Sons and Lovers (1960): Jack Cardiff’s Adaptation of Lawrence Novel, Starring Trevor Howard, Wendy Hiller, Dean Stockwell, Mary Ure

Sons and Lovers, Jack Cardiff’s intelligent adaptation of D.H. Lawrence’s famous, autobiographical novel of the same title, is visually exquisite and superbly acted by a largely British ensemble.  But, overall, the film is too unfocused to convey the complexities of love and the various romantic and sexual passions that form the center of the book.

Set in Nottingham, the tale focuses on the Morel family, Walter (Trevor Howard), the patriarch miner and his wife Mrs. Morel (Wendy Hiller) and their three sons. The scenario by Gavin Lambert and T.E. Clarke centers on one relationship, that between a mother and her favorite son, Paul Morel (Dean Stockwell, the only American in the cast).

For the sake of brevity and compressions the screenwriters have altered a number of characters and have altogether omitted the figure of one sister. Even so, a good portion of the dialogue is lifted From Lawrence’s book. The father is rigid and macho, and it’s the mother who’s the forceful and central figure, a woman who doesn’t hide the fact that she favors Paul, her sensitive son whose ambition is to pursue the career of an artist in London; the father is of course against his son’s literary inclinations, which offend his sense of class pride. After courting a young girl, Miriam Lievers (Heather Sears), Paul falls for Clara Dawes (Mary Ure), an older woman who is married to Baxter (Conrad Phillips).

Both relationships cause tensions between Paul and his strong-willed mother, who terminates the first one and is irritated by the second. Initially, Paul listens to his mom, though he knows that he should follow his inner feelings, even if it’s painful and hard to detach himself from her; wherever he goes, Paul fells his mother’s presence. It soon becomes clear that Mrs. Morel is obsessive in her love for her son, who’s sort of a substitute for the love she is supposed to give to her husband.

Dramatically, the picture gains momentum, when one of the sons dies in a mining accident, another goes to London, and Paul abandons his dreams in order to comfort and be close to he bereaved mother. After her death, the liberated Paul leaves for the city in an effort to start a totally new life away from the claustrophobic family and town, though the spirit of his mother continues to haunt him. “Sons and Lovers” is effective in conveying how strong attachment to his mother inhibits and suffocates Paul emotionally, but with her death, he finds release & resolves to leave home to pursue interests in the world

By nature, the movie is too episodic, and in sections, too earnest in tone and moderate in temper. But some images are unusually powerful, such as the weekly ritual of the father getting his bath, or the first, awkward sexual encounter between Paul and Clara. There is a haunting scene in which son gives his mother overdose of pain-killing drugs when she is dying agonizingly of cancer.

 

Headed by Howard, who gives one of his best performances (recognized by the National Board of Review) and Hiller, most of the cast is British. The exception is the American thespian Dean Stockwell as Paul, who in the same year gave another strong performance in Compulsion.

Director Cardiff’s attention to visual detail probably derives from his previous work as a distinguished cinematographer, which contributes immensely to such diverse pictures as the noir in color “Leave Her to Heaven,” “The Red Shoes,” and “The African Queen” (among others).

Brilliantly shot on location by Freddie Francis, who deservedly won an Oscar, the film conveys the drabness of a north-of-England coal town, the intimate confinement of  a poor coal miner’s home, the bleakness of the wintry country near Eastwood (where Lawrence was born).

In his only Oscar nominated role, Trevor Howard, a vastly underestimated actor, gives an emotionally towering performance as the discarded miner-father, who’s aware of being unwanted and unloved.  His violent bursts, especially when drunk, his complaints about life, and his frequently shifting temper, convey the tragedy of a lonely and alienated man, unable to really connect with his wife or with his sons, even when he wants to or means to.

Though the movie is too straightforward to allow some dramatic arch, and not as powerful as the book, which was shocking when it was published, it’s still one of the best cinematic adaptations of a Lawrence work.

