The Sound and the Fury (1959 film): Difference between revisions
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* Stephen Perry as Luster |
* Stephen Perry as Luster |
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* [[Roy Glenn]] as Job |
* [[Roy Glenn]] as Job |
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==Production== |
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In September 1955 the novel was optioned by [[Jerry Wald]] who had a deal at Columbia. The previous month Wald optioned the Faulkner story, ''Soldier's Pay''.<ref>BY WAY OF REPORT: 'Sound and Fury' Attracts Columbia -- The Big Money -- A Global 'Helen' |
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By A. H. WEILER. New York Times 04 Sep 1955: X5. </ref> In August 1956 Wald announced he had purchased the screen rights and would made it for [[20th Century Fox]], and that the team of Harriet Frank and Irvin Ravitch would do the adaptation. Wald had a tendency to film older novels; he said he took advice from a survey of librarians throughout the country to see what older books were "perennial favorites" with readers.<ref>FAULKNER NOVEL BOUGHT FOR FILM: 'The Sound and the Fury' Is Acquired by Jerry Wald for Production Next Year |
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By THOMAS M. PRYOR Special to The New York Times. New York Times30 Aug 1956: 19. </ref> Wald offered the leading roles of Jason and Candace to [[Laurence Olivier]] and [[Vivien Leigh]].<ref>'The Sound and the Fury' May Star Olivier and Leigh |
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Hopper, Hedda. Chicago Daily Tribune 23 Oct 1956: b4. </ref> |
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In January 1957 [[Gregory Peck]] aigned to star with filming to begin in June.<ref>PECK TO PERFORM IN MOVIE FOR FOX: Actor Signs for Adaptation of 'Sound and the Fury,' Novel by Faulkner Miss Loren's Pact Extended Of Local Origin |
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By THOMAS M. PRYOR Special to The New York Times. New York Times 15 Jan 1957: 24. </ref> [[Audrey Hepburn]] was sought to co star and [[Jose Quintero]] to direct.<ref>Of Local Origin |
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New York Times (1923-Current file); New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]05 Feb 1957: 27. </ref> Quintero turned down the film, By May 1957 Martin Ritt was signed to direct and Wald was going to make another Faulkner tale as well, ''The Hamlet'', which became ''The Long Hot Summer''.<ref>A Town, Called Hollywood: Jerry Wald Runs on Faith in the Different and Daring |
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Scheuer, Philip K. Los Angeles Times 26 May 1957: E2. </ref> Ritt did it under a two picture contract with Fox.<ref>STAGE DIRECTOR SIGNS FILM PACT: Martin Ritt in Two-Picture Deal With Fox--Universal Reactivates 'Katrina' Pearl Buck to Visit Hollywood |
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By THOMAS M. PRYOR New York Times 22 July 1957: 15. </ref> |
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Eventually Ritt filmed ''Long Hut Summer'' first. |
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In December 1957 filming was postponed due to difficulties in casting.<ref>DREISER'S 'TITAN' TO BECOME MOVIE: Novel Will Be Filmed Jointly by 2 Concerns--Return of Andy Hardy Weighed Mickey Rooney's Plans |
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Special to The New York Times. New York Times 13 Dec 1957: 35.</ref> [[Lana Turner]] was to star as Caddy.<ref>Lana Turner to Star in Dramatic Role |
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Hopper, Hedda. Los Angeles Times 19 Dec 1957: B16. </ref> |
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In January 1958 Yul Brynner signed to star.<ref>BRYNNER TO STAR IN WALD-FOX FILM: Actor Signed for Faulkner's 'Sound and the Fury -- Ina Balin in 'Black Orchid' |
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By THOMAS M. PRYORSpecial to the New York Times. New York Times (1923-Current file); New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]13 Jan 1958: 24. </ref> |
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== Reception == |
== Reception == |
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Revision as of 07:31, 28 February 2019
| The Sound and the Fury | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Martin Ritt |
| Written by | Harriet Frank, Jr. Irving Ravetch |
| Starring | Yul Brynner Joanne Woodward Margaret Leighton Stuart Whitman Ethel Waters Jack Warden Françoise Rosay |
| Cinematography | Charles G. Clarke |
| Edited by | Stuart Gilmore |
| Music by | Alex North |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
Release date |
|
Running time | 110 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1,710,000[1] |
| Box office | $1.7 million (est. US/ Canada rentals)[2] |
The Sound and the Fury is a 1959 American drama film directed by Martin Ritt. It is loosely based on the novel of the same name by William Faulkner, first published in 1929.
Plot
Quentin Compson is a girl of 17 in the small Mississippi town of Jefferson. She lives with her step-uncle, Jason, who has practically raised Quentin ever since her promiscuous mother, Caddy, abandoned her.
Jason makes ends meet working in the store of Earl Snopes, a man he detests. He is the provider for several people in the house, including Howard, who is Quentin's uncle, and his step-brother, and a mute, mentally handicapped man named Benjy, his other step-brother.
