1957·Drama·2h 37m
7.0
★
In the outwardly respectable New England community of Peyton Place, shopkeeper Constance McKenzie tries to make up for a past indiscretion -- which resulted in her illegitimate daughter Allison -- by adopting a chaste, prudish attitude towards all things sexual. In spite of herself, Constance can't help but be attracted to handsome new teacher Michael Rossi. Meanwhile, the restless Allison, who'd like to be as footloose and fancy-free as the town's "fast girl" Betty Anderson, falls sincerely in love with mixed-up mama's boy Norman Page.
Directed by Mark Robson
high school
small town
rape
based on novel or book
world war ii
christmas tree
new hampshire
scandal
snow
new england
alcoholic father
teenage pregnancy
dress shop
christmas
mother daughter relationship
Trailer
IMDB
N/A
Where to Watch
Cast
Lana Turner
Constance MacKenzie
Hope Lange
Selena Cross
Lee Philips
Michael Rossi
Lloyd Nolan
Dr. Matthew Swain
Diane Varsi
Allison MacKenzie
Arthur Kennedy
Lucas Cross
Russ Tamblyn
Norman Page
Terry Moore
Betty Anderson
Barry Coe
Rodney Harrington
David Nelson
Ted Carter
Betty Field
Nellie Cross
Mildred Dunnock
Miss Elsie Thornton
Crew
Mark Robson
Director
John Michael Hayes
Screenplay
Franz Waxman
Original Music Composer
William C. Mellor
Director of Photography
Jerry Wald
Producer
Popular Reviews
18 reviews
piratapunketa
6.0★ · 02/22/26
Saltillo but make it gringo
Saltillo but make it gringo
Pretentious
9.0★ · 11/20/25
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
A masterwork of repression and release, this perfect little town feels like a hymn to hypocrisy. Beneath the lush CinemaScope lies rot; it’s presented with such sincerity that it becomes tragic rather than tawdry. The blueprint for David Lynch's America: perfect lawns, poisoned hearts.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Yes, it's dated. The sincerity becomes one long sermon, but that’s also its charm. It’s scandal draped in sincerity. Like an overstuffed, lovingly crafted critique of the America it pretends to celebrate. A little too clean, but unforgettable in its contradictions.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Too many secrets, and not enough soul; more historical curiosity than deeply tragic. Every scene feels like a TV episode, which it later became. Still, for all its melodramatic clutter, something is fascinating about how little has changed. Rape, class cruelty, self-loathing, gossip, fear, moral posturing, and fear of freedom are all still present in society. The movie wants to expose hypocrisy but ends up repeating it, wagging its finger while indulging the thrill.
⭐️ ⭐️
Virtue signaling: it condemns repression, but never escapes it. A melodrama that mistakes hysteria for emotion and punishment for meaning. Stiff acting by the principal character, which hinders the romance with Lana Turner.
⭐️
Hollywood filmed a pamphlet on chastity. Every transgression is solved with marriage or forgiveness; unlike the book, this one just wants everyone to behave.
A masterwork of repression and release, this perfect little town feels like a hymn to hypocrisy. Beneath the lush CinemaScope lies rot; it’s presented with such sincerity that it becomes tragic rather than tawdry. The blueprint for David Lynch's America: perfect lawns, poisoned hearts.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Yes, it's dated. The sincerity becomes one long sermon, but that’s also its charm. It’s scandal draped in sincerity. Like an overstuffed, lovingly crafted critique of the America it pretends to celebrate. A little too clean, but unforgettable in its contradictions.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Too many secrets, and not enough soul; more historical curiosity than deeply tragic. Every scene feels like a TV episode, which it later became. Still, for all its melodramatic clutter, something is fascinating about how little has changed. Rape, class cruelty, self-loathing, gossip, fear, moral posturing, and fear of freedom are all still present in society. The movie wants to expose hypocrisy but ends up repeating it, wagging its finger while indulging the thrill.
