A Summer Place (film)
Encyclopedia
A Summer Place is a 1959 romantic drama film based on the novel of the same name
by Sloan Wilson
. It was directed by Delmer Daves
and stars Richard Egan
, Dorothy McGuire
, Troy Donahue
and Sandra Dee
. The film would become famous for its main instrumental theme
.
at Pine Island, an exclusive Maine
resort, while Sylvia's nouveau riche
family stayed as guests of the owners, one summer between years at college. They went on to marry different people – entirely the wrong people, it turned out. Ken's wife Helen (Constance Ford) turns out to be frigid and shuts him out romantically, while Sylvia's husband Bart (Arthur Kennedy) becomes an alcoholic
, gradually costing him the family fortune. Ken buries himself in the research chemist's
job he finds after college, while Sylvia devotes herself first to charity work, then motherhood.
The saving grace of each marriage is their children, Sylvia's son Johnny (Troy Donahue) and Ken's daughter Molly (Sandra Dee). Ken and Sylvia meet again on Pine Island after twenty years, with Ken now wealthy through his chemistry work, while Bart has turned his family's mansion (their sole remaining asset) into an inn, which is failing. Johnny and Molly meet and fall in love, while Ken and Sylvia begin to cheat on their spouses with each other.
Ken and Sylvia eventually leave their spouses and marry. Bart ends up being taken to a sanitarium for treatment of his alcoholism but not after Johnny and Molly visit him requesting permission to marry as Molly is pregnant.
" (composed by Max Steiner
and recorded by Percy Faith
and His Orchestra) enriched and improved on a secondary musical theme of the film; it remains a classic of its era. An early instrumental version of the song was recorded by the group "Los Nómadas" but only gained 'Top 40' recognition in Mexico, despite Zane Ashton's (also known as Bill Aken) distinctly 'teen-pop' flavored arrangement. A vocal version, with lyrics by Mack Discant, was a hit for The Lettermen
in 1965. Singer Dean Torrence referenced the song's melody in Jan and Dean
's "Like a Summer Rain" in 1966.
A Summer Place
A Summer Place is a 1958 novel by Sloan Wilson, a follow-on to The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit. It was adapted into a 1959 film of the same name.-Plot summary:...
by Sloan Wilson
Sloan Wilson
Sloan Wilson was an American author.-Reporter:Born in Norwalk, Connecticut, Wilson graduated from Harvard University in 1942. He served in World War II, serving in the United States Coast Guard, commanding a naval trawler on the Greenland patrol and an army supply ship in the Pacific Ocean.After...
. It was directed by Delmer Daves
Delmer Daves
Delmer Daves was an American screenwriter, director, and producer.-Life and career:Born in San Francisco, Delmer Daves first pursued a career as a lawyer...
and stars Richard Egan
Richard Egan (actor)
Richard Egan was an American actor. In some films he is credited as Richard Eagan.-Career:Born in San Francisco, California, Egan served in the United States Army as a judo instructor during World War II...
, Dorothy McGuire
Dorothy McGuire
Dorothy Hackett McGuire was an American actress.-Career:Born in Omaha, Nebraska, she began her acting career on the stage at the Omaha Community Playhouse...
, Troy Donahue
Troy Donahue
Troy Donahue was an American actor, who was active between the late 1950s and late 1990s.-Life and career:...
and Sandra Dee
Sandra Dee
Sandra Dee was an American actress. Dee began her career as a model and progressed to film. Best known for her portrayal of ingenues, Dee won a Golden Globe Award in 1959 as one of the year's most promising newcomers, and over several years her films were popular...
. The film would become famous for its main instrumental theme
Theme from A Summer Place
The "Theme from A Summer Place" is a song with lyrics by Mack Discant and music by Max Steiner, written for the 1959 film, A Summer Place, which starred Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue. It was recorded for the film by Hugo Winterhalter...
.
Plot
The story examines the adult lives of two onetime teen lovers, Ken (Egan) and Sylvia (McGuire), who were from different social strata. Ken was self-supporting, working as a lifeguardLifeguard
A lifeguard supervises the safety and rescue of swimmers, surfers, and other water sports participants such as in a swimming pool, water park, or beach. Lifeguards are strong swimmers and trained in first aid, certified in water rescue using a variety of aids and equipment depending on...
at Pine Island, an exclusive Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
resort, while Sylvia's nouveau riche
Nouveau riche
The nouveau riche , or new money, comprise those who have acquired considerable wealth within their own generation...
family stayed as guests of the owners, one summer between years at college. They went on to marry different people – entirely the wrong people, it turned out. Ken's wife Helen (Constance Ford) turns out to be frigid and shuts him out romantically, while Sylvia's husband Bart (Arthur Kennedy) becomes an alcoholic
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
, gradually costing him the family fortune. Ken buries himself in the research chemist's
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
job he finds after college, while Sylvia devotes herself first to charity work, then motherhood.