Made on a budget of $805,000, Sons and Lovers was not particularly successful at the box-office, but it has its followers. 

Oscar Nominations: 7

Picture, produced by Jerry Wald

Director: Jack Cardiff

Screenplay (Adapted): Gavin Lambert and T.E. B. Clarke

Actor: Trevor Howard

Supporting Actress: Mary Ure

Cinematography (B/W): Freddie Francis

Art Direction-Set Decoration (B/W): Tom Morahan; Lionel Couch

Oscar Awards: 1

Cinematography (B/W): Freddie Francis

Oscar Context

In 1960, a rather weak year, artistically, “Sons and Lovers” competed for the Best Picture Oscar with Billy Wilder’s “The Apartment,” which won, John Wayne’s “The Alamo,” Richard Brooks’ “Elmer Gantry,” and Fred Zinnemann’s “The Sundowners.”

“The Apartment” also won Best Director and Art Director Oscars. Burt Lancaster won Best Actor and Shirley Jones Best Supporting Actress, both for “Elmer Gantry,” which also won the Adapted Screenplay Oscar for Richard Brooks.

Credits

Twentieth Century Fox (Company of Artists production)

Cast
Trevor Howard as Walter Morel
Dean Stockwell as Paul Morel
Wendy Hiller as Gertrude Morel
Mary Ure as Clara Dawes
Heather Sears as Miriam Leivers
William Lucas as William Morel
Conrad Phillips as Baxter Dawes
Ernest Thesiger as Henry Hadlock
Donald Pleasence as Mr. Pappleworth
Rosalie Crutchley as Mrs. Leivers
Sean Barrett as Arthur Morel
Elizabeth Begley as Mrs. Radford
Edna Morris as Mrs. Anthony
Ruth Kettlewell as Mrs. Bonner
Anne Sheppard as Rose
Dorothy Gordon as Fanny

Credits:

Directed by Jack Cardiff
Produced by Jerry Wald
Written by T. E. B. Clarke and Gavin Lambert
Music by Mario Nascimbene
Cinematography: Freddie Francis
Edited by Gordon Pilkington
Distributed by Twentieth Century Fox
Release date: May 1960
Running time: 103 minutes

