SOME CAME RUNNING
US, 1958, 130 minutes, Colour.
Frank Sinatra, Shirley Mac Laine, Dean Martin, Martha Hyer, Arthur Hunnicut.
Directed by Vincente Minnelli.
Some Came Running was a big-budget MGM production of 1959. It was an adaptation by John Patrick (Teahouse of the Auqust Moon) from a popular novel by James Jones (From Here to Eternity, Up From The Beach).
It is a film about small-town America, echoes of the then recently popular Peyton Place. The film gets the melodramatic treatment by Vincente Minnelli (The Bad and the Beautiful, Home From The Hill, Two Weeks in Another Town). The film has quite a star cast and Shirley MacLaine?, Martha Hyer and Arthur Kennedy all received Oscar nominations for their performances. There is an atmospheric score by Elmer Bernstein.
This is the kind of film that was popular in its time but tends to date. However, as an example of popular film-making of the time, it is an entertaining example.
1. An entertaining big-budget MGM film of the '50s? The stars, Oscar nominations? James Jones' work?
2. Production values: Americana, the small town? The style of colour and sets - lavish, at times garish? The work of Vincente Minnelli? The Elmer Bernstein score? Song, 'To Love and be Loved'?
3. The memories of the United States and the post-war period? American society establishing itself after the war? Small-town life, external respectability, hypocrisies? The American dream?
4. Frank Sinatra as a convincing hero? The background of his being in the war, soldier? Release, the possibility of his career as a writer? Sinatra's style? Dave Hirsh's hopes, background, moving away from home, rivalry with his brother? An eye for trouble? The encounter with Ginny? Living it up, drinking, her following him on the bus? Going back to the home town, the possibility of settling? Ginny's following him? His having to cope - opening tensions and their follow-up?
5. The impact of Dave and his return: to the town, its respectability, going into the hotel, the bank, quoting his brother's name? Going to a rival bank? His brother's show of friendliness? His wife's refusing to see him, her politeness when they met? The antagonism towards being included in his writings? Gwen and her admiration for him? Her falling in love - but denying it? Ginny and her devotion? Raymond and his arrival, the violence? The violent headlines and reputation? The friendship with Bama? Drinking, cards, the fights? The visit to the hospital?
6. Ginny and her background, naivety, working the hotels? Following Dave? Hopes for marriage? His abandoning her? Coping in the town, friendship with Bama? Raymond's arrival, the clash, the violence? The goodtime girl, the marriaqe and respectability? Her death - for Dave? Persuasive, melodramatic?
7. Dean Martin's style as Bama - easygoing, friendly, cards, drinking, his hat, the hospital? His finally taking off his hat?
8. Frank and his respectability, reputation? Antagonism towards Dave? Trying to gloss over the past? His wife and forcing her to be sociable? Dawn and her admiration for Dave? Her discovery of her father's affair, leaving? The collapse of the respectable family?
9. Gwen and her work, teaching. her passion for Dave, her admiring his work, the tension between surface and passion? Her rejection of him?
10. The atmosphere of the small town - and its re-creation? Restaurants, homes, bars, hospitals? The unflattering portrait of the small town?
11. The film as a piece of Americana: American surfaces, American dream. American realities?
