Loving Someone who is not a Classic Movie Fan

 

John Garfied and Lana Turner
in
THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE

 


























I think Hollywood in the 1930's-1960's was so much more interesting and fascinating than it is today. People like Kate Hepburn, Bette Davis, Cary Grant...they were actors. The studios controlled their images. The studios even added moral clauses to their contracts. 

Marilyn gets her hair done by Kenneth





You have to read between the lines and really listen to the words when you watch a classic film.  I like classic films because of the clothing,hair,makeup,dancing and dialog. And those publicity photos that the stars sent out to fans are absolutely gorgeous. For you parents out there, classic films are kid friendly. Classic Films are a time capsule of the history of entertainment. They reflect what was going on in society at that time. Before DANCING WITH THE STARS there was Fred and Ginger. Now, it's all about getting skinnier all the time and doing nude scenes in every film.



Fred and Ginger Glide across the dance floor





  

Earlier this week, I was trying to explain this to my boyfriend. When he thinks about Classic Films, he automatically thinks they will be boring. We were childhood friends and have alot in common but we are butting heads on this issue. In today's fast paced world,getting people to sit back and relax for a few hours is hard. I have started a must see film list for novice classic film fans. Suggestions are welcome! They are in no particular order.   I have included a few from the 70's and 80's because they are some of the greatest ever filmed. I am also trying to take baby steps backward toward's the 1930's.

• THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE ( 1946)
• A sexy film noir classic with John Garfield and Lana Turner. Greed,Lust,Adultry and Murder take place when a drifter stops in at a Roadside Cafe. This movie is white hot.
• STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (1950)
• "HEY STELLA!" Directed by Elia Kazan. With Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brando, Kim Hunter, Karl Malden.
• CLEOPATRA (1963)
• See Burton and Taylor in their first film together.
• DR. NO (1962) AND GOLDFINGER (1963)
• Early Sean Connery at his best. Need I say more??????????????????????? 
• PSYCHO (1963)
• Alfred Hitchcock at his best. Stay out of the shower!
• BONNIE AND CLYDE (1967)
• Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty never looked better. Great Car Chases with Blood and Guts
• EASY RIDER (1969)
• Two counterculture bikers travel from Los Angeles to New Orleans in search of America. Stars Jack Nicholson,Dennis Hopper, and Peter Fonda directs.
• THE GODFATHER I (1972)
• About a fictional Italian afia family named Corleone. Stars Marlon Brando,Al Pachino,Robert Duvall, James Caan and Diane Keaton star in this mafia saga about the Corleone Family
• THE GODFATHER II (1974)
• Sequel to THE GODFATHER I  
• RAGING BULL (1980)
• Bio of boxer Jake LaMotta. Stars Robert Deniro and Joe Pesci. Filmed in Black and White. Great direction by Martin Scorsee. Great Classical and Big Band music score

        














TCM Classic Film Festival

Well it is finally here. TCM's Classic Film Festival ,Thursday, April 22 – Sunday, April 25, in the heart of Hollywood.


I just looked at the schedule of events around Hollywood.  It looks like there is something for everyone. 

Alec Baldwin, Tim Roth, Esther Williams, Betty Garrett, Tab Hunter and filmmaker John Carpenter are slated to join the amazing collection of stars scheduled to take part in the first-ever  film festival.


 Also scheduled to appear are; Mel Brooks, Luise Rainer, Ernest Borgnine, Eva Marie Saint, Tony Curtis, Jon Voight, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Martin Landau, Anjelica Huston, Danny Huston, Buck Henry, Eli Wallach, Peter Bogdanovich and Stanley Donen.

I did not see Elizabeth Taylor on the festival schedule. It would be great (for those attending) to see her introduce CLEOPATRA.

If you happen to read this, and are at the festival, please share your thoughts here. I am unable to attend, but I want to go next year!

