Street Scene (1931 film)
Encyclopedia
Street Scene is a 1931
black-and-white
drama film produced by Samuel Goldwyn
and directed by King Vidor
. With a screenplay by Elmer Rice
adapted from his Pulitzer Prize
-winning play
, Street Scene takes place on a New York City
street from one evening until the following afternoon. Except for one scene which takes place inside a taxi, Vidor shot the entire film on a single set depicting half a city block of house fronts.
The movie stars Estelle Taylor
, David Landau
, Sylvia Sidney
, William Collier
, and Beulah Bondi
(her screen debut). The music score is by Alfred Newman
, his first complete film score. Newman composed the eponymous title theme, in the style of George Gershwin
's Rhapsody in Blue
. The theme has been used in other movies, including Cry of the City
, Kiss of Death
, I Wake Up Screaming
, Where the Sidewalk Ends
, The Dark Corner
, and as the overture
to How to Marry a Millionaire
.
1931 in film
-Top grossing films:-Academy Awards:*Best Picture: Cimarron - MGM*Best Actor: Lionel Barrymore - A Free Soul*Best Actor: Wallace Beery - The Champ*Best Actor: Fredric March - Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde...
black-and-white
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
drama film produced by Samuel Goldwyn
Samuel Goldwyn
Samuel Goldwyn was an American film producer, and founding contributor executive of several motion picture studios.-Biography:...
and directed by King Vidor
King Vidor
King Wallis Vidor was an American film director, film producer, and screenwriter whose career spanned nearly seven decades...
. With a screenplay by Elmer Rice
Elmer Rice
Elmer Rice was an American playwright. He received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his 1929 play, Street Scene.-Early years:...
adapted from his Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
-winning play
Street Scene (play)
Street Scene is a play by Elmer Rice that opened at the Playhouse Theatre in New York City on January 10, 1929 and ran for a total of 601 performances. The action of this ambitious, groundbreaking play takes place entirely on the front stoop of a New York City brownstone and in the adjacent street...
, Street Scene takes place on a New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
street from one evening until the following afternoon. Except for one scene which takes place inside a taxi, Vidor shot the entire film on a single set depicting half a city block of house fronts.
The movie stars Estelle Taylor
Estelle Taylor
Estelle Taylor was an American Hollywood actress whose career was most prominent during the silent film era of the 1920s....
, David Landau
David Landau (actor)
David Landau was an American film actor who appeared in 33 films between 1931 and 1935.He appeared on Broadway in 12 plays from 1919 to 1929....
, Sylvia Sidney
Sylvia Sidney
Sylvia Sidney was an American actress who rose to prominence in the 1930s appearing in numerous crime dramas.-Early life:...
, William Collier
William Collier
William Collier, Jr. was an American film and stage actor who appeared in 89 films.-Biography:Collier was born as Charles F. Gal, Jr. in New York City...
, and Beulah Bondi
Beulah Bondi
Beulah 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...
(her screen debut). The music score is by Alfred Newman
Alfred Newman
Alfred Newman was an American composer, arranger, and conductor of music for films.In a career which spanned over forty years, Newman composed music for over two hundred films. He was one of the most respected film score composers of his time, and is today regarded as one of the greatest...
, his first complete film score. Newman composed the eponymous title theme, in the style of George Gershwin
George Gershwin
George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
's Rhapsody in Blue
Rhapsody in Blue
Rhapsody in Blue is a musical composition by George Gershwin for solo piano and jazz band written in 1924, which combines elements of classical music with jazz-influenced effects....
. The theme has been used in other movies, including Cry of the City
Cry of the City
Cry of the City is a 1948 black-and-white film noir directed by Robert Siodmak based on the novel by Henry Edward Helseth, The Chair for Martin Rome. Veteran film noir-writer Ben Hecht worked on the film's script, but is not credited...