The saving grace of each marriage is their children, Sylvia's son Johnny (Troy Donahue) and Ken's daughter Molly (Sandra Dee). Ken and Sylvia meet again on Pine Island after twenty years, with Ken now wealthy through his chemistry work, while Bart has turned his family's mansion (their sole remaining asset) into an inn, which is failing. Johnny and Molly meet and fall in love, while Ken and Sylvia begin to cheat on their spouses with each other.
Ken and Sylvia eventually leave their spouses and marry. Bart ends up being taken to a sanitarium for treatment of his alcoholism but not after Johnny and Molly visit him requesting permission to marry as Molly is pregnant.
Cast
- Richard EganRichard Egan (actor)Richard Egan was an American actor. In some films he is credited as Richard Eagan.-Career:Born in San Francisco, California, Egan served in the United States Army as a judo instructor during World War II...
as Ken Jorgenson - Dorothy McGuireDorothy McGuireDorothy Hackett McGuire was an American actress.-Career:Born in Omaha, Nebraska, she began her acting career on the stage at the Omaha Community Playhouse...
as Sylvia Hunter - Sandra DeeSandra DeeSandra Dee was an American actress. Dee began her career as a model and progressed to film. Best known for her portrayal of ingenues, Dee won a Golden Globe Award in 1959 as one of the year's most promising newcomers, and over several years her films were popular...
as Molly Jorgenson - Arthur KennedyArthur Kennedy (actor)Arthur Kennedy was an American stage and film actor known for his versatility in supporting film roles and his ability to create "an exceptional honesty and naturalness on stage" especially in the original casts of Arthur Miller plays on Broadway.- Early life and education :Kennedy was born John...
as Bart Hunter - Troy DonahueTroy DonahueTroy Donahue was an American actor, who was active between the late 1950s and late 1990s.-Life and career:...
as Johnny Hunter - Constance FordConstance FordConstance Ford was an American actress and model. She is best known for her long-running role as Ada Hobson on the daytime soap opera Another World.-Career:...
as Helen Jorgenson - Beulah BondiBeulah BondiBeulah Bondi was an American actress.Bondi began her acting career as a young child in theater, and after establishing herself as a stage actress, she reprised her role in Street Scene for the 1931 film version...
as Mrs. Emily Hamilton Hamble - Jack Richardson as Claude Andrews
- Martin Eric as Todd Harper
Release and reception
The movie became popular after its release, but had a mixed critical reception. The 1960 hit "Theme from A Summer PlaceTheme from A Summer Place
The "Theme from A Summer Place" is a song with lyrics by Mack Discant and music by Max Steiner, written for the 1959 film, A Summer Place, which starred Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue. It was recorded for the film by Hugo Winterhalter...
" (composed by Max Steiner
Max Steiner
Max Steiner was an Austrian composer of music for theatre productions and films. He later became a naturalized citizen of the United States. Trained by the great classical music composers Brahms and Mahler, he was one of the first composers who primarily wrote music for motion pictures, and as...
and recorded by Percy Faith
Percy Faith
Percy Faith was a Canadian-born American bandleader, orchestrator, composer and conductor, known for his lush arrangements of pop and Christmas standards. He is often credited with creating the "easy listening" or "mood music" format which became staples of American popular music in the 1950s and...
and His Orchestra) enriched and improved on a secondary musical theme of the film; it remains a classic of its era. An early instrumental version of the song was recorded by the group "Los Nómadas" but only gained 'Top 40' recognition in Mexico, despite Zane Ashton's (also known as Bill Aken) distinctly 'teen-pop' flavored arrangement. A vocal version, with lyrics by Mack Discant, was a hit for The Lettermen
The Lettermen
The Lettermen are an American male pop music vocal trio. The Lettermen's trademark is close-harmony pop songs with light arrangements. The group started in 1959...
in 1965. Singer Dean Torrence referenced the song's melody in Jan and Dean
Jan and Dean
Jan and Dean were a rock and roll duo, popular from the late 1950s through the mid 1960s, consisting of William Jan Berry and Dean Ormsby Torrence...
's "Like a Summer Rain" in 1966.
External links
- A Summer Place theme by Percy FaithPercy FaithPercy Faith was a Canadian-born American bandleader, orchestrator, composer and conductor, known for his lush arrangements of pop and Christmas standards. He is often credited with creating the "easy listening" or "mood music" format which became staples of American popular music in the 1950s and...
- A Summer Place film trailer at Turner Classic MoviesTurner Classic MoviesTurner Classic Movies is a movie-oriented cable television channel, owned by the Turner Broadcasting System subsidiary of Time Warner, featuring commercial-free classic movies, mostly from the Turner Entertainment and MGM, United Artists, RKO and Warner Bros. film libraries...
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