Giant (1956)

Cast:

Elizabeth Taylor ... Leslie Lynnton Benedict
Rock Hudson ... Jordan 'Bick' Benedict Jr.
James Dean ... Jett Rink
Carroll Baker ... Luz Benedict II
Jane Withers ... Vashti Snythe
Chill Wills ... Uncle Bawley
Mercedes McCambridge ... Luz Benedict
Dennis Hopper ... Jordan Benedict III
Sal Mineo ... Angel Obregón II
Rod Taylor ... Sir David Karfrey (as Rodney Taylor)
Judith Evelyn ... Mrs. Nancy Lynnton
Earl Holliman ... 'Bob' Dace
Robert Nichols ... Mort 'Pinky' Snythe
Paul Fix ... Dr. Horace Lynnton
Alexander Scourby ... Old Polo



Crew:

Director and Producer....George Stevens
Screenwriter.... Ivan Moffat
Editor... William Hornbeck
Director of Photography...William Mellor
Editor... Philip W. Anderson 
Editor...Fred Bohanan
Producer...Henry Ginsberg
Composer ...Dimitri Tiomkin
Production Designer...Boris Leven
Screenwriter ...Fred Guiol
Costume Design...Moss Mabry and Marjorie Best


Production Notes:

Made for $5.4 million, Giant was filmed in Texas (Marfa, Valentine, Presidio County, Jeff Davis County), Charlottesville,Virginia (Albemarle County), California (Lake Arrowhead, Burbank, Los Angeles) and Arizona. Boris Leven designed the big Victorian mansion known as Reata in the movie, which rested near the small town of Marfa, Texas. Director George Stevens employed an open set during filming, with the Marfa townspeople venturing out to watch the production.



Casting Notes:

Elizabeth Taylor was not the first choice to play Leslie. Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn were considered before Elizabeth.

Bill Holden was first choice for Bick Bennedict and Robert Mitchum and Alan Ladd were considered  to  play Jett Rink.


Plot:

Giant premiered at New York City’s Roxy Theatre on October 10, 1956.  Most People only know Giant as the last James Dean's last  picture, but it is more than that, Giant is a plead for tolerance and equalty that should resonate today, specially for it's accuracy. Racial equality and  Women's equal rights are themes  in this film.


Based on Edna Ferber's novel, the film takes place across 25 years mainly around two characters: Doctor's daughter Leslie Lynnton (Elizabeth Taylor as beautiful as ever) and cattle baron Jordan "Bick" Benedict (Rock Hudson).  They meet when Bick travels to Maryland to buy Leslie's horse (War Winds). Sparks fly and Bick ends up taking more than a horse back to Texas, He takes a wife.  You do not see their wedding in the film. However, you do see her sister's marriage later in the film. Leslie leaves her family and fiance (Rod Taylor) and boards a train with Bick.

At first sight, flat and dusty west Texas is a shock to Leslie, but she is  determined to make her marriage work.  This does not sit well with his sister Luz (Mercedes MacCambridge). A power struggle between the two women quickly developes and as a result of an accident,  Leslie wins. War Winds and Luz lose.  Through 25 plus years, Bick and Leslie try to keep their marriage afloat despite several bumps on the road, among them, the diferent expectations concerning their children, and a worker who later becomes a tycoon Jet Rink (James Dean) who secretly loves Taylor's character and envies Hudson's.  Bick's racist view toward the Mexicans is also a recurring theme. That racism makes Bick a very interesting character who is asked to change constantly in the film. It makes  Hudson's role is  big challenge, but he pulls  it off. Elizabeth Taylor, who did not have a character as deep as Hudson, carries the huge film and does a commendable job. She is particullary good in the scenes where she is standing up for her right to listen/speak, while her husband and his cronies talk politics. Watch  for Texan Chill Wills..he is a bona fide scene stealer as crusty, cantankerous Uncle Bawley. 

Chill Wills below:
















 James Dean, despite having a lot less screen time than the other two, shows why he had a huge future in film. Tragically, he would lose his life days after completing his portion of the film.  Warner Brothers made Dean sign an agreement that he would not drive his racecar while working on the film. He was driving the  Porshe to a race when someone pulled in front of him. He and his mechanic passenger were killed instantly when they hit the car.

 Jett Rink becomes a destroyed man who, despite achieving all kind of wealth, all kind of power, is miserable, is nothing after not having the only thing he wants, the love of  a Benedict. First it was Leslie, later it was her Daughter Luz (Carroll Baker). 

Costumes/Makeup:

Another favorite Stevens' staple requires applying aging makeup to his lead actors, and Giant does this to great effect to its three main characters. Hudson and Dean wear padding to show the battle of the bulge that comes with middle age. Dean, Hudson and Taylor age effectively from the use of  facial makeup and streaks of gray hair.