, Kiss of Death
Kiss of Death (1947 film)
Kiss of Death is a 1947 film noir movie directed by Henry Hathaway and written by Ben Hecht and Charles Lederer from a story by Eleazar Lipsky. The story revolves around the film's protagonist, a former robber, and the antagonist, the ruthless, violent Tommy Udo...
, I Wake Up Screaming
I Wake Up Screaming
I Wake Up Screaming is a 1941 film noir. It is based on the novel of the same name by Steve Fisher, who co-wrote the screenplay with Dwight Taylor...
, Where the Sidewalk Ends
Where the Sidewalk Ends
Where the Sidewalk Ends is a 1950 American film noir directed and produced by Otto Preminger. The screenplay for the film was written by Ben Hecht, and adapted by Robert E. Kent, Frank P. Rosenberg, and Victor Trivas. The screenplay and adaptations were based on the novel Night Cry by William L....
, The Dark Corner
The Dark Corner
The Dark Corner is a 1946 film noir directed by Henry Hathaway and starring Lucille Ball, Mark Stevens and Clifton Webb. The film is an example of a classic film noir and features a rare dramatic role for Ball.-Plot:...
, and as the overture
Overture
Overture in music is the term originally applied to the instrumental introduction to an opera...
to How to Marry a Millionaire
How to Marry a Millionaire
How to Marry a Millionaire is a 1953 romantic comedy film made by 20th Century Fox, directed by Jean Negulesco and produced and written by Nunnally Johnson. The screenplay was based on the plays The Greeks Had a Word for It by Zoe Akins and Loco by Dale Eunson and Katherine Albert. The music score...
.
Cast (in credits order)
- Walter MillerWalter MillerWalter Miller may refer to:* Walter B. Miller , American anthropologist* Walter Dale Miller , American politician* Walter Miller , American middleweight wrestling champion* Walter M. Miller, Jr...
as Mr Bert Easter (Rose's boss) - Sylvia SidneySylvia SidneySylvia Sidney was an American actress who rose to prominence in the 1930s appearing in numerous crime dramas.-Early life:...
as Rose Maurrant - William Collier Jr. as Sam Kaplan
- Estelle TaylorEstelle TaylorEstelle Taylor was an American Hollywood actress whose career was most prominent during the silent film era of the 1920s....
as Mrs Anna Maurrant - 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 Emma Jones - David LandauDavid Landau (actor)David Landau was an American film actor who appeared in 33 films between 1931 and 1935.He appeared on Broadway in 12 plays from 1919 to 1929....
as Mr Frank Maurrant - Matt McHughMatt McHughMatt McHugh was an American film actor who appeared in over 200 films between 1931 and 1955, primarily in small parts.-Career:...
as Vincent Jones - Russell HoptonRussell HoptonRussell Hopton was an American film actor. He appeared in 110 films between 1926 and 1945.He was born in New York, New York and died of an overdose of sleeping pills in North Hollywood, California....
as Steve Sankey - Greta GranstedtGreta GranstedtGreta Granstedt was a Swedish- American Movie and Television Actress.-Background:Irene "Greta" Granstedt was the second child of Theodore and Emma Granstedt born in Scandia, Kansas....
as Mae Jones - Eleanor Wesselhoeft as Marguerite 'Greta' Fiorentino
- Allan Fox as Dick McGann
- Nora Cecil as Alice Simpson (welfare worker)
- Margaret Robertson
- Walter James as Marshal James Henry
- Max Montor as Abe Kaplan
- T.H. Manning as George Jones
- Conway Washburne as Danny Buchanan
- John QualenJohn QualenJohn Qualen was a Canadian-American character actor of Norwegian heritage who specialized in Scandinavian roles....
as Karl Olsen - Ann Kostant as Shirley Kaplan
- Adele Watson as Olga Olsen
- Lambert Rogers as Willie Maurrant
- George Humbert as Filippo Fiorentino
- Helen Lovett as Laura Hildebrand
- Richard Powell as Officer Harry Murphy
- Jane Mercer
- Monte Carter
- Harry Wallace as Fred Cullen