A Summer Place (1959)

A Summer Place

The item was exactly as discribed and arrived in good condition. I would gladly buy from this seller again...anytime! May 31, 2008

A Summer Place

An oldie, but a goodie. A trip down memory lane when life was just as complicated but in many ways far simpler. Sandra Dee was beautiful and did an excellant job as the confused daughter of a loveless marriage. Troy Donahue was eye candy for all the young females fans and held up his part as the lovelorn teen caught between loyalty to family and teenage angst. Arthur Kennedy was superb as the drunken father and played the part to perfection. Richard Egan and and Dorthy McGuire played the reunited lovers well without going overboard and Constance Ford was perfect as the woman we all loved to hate. Yes this is a 1950's soap opera brought to th screen and did depart from Sloan Wilson's novel in minor ways, but all does end for the best. So to all of you who were too busy with prom and dating when this movie was released buy and enjoy a trip to yester-year. To all our children and grandchildren who want to have a look at what we all wished our lives were like back then, watch and dream along with us. May 27, 2008

They Don't Make 'Em Like This Anymore!

This is an all-time classic starting with the beautiful music
and scenery of the opening credits right through to the end.
The color and cinematography are outstanding for 1959 and
still shine today. The musical score, including the #1 hit,
THEME FROM A SUMMER PLACE, is romantic and timeless.
Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue have always been my favorites,
and the rest of the cast is made up of some of Hollywood's
best at that time; each part cast and played to perfection.

What I'd like to know is how in 1959 could Hollywood make a
great film like this with beautiful background music that
DID NOT drown out the dialogue and they can't do it today?
In today's movies, all you hear is booming music and
ear-splitting special effects sounds while the dialogue is
barely audible.

Hats off to the late Delmer Daves for writing and
directing so many great movies of that era, and also to
the late Max Steiner for the beautiful original
musical score.

They don't make 'em like this anymore!






May 12, 2008

Classic Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue

A classic trip down memory lane with lotsa eye candy thrown in (with the likes of Troy Donahue and Sandra Dee). Lines are at times a little laboured, but the idyllic setting of sand, sea, boats (and a boat house) on an island holiday resort should appeal to the die-hard romantics (viz. the ladies).

What was daring for the time was the outright depiction of 2 strained marriages, the myriad variations of steamy love affairs (adolescent lovers who part, mature adults who find that they cannot deny their love for each other inspite of duty/devotion to their college-age children and the twinge of guilt-ridden obbligation to their dysfunctional spouses, giddy teen-age love with enforced separation, reunion and all their possible consequences...)

Does being good mean not having sex out of marriage even if the couple love each other? It is a moral dilemma that goes on even till this day....
it is hard to berate any of the lovers when the love and passion they share seem so true...but love does not easily conquer all ... and the costs and consequences of being true to one's passion irregardless of everyone and everything else are clear for all to see ...
from the simple wedding scene with the couple's children and friends clearly and noticeably absent to the desperate fugitive young couple
trying to cling together in the face of having an illegitimate child.

February 9, 2008

A Summer place

I loved the film the first time and was not disappointed watching it this time. The seller sent it in excellent condition and a timely manner. I would recommend both the film and the seller to anyone who loves old films as both are an excellent choice. February 8, 2008

More reviews at Amazon.com ...