Peyton place was americas first truly successful primetime serial. Grace metalious, author of peyton place literaryladiesguide. The film adaptation of peyton place, released in 1957, was a. The plot of peyton place is quite controversial among modern first editions, and the history of its publication is just as scandalous. The plot of peyton place is quite controversial among modern first editions, and. That had never been a problem till a teacher saw me with this book.
Peyton place is a small town in new england, whose leading adult citizens rule the town with their high moral standards, which they try to pass on to their offspring. Sex, lies and scandal at peyton place author laura dave remembers the book that taught her about unabashed sin. At the time, however, it seemed as if peyton place was the only thing worth talking about. Religious groups were condemning her work and civic authorities were banning the book from public libraries. Peyton place was largely based off of the small town scandals that were known to plague several new england towns. But in gilmanton, peyton place was treated as if it had burned a letter a into the towns very soul. Peyton place did indeed sell a million copies several millions by now and inspired a movie, a sequel, and a longrunning television soap opera. Most of the works sensationalistic elementsnotably sadomasochism, incest, and abortionwere toned down or eliminated from the film version. Reviewers had mostly panned peyton place and grace as a smut writer. Click to read more about peyton place by grace metalious. Measures were taken in some places to criminalize its sale. Im sorry, but none of this has the oomph of rape and a murder and a trial, in fact, it has no oomph at all. First edition first printing january, 1960 dell f91 with a. Abortions, enemas and the secret sex lives of new englanders.
Another great lana turner film about redemption and love. Peyton place generated controversy about its sexual themes, controversy that one would have expected in the staid 1950s. Frederick muller, 1957 black cloth titled in gilt on spine, tinted top edges. Peyton place hardscrabble books fiction of new england by grace.
Peyton place, in contrast to many of the books well be. This week, thomas mallon and anna holmes discuss what its like reading peyton place. Return to peyton placethe sensational new novel that picks up where peyton place left off. Peyton place author grace metalious in gilmanton, new hampshire, in 1956. Barry marks when peyton place was first published i was in high school yep, im an old guy and i always had the book i was currently reading in my hip pocket.
Grace metalious was way ahead of her time when she wrote peyton place. How the novel peyton place changed america the star. Fifty years ago, the novel peyton place shocked america with its tale of secrets. Topics dramatisation of peyton place, bestseller, 1956, grace matalious, basis for hit 1960s television series. Grace metalious 1956 novel peyton place was dubbed trash by some critics. The peyton place of metalious novel is a small, seemingly respectable new england. Later, when word comes that rodney was killed in combat, harrington reconciles with betty and welcomes her to the family. The author lives with her husband and three kids in a little new england town. Cover of peyton place, 1957 paperback edition published by dell. This 1950s book scandalized and captivated americaand.
When all else failed, and her criticsa vast bevy of book banners and burners made sure peyton place was banned in many libraries, some states and several countries. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. A small new england town is rocked by the scandal of everyday life in one of the most forgotten popular books of the twentieth century. Peyton place movies i watched the 1957 peyton place movie the other day, after not seeing it for decades. Marie grace derepentigny was born into poverty and a broken home in the mill town of manchester, new hampshire. The novel describes how three women are forced to come to terms with their identity, both as women and as sexual beings, in a small, conservative, gossipy new england town, with recurring themes of hypocrisy, social inequities and class privilege in a tale that includes incest, abortion, adultery, lust and murder. Twentieth centuryfox adapted it as a major motion picture in 1957, and metalious wrote a followup novel that was published in 1959, called return to peyton. In revealing the hidden secrets behind the straightlaced facade of a quaint new england town, the book rocked the regions stuffy reputation. Impressed with the success of britains monster hit coronation. I felt i was reading a contemporary novel not a work of fiction written during the 1950s. The township of peyton place is too beautiful to be evil. An episode of backstory where they explore the groundbreaking novel and eventually feature film, peyton place. Grace metalious scandalous bestseller about the sordid life of a small new england town is given the highgloss hollywood treatment in peyton place 1957, a hugely successful melodrama produced by jerry wald and directed by mark robson, with john michael hayes providing the screenplay.