Moss Mabry and Majorie Best were the costume designers for Giant. Moss Mabry also designed the famous red jacket worn by James Dean in the classic Rebel Without a Cause (1955).


Giant (wardrobe for Elizabeth Taylor's character)  was one of his most difficult assignments.  The script called for Elizabeth to make 42 clothing changes.




Young Leslie

Middle aged Leslie and some special visitors-her real life children:

Middle aged Leslie and Bick below:

Middle aged Jett Rink below:

Review:

Dean gives a great performance for sure, this film has excellent performances all around, including a young Dennis Hopper. He plays the conflicted son of Bick and Leslie.


Young Dennis Hopper

Rock Hudson has to show Bick's gradual transformation is seen only through the broad strokes of arguments and fistfights, and his literal landing at the bottom the salad bar of Sarge's cafe to the tune of "Yellow Rose of Texas" adds the exclamation point.

Taylor shows off her notable acting talent in this film. Not only does the 23-year old actress look like a middle aged Texas matron during the second reel, but she moves like one and takes on the entire body language of a mature woman. She also changed to voice  and gave it a  weaker sound/cadence. Although Dean's performance is the one most remembered, Taylor's work is great too. One of her best.

The film is truly an epic as big as Texas. The cinematogrphy is GIANT as well. George Stevens has always had a knack for landscapes. The only downside was that the film slowed at Jett's Hotel opening. I like to call this film the original "Dallas". Definitely one of the best soapy films of the 1950's.



Trivia:

• Edna Ferber based the Jett Rink Character on real life Texas oilman Glenn McCarthy.  With his oil earnings he opened the Shamrock Hotel in Houston,TX . He spent over $1 million on the opening, dubbed "Houston's biggest party." He also had his own private jet.
• 
  
  Molassas was used as a substitute for oil
• 
  
  James Dean's last film. He died driving his racecar a few days after his portion of filming was completed.
• 
  
  War Winds is played by the same horse that was used in the film, BLACK BEAUTY.
• 
  
  George Stevens shot  860,000 ft of film for GIANT.  It took 1 year to edit the 3 year project.
• 
  
  The Worth/Evans ranch in Marfa,TX was used as Riata for the film.  The Reata Ranch House  was only a 3 sided facade. Not many people know it, but the design for the Reata Ranch House is based on a real Texas mansion. It was based on the  Waggoner Mansion. It still stands in Decatur, Texas, northwest of Fort Worth.
• 
  
  The large picture in the Reatta Ranch House was borrowed from a Hotel. It now hangs at the Menger Hotel in San Antonio, Texas.

Reata Ranch House below:   
                                                                      

The Waggoner Mansion below:

Quotes:


Adarene Clinch: "Why, Luz, everybody in this county knows you'd rather herd cattle than make love."


Luz Benedict: "Well, there's one thing you got to say for cattle... boy, you put your brand on one of them, you're gonna know where it's at!"

Jett Rink: Everybody thought I had a duster. Y'all thought ol' Spindletop Burke and Burnett was all the oil there was, didn't ya? Well, I'm here to tell you that it ain't, boy! It's here, and there ain't a dang thing you gonna do about it! My well came in big, so big, Bick and there's more down there and there's bigger wells. I'm rich, Bick. I'm a rich 'un. I'm a rich boy. Me, I'm gonna have more money than you ever *thought* you could have -- you and all the rest of you stinkin' sons of ... Benedicts!




Awards:

Academy of Motion Picture Sciences (Oscar)

• Winner-Georgie Stevens-  Best Director 1957
• Nominated Oscar Best Actor in a Leading Role-James Dean
• Nominated Best Actor in a Leading Role-Rock Hudson
• Best Actress in a Supporting Role-Mercedes McCambridge
• Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color-Boris Leven and Ralph Hurst
• Best Costume Design, Color-Moss Mabry and Marjorie Best
• Best Film Editing-William Hornbeck,Phillip Anderson, and Fred Bohanan
• Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture-Dimitri Tiomkin
• Best Picture-George Stevens and Henry Ginsberg
• Best Writing, Best Screenplay - Adapted-Fred Guiold and Ivan Moffat

BUtterfield 8 (1960)

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

Cast:

