Woodward wears a gorgeous knockout gown.  She is also unforgettable in fur at the end of the movie.

Awards:
Ina Balin- Golden Globe Nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture - 1960

Ina Balin-Golden Globe Winner- New Star of the Year-1960

Quotes:
Sage Rimmington: Oh, I'm curious. What does success look like when you turn off the lights?

Mary St. John: Oh, you're so impossible, Sage! You know that?

Sage Rimmington: I say if work is a man's mistress, then there's only one answer for the wife - another man!

Goofs:
Continuity: The amount of milk in MacHardie's glass changes between shots when he's alone with Eaton.

Continuity: During the billiard game between Mr. MacHardie and Alfred, as MacHardie lines up for his shot, the red ball disappears
 
Review/Final Thought:
From the Terrace is one of Paul Newman's lesser-known films, but it's a worthy showcase for the actor's developing screen persona. He is especially good in the scenes with Myrna Loy and Leon Ames. Joanne Woodward shows a glamorous sexy side of her personality. Who knew ?  Her icy cool old money Mary is just the perfect fortress to entice Newman. She plays the part as if she were born to it and in the end she is left hard, jaded and desperate. Patrick O'Neal was perfectly cast as the smarmy Dr. Jim Roper, the illicit lover of Mary St. John.  Elizabeth Allen is also good as "the bedhopping" Sage Remington. The only problem that I had was that the costumes did not match the time period in the book. It should have been reflective of an earlier era. The turn of the 20th century would have been a better starting point.  In the end, this movie is trashy fun.