An American Dream (film)
| An American Dream | |
|---|---|
 film poster | |
| Directed by | Robert Gist |
| Produced by |
William Conrad Jimmy Lydon |
| Written by |
Norman Mailer (novel) Mann Rubin (writer) |
| Starring |
Stuart Whitman Janet Leigh Eleanor Parker |
| Music by | Johnny Mandel |
| Cinematography | Sam Leavitt |
| Edited by | George R. Rohrs |
Production company |
William Conrad Productions |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 103 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
An American Dream is a 1966 Technicolor drama film directed by Robert Gist, starring Stuart Whitman and Janet Leigh.[1][2] It was adapted from the Norman Mailer novel of the same name. The film received an Oscar nomination for Best Song for "A Time for Love," music by Johnny Mandel and lyrics by Paul Francis Webster.[3]
Plot
Stephen Rojack, a war hero, returns home to become a tough-talking television commentator who strongly criticizes the police's inability to put an end to the criminal activities of an organized-crime figure, Ganucci.
Separated from his alcoholic wife, Deborah, he goes to her seeking a divorce. A violent argument breaks out, ending with Rojack throwing her from a 30-story window.
At the police station, where he tells the police his wife committed suicide, Rojack runs into Ganucci as well as the gangster's nephew, Nicky, and nightclub singer Cherry McMahon, a former girlfriend of his. Rojack resumes his romantic interest in Cherry, further infuriating the Ganuccis.
His dead wife's father, Barney Kelly, is suspicious about Deborah's death and confronts Rojack, getting him to admit his guilt. Instead of informing the police, Barney decides to let Rojack struggle with his conscience.
Meanwhile, bribing her with a singing contract, the Ganuccis are able to convince Cherry to lure Rojack into an ambush. At the last second, she breaks down and warns him. Rojack takes her gun and is able to shoot Nicky, but then is gunned down himself.
Cast
- Stuart Whitman as Stephen Richard Rojack
- Janet Leigh as Cherry McMahon (singing voice was dubbed by Jackie Ward)
- Eleanor Parker as Deborah Rojack
- Barry Sullivan as Lt. Roberts
- Lloyd Nolan as Barney Kelly
- Murray Hamilton as Arthur Kabot
- J.D. Cannon as Sgt. Walt Leznicki
- Susan Denberg as Ruta
- Les Crane as Nicky
- Warren Stevens as Johnny Dell
- Joe De Santis as Eddie Ganucci
- Stacy Harris as O'Brien
- Paul Mantee as Shago Martin
- Harold Gould as Ganucci's Attorney
- George Takei as Ord Long
- Kelly Jean Peters as Freya
- Hal K. Dawson as Apartment House Guard (uncredited)
- Richard Derr as Undetermined Role (uncredited)
- James Nolan as Monsignor (uncredited)
Production
When An American Dream bombed at the box office, the desperate distributors re-titled the film See You in Hell, Darling.[4]
Review
Intended as a horror movie by the director, it fails to create that effect, instead, according to Time Out magazine, it turns out to be "just tediously violent".[5]
See also
References
- ↑ "An American Dream (1966)". Hollywood. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
- ↑ "An American Dream(1966)". Yahoo movies. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
- ↑ "An American Dream (1966)". emanuellevy.com. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
- ↑ http://www.allmovie.com/work/see-you-in-hell-darling-123307
- ↑ "An American Dream". Time Out. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
External links
- An American Dream at the Internet Movie Database
- An American Dream at the TCM Movie Database
- An American Dream at AllMovie