xosotin chelseathông tin chuyển nhượngcâu lạc bộ bóng đá arsenalbóng đá atalantabundesligacầu thủ haalandUEFAevertonxosokeonhacaiketquabongdalichthidau7m.newskqbdtysokeobongdabongdalufutebol ao vivofutemaxmulticanaisonbetbsport.fitonbet88.oooi9bet.bizhi88.ooookvip.atf8bet.atfb88.cashvn88.cashshbet.atbóng đá world cupbóng đá inter milantin juventusbenzemala ligaclb leicester cityMUman citymessi lionelsalahnapolineymarpsgronaldoserie atottenhamvalenciaAS ROMALeverkusenac milanmbappenapolinewcastleaston villaliverpoolfa cupreal madridpremier leagueAjaxbao bong da247EPLbarcelonabournemouthaff cupasean footballbên lề sân cỏbáo bóng đá mớibóng đá cúp thế giớitin bóng đá ViệtUEFAbáo bóng đá việt namHuyền thoại bóng đágiải ngoại hạng anhSeagametap chi bong da the gioitin bong da lutrận đấu hôm nayviệt nam bóng đátin nong bong daBóng đá nữthể thao 7m24h bóng đábóng đá hôm naythe thao ngoai hang anhtin nhanh bóng đáphòng thay đồ bóng đábóng đá phủikèo nhà cái onbetbóng đá lu 2thông tin phòng thay đồthe thao vuaapp đánh lô đềdudoanxosoxổ số giải đặc biệthôm nay xổ sốkèo đẹp hôm nayketquaxosokq xskqxsmnsoi cầu ba miềnsoi cau thong kesxkt hôm naythế giới xổ sốxổ số 24hxo.soxoso3mienxo so ba mienxoso dac bietxosodientoanxổ số dự đoánvé số chiều xổxoso ket quaxosokienthietxoso kq hôm nayxoso ktxổ số megaxổ số mới nhất hôm nayxoso truc tiepxoso ViệtSX3MIENxs dự đoánxs mien bac hom nayxs miên namxsmientrungxsmn thu 7con số may mắn hôm nayKQXS 3 miền Bắc Trung Nam Nhanhdự đoán xổ số 3 miềndò vé sốdu doan xo so hom nayket qua xo xoket qua xo so.vntrúng thưởng xo sokq xoso trực tiếpket qua xskqxs 247số miền nams0x0 mienbacxosobamien hôm naysố đẹp hôm naysố đẹp trực tuyếnnuôi số đẹpxo so hom quaxoso ketquaxstruc tiep hom nayxổ số kiến thiết trực tiếpxổ số kq hôm nayso xo kq trực tuyenkết quả xổ số miền bắc trực tiếpxo so miền namxổ số miền nam trực tiếptrực tiếp xổ số hôm nayket wa xsKQ XOSOxoso onlinexo so truc tiep hom nayxsttso mien bac trong ngàyKQXS3Msố so mien bacdu doan xo so onlinedu doan cau loxổ số kenokqxs vnKQXOSOKQXS hôm naytrực tiếp kết quả xổ số ba miềncap lo dep nhat hom naysoi cầu chuẩn hôm nayso ket qua xo soXem kết quả xổ số nhanh nhấtSX3MIENXSMB chủ nhậtKQXSMNkết quả mở giải trực tuyếnGiờ vàng chốt số OnlineĐánh Đề Con Gìdò số miền namdò vé số hôm nayso mo so debach thủ lô đẹp nhất hôm naycầu đề hôm naykết quả xổ số kiến thiết toàn quốccau dep 88xsmb rong bach kimket qua xs 2023dự đoán xổ số hàng ngàyBạch thủ đề miền BắcSoi Cầu MB thần tàisoi cau vip 247soi cầu tốtsoi cầu miễn phísoi cau mb vipxsmb hom nayxs vietlottxsmn hôm naycầu lô đẹpthống kê lô kép xổ số miền Bắcquay thử xsmnxổ số thần tàiQuay thử XSMTxổ số chiều nayxo so mien nam hom nayweb đánh lô đề trực tuyến uy tínKQXS hôm nayxsmb ngày hôm nayXSMT chủ nhậtxổ số Power 6/55KQXS A trúng roycao thủ chốt sốbảng xổ số đặc biệtsoi cầu 247 vipsoi cầu wap 666Soi cầu miễn phí 888 VIPSoi Cau Chuan MBđộc thủ desố miền bắcthần