The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (film)

The Dark at the Top of the Stairs

Theatrical poster for the film
Directed by Delbert Mann
Produced by Michael Garrison
Written by Harriet Frank, Jr.
Irving Ravetch
Based on the play, The Dark at the Top of the Stairs
by William Inge
Starring Robert Preston
Dorothy McGuire
Music by Max Steiner[1]
Cinematography Harry Stradling, Sr.
Edited by Folmar Blangsted
Production
company
Release dates
  • September 22, 1960 (1960-09-22) (Premiere-New York City)[1]
  • October 8, 1960 (1960-10-08) (US)[1]
Running time
 123 minutes

The Dark at the Top of the Stairs is a 1960 American drama film. Academy Award winning director Delbert Mann directed the work of Dorothy McGuire and Robert Preston in the production. Shirley Knight garnered an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress, and Lee Kinsolving was nominated for a Golden Globe Award as Best Supporting Actor. Knight was also nominated for two Golden Globes. Mann's direction was nominated for a Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing in a Feature Film. It was based on the Tony Award nominated play of the same by William Inge.

Plot

During Prohibition in Oklahoma, Rubin Flood is a successful traveling harness and saddle salesman. However, with the advent of the automobile, his job is becoming more and more difficult. He is married to Cora, who he feels is a very demanding wife and over-protective mother, as well as being inattentive to their relationship. As Rubin is about to leave on a sales trip, he learns that his company is closing, and he is out of a job. Unable to face his wife with the news he stops off at the local pharmacy, where he can partake of some "medicinal" alcohol. As he is building up his courage to face his wife, she is out with her daughter, Reenie, buying a dress so that she can attend the birthday party of one of her classmates, which will be held at the local country club.

When Rubin returns home, he cannot bring himself to tell Cora that he has lost his job. Instead they argue about how much Cora has spent on Reenie's dress, Cora lamenting that she always has to watch every penny. When the couple's younger son, Sonny, returns home later, Rubin learns that he is being bullied at school. Sonny has a deep fear of the dark. Determined to teach him to stand up for himself, he attempts to teach him to box. During their sparring, however, he inadvertently strikes the boy too hard. This exacerbates the anger of the already upset Cora, who tears into Rubin eventually accusing him of having an affair with a local widow, Mavis Pruitt. Livid, Rubin slaps Cora, then storms out of the house. Reenie witnesses her parents' dispute, and she also runs out of the house. She runs into the street, causing a motorist to swerve to avoid hitting her, and he runs his car into a tree. Both the car and the driver, Sammy Golden, are relatively unhurt, and Sammy takes Reenie to a soda fountain, where he tells Reenie that he is attending a local military school, and the two become attracted to one another.

Alone now, Cora calls her older sister, Lottie, to tell her about the fight she just had with Rubin, and that he hit her. Meanwhile, Rubin, still slightly intoxicated, shows up at Mavis' beauty salon, which is also where she lives. He is seen going into her living quarters by two town gossips. In her house, Rubin tells her that Cora has ignored him for years, and while he has remained faithful to her, and still loves her, he needs Mavis. While Mavis doesn't accept his advances, Rubin falls asleep on her parlor sofa.

The following weekend, several days later, brings the argument of Cora and Rubin to a head. He has not returned home since the argument, and Lottie and her husband are there for dinner. Cora doesn't know what to do and asks Lottie if she and the kids can come and stay with her. Just as she asks, Rubin returns home. As he is apologizing to Cora, the two gossips who saw Rubin enter Mavis' house call Cora to tell her. The phone call re-ignites the argument. He accuses her of rejecting him sexually, while she throws back that she can't be in the mood when she spends her days worrying about money. They are interrupted by the arrival of Reenie's friend, Flirt, and her boyfriend. They have brought a blind date for Reenie, which much to Reenie's delight is Sammy. Lottie's bigotry is revealed, when she suggests that Cora and Rubin might not want to allow Reenie to accompany a Jew to the party. Rubin categorically refuses the idea, and the two young couples leave for the party.

While the party is going on, Sammy and Reenie share a kiss, during which the hosts of the party, Harry Ralston and his wife, walk in on. Upset over what they have found, this anger is further exacerbated when Mrs. Ralston learns that Sammy is Jewish. She tells Reenie that she shouldn't have brought a Jew to the country club, since they are not allowed there. Although Mr. Ralston tries to discount what his wife is saying, Sammy is embarrassed, and leaves the party, accompanied by Reenie. On the drive home, Sammy bemoans the bigotry in the world, and says that it will always prevent Jews and non-Jews from being friends. Although she wants to stay with him, he drops her off at home. As she enters the house, she finds Rubin on the sofa, and he confesses to her that he has lost his job, and doesn't know how to tell Cora.

The following morning, Flirt tells them that Sammy has attempted suicide, and is in the hospital. Reenie rushes to the hospital, where she tells Sammy that she doesn't care what other people think, that she only wants him to become part of her family. Meanwhile, back at the house, Cora lets Sonny know that she understands that she has to stop being so over-protective, so that he can grow into responsible adult. As she is speaking to her son, she receives a phone call. It is the hospital, an Sammy has died from his injuries. She tells Reenie when she returns home. When Reenie goes to her room, Cora heads over to Mavis's salon. She initially pretends to be a customer, then reveals that she is Rubin's wife. Mavis confesses that she has been in love with Rubin for years, but that Rubin has always been faithful to Cora. She also lets Cora know that Rubin has lost his job.

While Cora is confronting Mavis, Rubin has interviewed for and gotten a job as a salesman at an oil drilling equipment company. He returns home to find Cora waiting for him. She has sent Reenie to Lottie's for a few days, in order to get her out of town to help her come to grips with Sammy's death. Cora and Rubin reconcile, declaring their love for one another and their commitment to paying more attention to each others' needs. As they embrace, Sonny returns home with a friend, one of his former tormentors from school. As Cora says that she has to see to something upstairs in the bedroom, Rubin pays for the two boys to go see an afternoon movie, getting them out of the house for a few hours. Alone in the house with his wife, he heads up to the bedroom.

Cast

(cast list as per AFI database)[1]

Reception

Variety gave the film a favorable review, noting that it was "well cast and persuasively acted".[2] Shirley Knight earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role as "Reenie Flood".[3] Knight also received two Golden Globe nominations for her performance, for Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture and New Star Of The Year - Actress. Lee Kinsolving also received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role as "Sammy Goldenbaum".[4] The film was voted one of the ten best of the year in 1960 by the National Board of Review.[5]

Reflist

  1. 1 2 3 4 "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs: Detail View". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on April 17, 2016. Retrieved April 17, 2016.
  2. ↑ Variety Staff. "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs". Variety. Archived from the original on April 17, 2016.
  3. ↑ "The 33rd Academy Awards: 1961". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on April 17, 2016. Retrieved April 17, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Winners & Nominees 1961". Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Archived from the original on April 17, 2016. Retrieved April 17, 2016.
  5. ↑ "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs: Notes". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on October 23, 2016. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
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