A Place in the Sun (1951)

I think anyone who only recalls Dame Elizabeth Taylor from her later life ought to watch this and perhaps they will begin to appreciate just how beautiful and talented she was - and this is by no means her best effort on screen. This film belongs fairly and squarely to Montgomery Clift. He is "George Eastman", a cousin from the less wealthy branch of the family who seeks employment from his uncle "Charles" (Herbert Heyes). He is politely received and given a fairly lowly job, but it's a start and he can reassure his mother (Anne Revere) whilst courting "Alice" (Shelley Winters). Enter the young "Angela Vickers" (Taylor) who immediately turns his head. He can think of no-one else, she captivates him - he is spellbound. What to do about poor old "Alice" though? She isn't going to just let him dump her, she is in love and she is now expecting his child. Director George Stevens handles the rest of this film will consummate skill. "George" takes "Alice" for a picnic, a boating trip, an accident - and then a trial at which he is accused of clobbering her over the head with an oar before she drowned. Witnesses gather, gossip is traded and opinions are formed that may well send him to the chair... Clift, in his earlier roles, had the ability to mix allure and vulnerability in away seldom seen at the time, and here he develops his character from shy young man to calculating, if out of his depth, lover really well. Shelley Winters rarely disappointed too and again, here, she is strong as the needy yet loving girlfriend spurned. Franz Waxman scores perfectly and the photography is frequently tight and immersing. Court room dramas can be tricky to keep lively, but as we come to the denouement here, there is always some jeopardy as to the verdict. I got that wrong, by the way... Super film, this - big screen if you can.