tài cho sốKết quả xổ số thần tàiXem trực tiếp xổ sốXIN SỐ THẦN TÀI THỔ ĐỊACầu lô số đẹplô đẹp vip 24hsoi cầu miễn phí 888xổ số kiến thiết chiều nayXSMN thứ 7 hàng tuầnKết quả Xổ số Hồ Chí Minhnhà cái xổ số Việt NamXổ Số Đại PhátXổ số mới nhất Hôm Nayso xo mb hom nayxxmb88quay thu mbXo so Minh ChinhXS Minh Ngọc trực tiếp hôm nayXSMN 88XSTDxs than taixổ số UY TIN NHẤTxs vietlott 88SOI CẦU SIÊU CHUẨNSoiCauVietlô đẹp hôm nay vipket qua so xo hom naykqxsmb 30 ngàydự đoán xổ số 3 miềnSoi cầu 3 càng chuẩn xácbạch thủ lônuoi lo chuanbắt lô chuẩn theo ngàykq xo-solô 3 càngnuôi lô đề siêu vipcầu Lô Xiên XSMBđề về bao nhiêuSoi cầu x3xổ số kiến thiết ngày hôm nayquay thử xsmttruc tiep kết quả sxmntrực tiếp miền bắckết quả xổ số chấm vnbảng xs đặc biệt năm 2023soi cau xsmbxổ số hà nội hôm naysxmtxsmt hôm nayxs truc tiep mbketqua xo so onlinekqxs onlinexo số hôm nayXS3MTin xs hôm nayxsmn thu2XSMN hom nayxổ số miền bắc trực tiếp hôm naySO XOxsmbsxmn hôm nay188betlink188 xo sosoi cầu vip 88lô tô việtsoi lô việtXS247xs ba miềnchốt lô đẹp nhất hôm naychốt số xsmbCHƠI LÔ TÔsoi cau mn hom naychốt lô chuẩndu doan sxmtdự đoán xổ số onlinerồng bạch kim chốt 3 càng miễn phí hôm naythống kê lô gan miền bắcdàn đề lôCầu Kèo Đặc Biệtchốt cầu may mắnkết quả xổ số miền bắc hômSoi cầu vàng 777thẻ bài onlinedu doan mn 888soi cầu miền nam vipsoi cầu mt vipdàn de hôm nay7 cao thủ chốt sốsoi cau mien phi 7777 cao thủ chốt số nức tiếng3 càng miền bắcrồng bạch kim 777dàn de bất bạion newsddxsmn188betw88w88789bettf88sin88suvipsunwintf88five8812betsv88vn88Top 10 nhà cái uy tínsky88iwinlucky88nhacaisin88oxbetm88vn88w88789betiwinf8betrio66rio66lucky88oxbetvn88188bet789betMay-88five88one88sin88bk88xbetoxbetMU88188BETSV88RIO66ONBET88188betM88M88SV88Jun-68Jun-88one88iwinv9betw388OXBETw388w388onbetonbetonbetonbet88onbet88onbet88onbet88onbetonbetonbetonbetqh88mu88Nhà cái uy tínpog79vp777vp777vipbetvipbetuk88uk88typhu88typhu88tk88tk88sm66sm66me88me888live8live8livesm66me88win798livesm66me88win79pog79pog79vp777vp777uk88uk88tk88tk88luck8luck8kingbet86kingbet86k188k188hr99hr99123b8xbetvnvipbetsv66zbettaisunwin-vntyphu88vn138vwinvwinvi68ee881xbetrio66zbetvn138i9betvipfi88clubcf68onbet88ee88typhu88onbetonbetkhuyenmai12bet-moblie12betmoblietaimienphi247vi68clupcf68clupvipbeti9betqh88onb123onbefsoi cầunổ hũbắn cáđá gàđá gàgame bàicasinosoi cầuxóc đĩagame bàigiải mã giấc mơbầu cuaslot gamecasinonổ hủdàn đềBắn cácasinodàn đềnổ hũtài xỉuslot gamecasinobắn cáđá gàgame bàithể thaogame bàisoi cầukqsssoi cầucờ tướngbắn cágame bàixóc đĩa开云体育开云体育开云体育乐鱼体育乐鱼体育乐鱼体育亚新体育亚新体育亚新体育爱游戏爱游戏爱游戏华体会华体会华体会IM体育IM体育沙巴体育沙巴体育PM体育PM体育AG尊龙AG尊龙AG尊龙AG百家乐AG百家乐AG百家乐AG真人AG真人<AG真人<皇冠体育皇冠体育PG电子PG电子万博体育万博体育KOK体育KOK体育欧宝体育江南体育江南体育江南体育半岛体育半岛体育半岛体育凯发娱乐凯发娱乐杏彩体育杏彩体育杏彩体育FB体育PM真人PM真人<米乐娱乐米乐娱乐天博体育天博体育开元棋牌开元棋牌j9九游会j9九游会开云体育AG百家乐AG百家乐AG真人AG真人爱游戏华体会华体会im体育kok体育开云体育开云体育开云体育乐鱼体育乐鱼体育欧宝体育ob体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育开云体育开云体育棋牌棋牌沙巴体育买球平台新葡京娱乐开云体育mu88qh88