In the mid-'50s, John O'Hara's novels were made into big movies in Hollywood, with mostly mediocre results: "Butterfield 8," "The Best Things in Life are Free," "Ten North Frederick," "View from the Terrace," and in the '60s, "A Rage to Live." His books were perfect for Hollywood: Plenty of sex, infidelity, and money. The film versions very often were vehicles for newer stars such as Suzy Parker and Suzanne Pleshette. In the case of "From the Terrace," the script benefited from having Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward in the leads. Unfortunately, it didn't help.
One problem with "From the Terrace" is an uncertainty on the part of the viewer as to what the story is about. It starts off with a young man returning from the service to find his mother a hopeless alcoholic (what amounted to a bit part by Myrna Loy) who has a boyfriend on the side, and a father who loved his dead son more. Oh, it's the story of a dysfunctional family, a sort of '50s "Ordinary People." A family drama of a man fighting for his father's love and his mother's salvation. Then they disappear. He meets a socialite not in his class. She's engaged to someone else. Ah, the story of a man and woman fighting her parents and class as she marries beneath her. Then the father approves the marriage. Our hero goes into the airplane business. Ah, a story of a man making good through entrepreneurship in post-war America and becoming a success despite his father's low opinion of him. Then he leaves that partnership.
And so it goes until we get to the point - he's married to the wrong woman, he spends to much time building his career after he saves the boss' grandson from an icy death, his wife cheats on him, and he meets the woman he should have married.
It's all too long, too disjointed, and too boring. Watch until you see adorable Barbara Eden throw herself at Newman at a party (it's near the beginning), and then turn it off.
One problem with "From the Terrace" is an uncertainty on the part of the viewer as to what the story is about. It starts off with a young man returning from the service to find his mother a hopeless alcoholic (what amounted to a bit part by Myrna Loy) who has a boyfriend on the side, and a father who loved his dead son more. Oh, it's the story of a dysfunctional family, a sort of '50s "Ordinary People." A family drama of a man fighting for his father's love and his mother's salvation. Then they disappear. He meets a socialite not in his class. She's engaged to someone else. Ah, the story of a man and woman fighting her parents and class as she marries beneath her. Then the father approves the marriage. Our hero goes into the airplane business. Ah, a story of a man making good through entrepreneurship in post-war America and becoming a success despite his father's low opinion of him. Then he leaves that partnership.
And so it goes until we get to the point - he's married to the wrong woman, he spends to much time building his career after he saves the boss' grandson from an icy death, his wife cheats on him, and he meets the woman he should have married.
It's all too long, too disjointed, and too boring. Watch until you see adorable Barbara Eden throw herself at Newman at a party (it's near the beginning), and then turn it off.