Gloria Wandrous . . . . . Elizabeth Taylor
Weston Liggett . . . . . Laurence Harvey
Steve Carpenter . . . . . Eddie Fisher
Emily Liggett . . . . . Dina Merrill
Mrs. Wandrous . . . . . Mildred Dunnock
Mrs. Thurber . . . . . Betty Field
Bingham Smith . . . . . Jeffrey Lynn
Happy . . . . . Kay Medford
Norma . . . . . Susan Oliver
Dr. Tredman . . . . . George Voskovec
Clerk . . . . . Virginia Downing
Mrs. Jescott . . . . . Carmen Matthews
Anderson . . . . . Whitfield Connor

Crew:

Director - Daniel Mann
Screenplay - Charles Schnee
Screenplay - John Michael Hayes
Producer - Pandro S. Berman
Associate Producer - Kathryn Hereford
Source Material (from novel) - John O'Hara
Director of Photography - Joseph Ruttenberg
Director of Photography - Charles Harten
Music - Bronislau Kaper
Editor - Ralph E. Winters
Costume Design - Helen Rose

Company Info:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM) - Domestic Theatrical Distributor
MGM Home Entertainment - Domestic Video Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM) – Studio

Casting Notes:

Before Elizabeth Taylor could start Cleopatra (1963) for a $1 million salary, she was legally bound to finish her MGM contract by doing this film, which she hated, for her standard $125,000 salary

When filming was finished, Elizabeth attended a screening of the rough cut of the film. After she watched the movie she scrawled "No Sale" using lipstick on Producer Pandro Berman's office door.

Plot:
The book is based on a real incident. On June 8, 1931, the dead body of a young woman named Starr Faithfull--no seriously, her name was Starr Faithfull--was found on Long Beach, Long Island.  Subsequent reporting uncovered a life of easy morals and much time spent in speakeasies and such piquant details as her childhood molestation by a former mayor of Boston.  Despite rumors of political motives for her murder and a supposed secret diary, no one was ever charged in her death.

O'Hara recreates her as Gloria Wandrous . The film begins with party girl/model Gloria (Elizabeth Taylor) waking from a night of partying. Her married lover (Laurence Harvey) is shown entering an elevator, going to work. He is separated from his wealthy wife (Emily) Dina Merrill. He is at a crossroads in his life, stay in his current job (at a company owned by his wife's family), or start over as a lawyer. Gloria is also at a turning point. She falls for Wes Liggett.

I forgot to mention that throughout the film, she calls "Butterfield 8" (a telephone answering service)to check her phone messages. She also checks in at her home. She lives with her mother and is gone for days. Her mother thinks that she is just a model, and believes anything that Gloria tells her.

There is more drama. but I do not want to spoil it for you.

Costumes:

Helen Rose was the costume designer. She is best known for creating Princess Grace's wedding dress. There are several Fur Coats and the female cast members mostly wear body hugging wiggle dresses.

Awards:

Win

Best Actress - Elizabeth Taylor - 1960 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

 

  

Nomination

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama - Elizabeth Taylor – 1960 Hollywood Foreign Press Association

Best Color Cinematography - Charles Harten - 1960 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
 

Best Color Cinematography - Joseph Ruttenberg - 1960 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences



Elizabeth became deathly ill about a month before the Oscar Telecast. The Doctors did not think she would live, but she pulled through.

Trivia:

There is a bar/restaurant called Butterfield 8 in NYC. The name BUtterfield 8 was inspired by a list of old Manhattan telephone prefixes that were used to place calls in NYC up until the 1960's (Butterfield 8) was the neighborhood prefix for the NYC location).This deco-inspired den of nostalgia conjures much of the charm of its namesake film. Here is the link-http://www.butterfield8nyc.com 

Quotes:

Gloria to her mother- "I was the slut of all times,"

Weston to Gloria- "You're a joke, a dirty joke from one end of this town to the other,'' he sneers at her.

Goofs:

The movie is set in 1950's. The book is set in the early 1930's.

Continuity: During the car chase scene at the end, there are cars driving behind Liggett, visible through the rear window from inside the car. When the shot changes to a view of both cars on the highway, there is no-one behind him.

Review/Final Thoughts:

Yes, the movie is trashy, but it's also entertaining. Watch it for the clothes. LOL. The movie was unusually frank for a film that was released in 1960. It also gives you a feel for Manhattan at that time. Elizabeth Taylor is in her prime. She never looked better. She's very convincing as the bad girl about town in love with a married man. Despite all of the problems on the set, she was terrific in the movie.

