A Place in the Sun (1951)

I think I read somewhere that A place in the Sun (dir. George Stevens) is a hugely romantic film. The truth is, however, it's a hugely cynical film. That is not a bad thing. The film has enough guts to satirize the unbending rules of social climbing. Of course, this is covered up in a love story, but to be honest, the love part is pretty invisible around here. We see a lot of infatuation, a great deal of (self-)deception and some murky, dark intentions, too. Most of the people just don't know what to do with themselves, they are just shuffled along, driven by capricious motives. The story is simple. A young man is hired in a factory owned by his relative. He is in love with one of his fellow workers, who becomes pregnant. Too bad; the boy has already found another, more interesting, and, you guessed it, wealthier girl. What to do? To be a film from the era of right-wing censorship, this is pretty impressive stuff (the end of the film is not exactly jolly). Great acting at times, too. Elizabeth Taylor had a few really good roles and she shines in this performance of the self-indulgent, socially dazzling girl who thinks she can have it all. Montgomery Clift is good as well as the fickle George. Along with that, some bad acting, especially from the overwrought representation of the hysterical girl in Trouble. It has been complained that the film is confusing with regard to the viewer's sympathies with the characters. For my part, I like the fact that the film's main character, nice boy Clift, treads the path between boy next door and grim killer.