Theodore Dreiser's mammoth novel "an American tragedy" was adapted twice for the screen :first version was made by Joseph Von Sternberg in 1931,and is best remembered for Sylvia Sidney's portrayal of Roberta.This movie, rarely aired ,is today outstripped by Georges Stevens' " a place in the sun" -the producers did not want to hear of the original title which would have scared the audience away from the theaters-: masterfully directed ,with three aces :Montgomery Clift ,Elizabeth Taylor and Shelley Winters ,plus excellent support by Anne Revere as mom ,in an underwritten part.
The Italian effort is a miniseries,probably the best way to tackle this masterpiece of the American literature:seven episodes in all ,which is not too much for a 850 pages work .
This episode concerns Book 1 ,which was never featured in the American movies;this is probably-that's also the opinion of Richard Lingeman who wrote Dreiser's biography as well as the introduction of the signet classics edition- the least palatable part of the novel, being sometimes dull,and very repetitive ,although it's only 150 pages long.
First remark : Warner Bentivegna (31 in 1962) is obviously too old for the part of Clyde Griffiths who died in his early twenties,and he has not the youthful look of Monty Clift ,now Dreiser's character for millions of cine buffs (although he is called George Eastman;anyway all the names were changed in the 1951 version); on the other hand Elvira and Asa Griffiths are portrayed as Dreiser depicted them.
One can regret that no scene depicts the pitiful preaching family on the streets ,praising the Lord and pumping the organ , a picture which comes back in the ominous epilogue called "souvenir";when the series begin,Clyde is already working in the hotel and we can't feel how much he was loath to be part of the mission .
However,the director succeeds in making us feel the gap between the American dream Clyde sees in the hotel guests and the seedy house where his family eats dinner ,and where religion is everywhere (the children's brainwashing is constant,whatever they do,even when they go to bed );besides,Clyde's and mom's relationship is particularly well treated ,and we do feel warmth ,love and tenderness between them;she's actually the man of the family ,the only one who will react to events when the tragedy happens,and the only member of the family who will try to do something about it .
When sister Esther gets pregnant by a man who leaves her ,while Asa thinks she has sinned, Elvira shows compassion;so does Clyde,even though he tries to get Hortensia ,a futile vain girl ,who ,with cheap jewelry and chic dressings ,is only interested in a fur coat.
Clyde's fate is sealed from the start: his sister's plight predates his;then the accident which costs an old man -the screenplay was "sweetened": it was actually a little girl-his life ,although the poor lad is totally innocent; the youngsters' wild drive across the streets is not as gripping as in the novel ,being too short ,and featuring Clyde's beat up by his mates (not from the novel).
After a final confrontation with his father (once again invented by the screenwriters ,but not irrelevant),Clyde leaves home and that's where Sternberg's and Stevens' movies begin.
The last picture is a very good idea : a torn picture of Hortensia :there's no place for romanticism when you want to be part of the American Dream,Clyde's first love has already understood it when she makes of fool of him,and the young man soon will too.
The Italian effort is a miniseries,probably the best way to tackle this masterpiece of the American literature:seven episodes in all ,which is not too much for a 850 pages work .
This episode concerns Book 1 ,which was never featured in the American movies;this is probably-that's also the opinion of Richard Lingeman who wrote Dreiser's biography as well as the introduction of the signet classics edition- the least palatable part of the novel, being sometimes dull,and very repetitive ,although it's only 150 pages long.
First remark : Warner Bentivegna (31 in 1962) is obviously too old for the part of Clyde Griffiths who died in his early twenties,and he has not the youthful look of Monty Clift ,now Dreiser's character for millions of cine buffs (although he is called George Eastman;anyway all the names were changed in the 1951 version); on the other hand Elvira and Asa Griffiths are portrayed as Dreiser depicted them.
One can regret that no scene depicts the pitiful preaching family on the streets ,praising the Lord and pumping the organ , a picture which comes back in the ominous epilogue called "souvenir";when the series begin,Clyde is already working in the hotel and we can't feel how much he was loath to be part of the mission .
However,the director succeeds in making us feel the gap between the American dream Clyde sees in the hotel guests and the seedy house where his family eats dinner ,and where religion is everywhere (the children's brainwashing is constant,whatever they do,even when they go to bed );besides,Clyde's and mom's relationship is particularly well treated ,and we do feel warmth ,love and tenderness between them;she's actually the man of the family ,the only one who will react to events when the tragedy happens,and the only member of the family who will try to do something about it .
When sister Esther gets pregnant by a man who leaves her ,while Asa thinks she has sinned, Elvira shows compassion;so does Clyde,even though he tries to get Hortensia ,a futile vain girl ,who ,with cheap jewelry and chic dressings ,is only interested in a fur coat.
Clyde's fate is sealed from the start: his sister's plight predates his;then the accident which costs an old man -the screenplay was "sweetened": it was actually a little girl-his life ,although the poor lad is totally innocent; the youngsters' wild drive across the streets is not as gripping as in the novel ,being too short ,and featuring Clyde's beat up by his mates (not from the novel).
After a final confrontation with his father (once again invented by the screenwriters ,but not irrelevant),Clyde leaves home and that's where Sternberg's and Stevens' movies begin.
The last picture is a very good idea : a torn picture of Hortensia :there's no place for romanticism when you want to be part of the American Dream,Clyde's first love has already understood it when she makes of fool of him,and the young man soon will too.