A Place in the Sun - 1951

Cast:

Elizabeth Taylor-Angela Vickers
Montgomery Clift-George Eastman
Shelley Winters-Alice Tripp
Raymond Burr-Frank Marlowe
Lois Chartand-Marsha Eastman
Fred Clark-Bellows
Charles Dayton-Kelly
Ted de Corsia-Judge
Kathryn Givney-Mrs. Louise Eastman
Herbert Heyes-Charles Eastman
Frieda Inescort-Mrs. Vickers
William Murphy-Mr. Whiting
Anne Revere-Hannah Eastman
John Ridgely-Coroner
Walter Sande-Jansen

Douglas Spencer-Boatkeeper

Shepperd Strudwick-Anthony Vickers

Keefe Brasselle-Earl Eastman
Paul H. Frees-Rev. Morrison

Crew:

George Stevens -Director and Producer
Charles C. Coleman, Jr-. First Assistant Director
Ivan Moffat -Associate Producer
Hans Dreier -Art Director

Walter Tyler -Art Director

William C. Mellor -Cinematographer
Franz Waxman -Composer (Music Score)
Edith Head -Costume Designer
William W. Hornbeck -Editor
Pat Moore -Additional Editing
Wally Westmore -Makeup
Harry Brown -Screenwriter
Michael Wilson -Screenwriter
Emile Kuri -Set Designer
Gene Garvin -Sound/Sound Designer
Gene Merritt -Sound/Sound Designer
Gordon Jennings -Special Effects

Plot:

This film is based on the 1925 Theodore Dreiser novel and was originally filmed in 1931. This 1951 remake was directed by George Stevens under a new title. A PLACE IN THE SUN was the first of director Stevens' "American trilogy" of films - the other two films were the classic western SHANE (1953) and epic GIANT (1956). Production on this film started in 1949 and was not released until 1951. Location shooting took place in  Lake Tahoe, NV.

Montgomery Clift stars as George Eastman, poor relation to the rich Eastman family. His father is dead and his mother is a religious fanatic. George leaves religion behind and wants to be with the rich and beautiful people of the world. He works at menial jobs and the story begins with Monty hitchhiking to a big city to begin a new life. He wants his “place in the sun.” He had a chance encounter with his rich uncle and is offered a job at the family business (a women’s bathing suit factory). He starts off working on an assembly line where, against company policy, he starts a relationship with one of the factory girls, Alice Tripp (Shelley Winters).  Before long, however, he is spending time with his wealthy relatives where he meets and is instantly smitten by the luminously beautiful Angela Vickers (Elizabeth Taylor). In her, he sees a future that embodies the good life. She is beautiful, rich, dresses impeccably and drives a nice car. What more could a man want? LOL!

Note: While watching this movie, look for a slow dissolve between scenes. It gives the film a ghostly quality.

At a formal party a few weeks later, Angela sees him shooting pool and strikes up a conversation. In the first minute of the movie she drives by him. She did not notice him hitchhiking in a t-shirt and jeans. In a nice suit, she now takes notice of the attractive ambitious George Eastman. Edith Head’s gorgeous famous white gown is showcased in this scene. It fits Elizabeth like a glove. It is probably one of the most famous scenes in 1950’s movie history.

George and Angela begin a love affair and now he is now caught in a love triangle. George's “place in the sun” seems assured, except that Alice doesn't want to let him go. Alice is also in “Trouble.” While dealing with Alice, Angela is constantly in his thoughts. Her image appears on billboards, newspaper articles and even a flashing sign outside of his bedroom window. While George tries to figure out how he can keep a charade going with Alice and still love his dream girl Angela, everything comes to a tragic head over Labor Day weekend at the Vicker's lakeside home.

My Review:

The acting in A PLACE IN THE SUN is spectacular. This moving romance captured the emotions of post-war audiences with its unflinching, painful depiction of one man's struggle to achieve the American dream, and the fates which conspire against him. Montgomery Clift does some of the finest acting of his career, he is especially convincing during several phone call scenes. He completely embodies the confused young protagonist of Theodore Drieser's novel. He is also very good in the beginning as the shy “outsider” of the family. His body language is very convincing. In many of the scenes you are supposed to be horrified by his actions and motives, but he plays for the audience’s sympathy and he wins. You yearn for him to succeed.

