Movie

Peyton Place

1957 · 157 min

A slow, lush melodrama that peels back small-town respectability to reveal secrets, shame, and quiet cruelty beneath the surface.

Directed by: Mark Robson
Genres: Drama, Romance
Starring: Lana Turner, Hope Lange, Lee Philips

Tagline: Small town America will never be the same again.
Overview: In the outwardly respectable New England community of Peyton Place, shopkeeper Constance McKenzie tries to make up for a past indiscretion -- which resulted in her illegitimate daughter Allison -- by adopting a chaste, prudish attitude towards all things sexual. In spite of herself, Constance can't help but be attracted to handsome new teacher Michael Rossi. Meanwhile, the restless Allison, who'd like to be as footloose and fancy-free as the town's "fast girl" Betty Anderson, falls sincerely in love with mixed-up mama's boy Norman Page.

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Directed by: Mark Robson
Genres: Drama, Romance
Starring: Lana Turner, Hope Lange, Lee Philips

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How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone: melancholicstrength 3 of 3
darkstrength 2 of 3
romanticstrength 2 of 3
earneststrength 2 of 3
Pacing: slow-burn, 1 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention: engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes: family
identity
grief
betrayal
class
Places: small town
home
school
Era: period
Audience: adult
Form: ensemble
nonlinear
Content intensity: Gore mild
Language mild
Violence mild
Sex mild

All scales, 0 to 10

Scales, 0 to 10
Scale	Value	0 to 10
Action	2
Horror	2
Humour	2
Realism	7
Romance	6
Tension	6
Darkness	7
Complexity	6
Emotional weight	8

In this series

Peyton Place Collection

Peyton PlaceMovie · 1957 This title
Return to Peyton PlaceMovie · 1961

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Return to Peyton Place

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