⭐️ ⭐️
Virtue signaling: it condemns repression, but never escapes it. A melodrama that mistakes hysteria for emotion and punishment for meaning. Stiff acting by the principal character, which hinders the romance with Lana Turner.
⭐️
Hollywood filmed a pamphlet on chastity. Every transgression is solved with marriage or forgiveness; unlike the book, this one just wants everyone to behave.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
A masterwork of repression and release, this perfect little town feels like a hymn to hypocrisy. Beneath the lush CinemaScope lies rot; it’s presented with such sincerity that it becomes tragic rather than tawdry. The blueprint for David Lynch's America: perfect lawns, poisoned hearts.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Yes, it's dated. The sincerity becomes one long sermon, but that’s also its charm. It’s scandal draped in sincerity. Like an overstuffed, lovingly crafted critique of the America it pretends to celebrate. A little too clean, but unforgettable in its contradictions.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Too many secrets, and not enough soul; more historical curiosity than deeply tragic. Every scene feels like a TV episode, which it later became. Still, for all its melodramatic clutter, something is fascinating about how little has changed. Rape, class cruelty, self-loathing, gossip, fear, moral posturing, and fear of freedom are all still present in society. The movie wants to expose hypocrisy but ends up repeating it, wagging its finger while indulging the thrill.
⭐️ ⭐️
Virtue signaling: it condemns repression, but never escapes it. A melodrama that mistakes hysteria for emotion and punishment for meaning. Stiff acting by the principal character, which hinders the romance with Lana Turner.
⭐️
Hollywood filmed a pamphlet on chastity. Every transgression is solved with marriage or forgiveness; unlike the book, this one just wants everyone to behave.
A masterwork of repression and release, this perfect little town feels like a hymn to hypocrisy. Beneath the lush CinemaScope lies rot; it’s presented with such sincerity that it becomes tragic rather than tawdry. The blueprint for David Lynch's America: perfect lawns, poisoned hearts.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Yes, it's dated. The sincerity becomes one long sermon, but that’s also its charm. It’s scandal draped in sincerity. Like an overstuffed, lovingly crafted critique of the America it pretends to celebrate. A little too clean, but unforgettable in its contradictions.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Too many secrets, and not enough soul; more historical curiosity than deeply tragic. Every scene feels like a TV episode, which it later became. Still, for all its melodramatic clutter, something is fascinating about how little has changed. Rape, class cruelty, self-loathing, gossip, fear, moral posturing, and fear of freedom are all still present in society. The movie wants to expose hypocrisy but ends up repeating it, wagging its finger while indulging the thrill.
⭐️ ⭐️
Virtue signaling: it condemns repression, but never escapes it. A melodrama that mistakes hysteria for emotion and punishment for meaning. Stiff acting by the principal character, which hinders the romance with Lana Turner.
⭐️
Hollywood filmed a pamphlet on chastity. Every transgression is solved with marriage or forgiveness; unlike the book, this one just wants everyone to behave.
ChaiclassicsPRO
9.0★ · 02/25/25
It's not really a bad film actually! I actually like stories like this with small town gossip and melodrama. And it is kinda true in a way, towns and stuff are really hypocritical. I gotta say it's a very well acted out film! Especially by Hope Lange and Diane Varsi. Lana Turner gave a great performance and one that was way different from what she had done before.
It's not really a bad film actually! I actually like stories like this with small town gossip and melodrama. And it is kinda true in a way, towns and stuff are really hypocritical. I gotta say it's a very well acted out film! Especially by Hope Lange and Diane Varsi. Lana Turner gave a great performance and one that was way different from what she had done before.
PatsoYiyenBirey
7.0★ · 11/26/24
Americans are weird.
Americans are weird.
emmydewPRO
6.0★ · 08/18/24
russ tamblyn pretending he can’t dance like cmon man
russ tamblyn pretending he can’t dance like cmon man