Liz Taylor plays Angela perfectly. She manages to make you believe she genuinely loves George Eastman. Her ability to be an angelic young girl and a voluptuous worldly woman at the same time was never more evident than in the scene where she comforts a troubled Monty Clift with the whispered utterance, "Tell momma." It's an incredibly screen moment. The camera cuts in so close, almost too close. She never looked more beautiful than she does in this film. She was only 18 and she glows. Elizabeth and Montgomery Clift would begin a close friendship that would last until his death. This is the first of their three movies. The second was “RAINTREE COUNTY” and the third was “SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER.”

She meet s Conrad “Nicky” Hilton while filming on location in Lake Tahoe, NV. He would become her first husband. Their marriage would last less than a year. He was addicted to alcohol and gambling. It was also rumored that he beat Elizabeth.                                                    
Shelley Winters is pitiful and annoying as Alice Tripp, which is exactly what the part calls for. At times, I wanted to slap her. Alice recognizes in George exactly what George sees in Angela: higher quality - someone made of finer material - and perhaps a way out of a dead-end life. She allows George to seduce her early in their relationship in an attempt to attach him permanently. Eventually,she makes a desperate attempt to force him the marry her. Shelly was nominated for an Academy award for this performance. It would also be one of the first movies that involve her getting in the water and swimming.  Her private life was a mess during filming. For two years, she had been datiing a married man. That man was screen icon Burt Lancaster. She ended the relationship when a Hollywood magazine annoucned that Lancaster's wife was pregnant.

This moving romance captured the emotions of post-war audiences with its unflinching, painful depiction of one man's struggle to achieve the American dream, and the fates which conspire against him. The only bad (over-the-top) performance comes from Raymond Burr (in his pre-Perry Mason days) as the overly dramatic prosecuting attorney. Just listen to the way he repeats, "Didn't you Eastman?" in an incredibly accusatory tone. This is the slowest part of the movie. It is still a great movie and worth watching. The sexual and class issues can be may seem outdated in the 21st Century, but that was the way life was in the 1950's.

Costumes:

Costumer Edith Head's designs for Liz in A PLACE IN THE SUN influenced "young miss" collections nationwide. It also earned her an Academy Award. Knockoffs of her party dress with a daisy-covered bust was the country's most popular prom dress that season. This silhouette has been popular ever since.In Edith Head's Hollywood, a biography on the groundbreaking fashion designer (she dressed Liz for A PLACE IN THE SUN, ELEPHANT WALK and more) and great friend of Elizabeth's, she had this to say about her:

Elizabeth Taylor is the most beautiful woman I've ever fit. She is not as easy to dress as Grace Kelly or Audrey Hepburn, because she is a short woman - only 5'2". She's also extremely curvaceous and has short legs. But, you see, those are the kinds of minor imperfections that make for classic beauty. A woman's individual beauty is created by little mars in the state of perfect beauty. Elizabeth's fascination lies in those little discrepancies. She has aged gracefully, despite what her detractors have said. She is beautiful when she is plump and she is lovely when she trims down. A faulty figure can be changed by foundations and the proper use of dark and  light olors. But no makeup can create a face like  Elizabeth's. She is exquisite.

 The dress that Elizabeth wore.

In her autobiography “Shelley (Also Known as Shirley)" Winters states that she provided Stephens with ideas for her character’s wardrobe. She tried out for Alice in disguise and George Stevens could not believe it her. She wore no makeup,flattened her curled hair and dressed really frumpy for her audition. She wore her sister Blanches clothes for the audition. She was meeting Stevens at The Hollywood Athletic Club. She was seated next to him for almost 20 mins before he noticed her. Shelley had been appearing in bombshell roles and she really wanted a change. After getting the part of Alice, Shelley would temporarily dye her hair brown to add to her dowdy appearance.

Trivia:

To prepare for his role as a condemned man, Monty actually spent a night on death row at San Quentin prison in California.

Quote:

Alice-"I'm in trouble, George... bad trouble"

 Awards:

The film was nominated for nine Academy Awards, and won six - Best Director (the first Oscar for Stevens), Best Screenplay (Michael Wilson and Harry Brown), Best B/W Cinematography (William Mellor), Best Dramatic Score, Best Film Editing, and Best B/W Costume Design (Edith Head).

Its other three nominations were for Best Picture (it lost to AN AMERICAN IN PARIS (1951)), Best Actor (Montgomery Clift) and Best Actress (Shelley Winters).