Sure, it caused a lot of controversy, but like all controversies and all popular phenomena, it pretty much petered out. Grace metalious september 8, 1924 february 25, 1964 was an american author known for her controversial novel peyton place, one of the bestselling works in publishing history. I can see why society at that time was not ready for this book. The novel spawned a franchise that would run through four decades. Peyton place by grace metalious, first edition abebooks. Each week in bookends, two writers take on questions about the world of books. Movie typography from peyton place 1957, directed by mark robson, starring lana turner, lee philips, lloyd nolan, arthur kennedy, betty field. This piece describes the lasting legacy of peyton place. The book was banned in indiana, and all of gilmanton boycotted it or so they said but hollywood knew a good address when it saw one. This movie hammers at the validity of american values in the 1950s and its a glimpse into a world that is a bit like leave it to beaver on steroids. The quote at the end of this film blew me away and will stay with me forever. I was sent to the principal and then sent home with the understanding that i wouldnt get back into school till my parents talked to the principal.
When grace metaliouss debut novel about the dark underside of a small, respectable new england town was published in 1956, it quickly soared to the top of the bestseller lists. First edition of this landmark in twentiethcentury american popular culture, which spawned a successful feature film and a longrunning television seriesthe first primetime soap opera. The book was first published by julian messner, inc in 1956, and it was an. A year after its publication, lana turner and hope. Author grace metalious, a young housewife who based the novel on. William loeb, of the union leader, saw peyton place as no less than the beginning of the end of civilization. No longer able to tolerate life in peyton place, allison boards a bus bound for new york. Oncesleepy camden, maine, is celebrating the 1957 movie that turned the. If gilt, now rubbed off and lettering appears green. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading peyton place. Ireland banned until the introduction of the censorship of publications bill in 1967. Book is in very good condition, age toning, po name on inside back cover.
I remember reading the book as a kid, but the movie, a typical fox jerry wald production is just kinda dull most of the time good production values though and the cast is ok, with lana emoting and lloyd nolan as the decent doctor. One newsstand owner challenged the ordinance and it was ruled unconsitutional. It was the book s sexual passages, rather than its handling of taboo subjects, that concerned the censors. Actors terry moore and barry coein a scene from the 1957 peyton place film. A peaceful new england town hides secrets and scandals.
Buy peyton place vmc by grace metalious, india knight isbn. Thanks to the books anniversary and to a planned movie starring sandra bullock as metalious, a. Some of the places and characters so closely resembled their real life counterparts that author grace metalious was actually sued for libel. For a thorough look at grace mataliouss fraught life and career, see this 20 profile in new hampshire magazine, 50 shades of grace. The story of meek allison mckenzie, growing up in the late thirties in a hypocritical mill town in new england in the household of a demanding mother, fascinated many. Peyton place kindle edition by metalious, grace, ardis. Grace metalious, author of peyton place,is shown in this april 30, 1957, ap file photo the legacy of peyton place. Producer jerry walds 1957 movie of peyton place 1957, starring. A landmark in twentiethcentury american popular culture, peyton place spawned a successful feature film and a. The series was the brainchild of veteran producer paul monash. Peyton place by grace metalious, india knight and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Peyton place was historically very interesting cause it was virtually the first miniseries in movie theaters.
A number of new england communities banned the novel after its. Despite or perhaps because of its popularity, the book was banned in some states and countries south africa until 1978. However, six months later, on 6 december 1957, the original dell edition of peyton place was placed on the banned list, remaining there until 11 february 1971. It was the books sexual passages, rather than its handling of taboo subjects, that concerned the censors. People read it in secret, and it was banned from many schools. Peyton place kindle edition by metalious, grace, ardis cameron. The book was banned in many cities and towns, and by the dominion of canada. Peyton place the movie covers the book in a glaze of hollywood glamour. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. In 1957, it was made into a movie with lana turner, and later it became a. Robson rebounded with peyton place 1957, an adaptation of grace metaliouss bestselling novel about the scandals in a small new england town. The bookwhich went on to become one of the most famous television shows in. Books were still being banned in the 1950s, and she tapped into a more mainstream vein than did other authors that found fame in scandal, like henry miller. With the bombing of pearl harbor, the boys of peyton place go off to war, and rodney asks his father to take care of betty.
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