Quentin is bored, restless, and not interested in Jason's wishes that she continue her education. When a carnival comes to town, she becomes infatuated with Charlie Busch, a carny worker who tries to seduce her.
Caddy returns to town. She has a tentative reunion with Quentin, but takes Jason's side because she has no money and needs him to shelter her now. Caddy flirts with Snopes, who implies that they had intimate relations and is beaten by Jason for saying as much. Benjy also becomes incensed when he catches Quentin sneaking out to meet Busch and tries to strangle her, whereupon Jason decides that Benjy must be committed to an institution.
A frustrated Quentin wants to leave with Busch and claims she can get her hands on $3,000. She steals it from a suitcase of money Jason had been saving for her future. To prove the stranger's true intentions, Jason goes to Busch and gives him a choice: the girl or the money. Quentin is crushed when she realizes what Busch is really after. She returns to Jason and promises to be more mature in their future together.
Cast
- Yul Brynner as Jason Compson
- Joanne Woodward as Quentin Compson
- Margaret Leighton as Caddy Compson
- Jack Warden as Benjy Compson
- Stuart Whitman as Charlie Busch
- Ethel Waters as Dilsey
- Françoise Rosay as Mrs Caroline Compson
- John Beal as Howard Compson
- Albert Dekker as Earl Snopes
- Stephen Perry as Luster
- Roy Glenn as Job
Production
In September 1955 the novel was optioned by Jerry Wald who had a deal at Columbia. The previous month Wald optioned the Faulkner story, Soldier's Pay.[3] In August 1956 Wald announced he had purchased the screen rights and would made it for 20th Century Fox, and that the team of Harriet Frank and Irvin Ravitch would do the adaptation. Wald had a tendency to film older novels; he said he took advice from a survey of librarians throughout the country to see what older books were "perennial favorites" with readers.[4] Wald offered the leading roles of Jason and Candace to Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh.[5]
In January 1957 Gregory Peck aigned to star with filming to begin in June.[6] Audrey Hepburn was sought to co star and Jose Quintero to direct.[7] Quintero turned down the film, By May 1957 Martin Ritt was signed to direct and Wald was going to make another Faulkner tale as well, The Hamlet, which became The Long Hot Summer.[8] Ritt did it under a two picture contract with Fox.[9]
Eventually Ritt filmed Long Hut Summer first.
In December 1957 filming was postponed due to difficulties in casting.[10] Lana Turner was to star as Caddy.[11]
In January 1958 Yul Brynner signed to star.[12]
Reception
Bosley Crowther of The New York Times wrote that the film "lacks texture" and is "sentiment-dappled and synthetic".[13]
See also
References
- ^ Solomon, Aubrey. Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History (The Scarecrow Filmmakers Series). Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1989. ISBN 978-0-8108-4244-1. p252
- ^ "1959: Probable Domestic Take", Variety, 6 January 1960 p 34
- ^ BY WAY OF REPORT: 'Sound and Fury' Attracts Columbia -- The Big Money -- A Global 'Helen' By A. H. WEILER. New York Times 04 Sep 1955: X5.
- ^ FAULKNER NOVEL BOUGHT FOR FILM: 'The Sound and the Fury' Is Acquired by Jerry Wald for Production Next Year By THOMAS M. PRYOR Special to The New York Times. New York Times30 Aug 1956: 19.
- ^ 'The Sound and the Fury' May Star Olivier and Leigh Hopper, Hedda. Chicago Daily Tribune 23 Oct 1956: b4.
- ^ PECK TO PERFORM IN MOVIE FOR FOX: Actor Signs for Adaptation of 'Sound and the Fury,' Novel by Faulkner Miss Loren's Pact Extended Of Local Origin By THOMAS M. PRYOR Special to The New York Times. New York Times 15 Jan 1957: 24.
- ^ Of Local Origin New York Times (1923-Current file); New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]05 Feb 1957: 27.
- ^ A Town, Called Hollywood: Jerry Wald Runs on Faith in the Different and Daring Scheuer, Philip K. Los Angeles Times 26 May 1957: E2.
- ^ STAGE DIRECTOR SIGNS FILM PACT: Martin Ritt in Two-Picture Deal With Fox--Universal Reactivates 'Katrina' Pearl Buck to Visit Hollywood By THOMAS M. PRYOR New York Times 22 July 1957: 15.
- ^ DREISER'S 'TITAN' TO BECOME MOVIE: Novel Will Be Filmed Jointly by 2 Concerns--Return of Andy Hardy Weighed Mickey Rooney's Plans Special to The New York Times. New York Times 13 Dec 1957: 35.
- ^ Lana Turner to Star in Dramatic Role Hopper, Hedda. Los Angeles Times 19 Dec 1957: B16.
- ^ BRYNNER TO STAR IN WALD-FOX FILM: Actor Signed for Faulkner's 'Sound and the Fury -- Ina Balin in 'Black Orchid' By THOMAS M. PRYORSpecial to the New York Times. New York Times (1923-Current file); New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]13 Jan 1958: 24.
- ^ Crowther, Bosley (28 March 1959). "The Sound and the Fury (1959)". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
External links
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