Lonelyhearts

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This article is about the 1958 film. For the band, see The Lonelyhearts.

Lonelyhearts is a 1958 film noir made by Schary Productions and distributed by United Artists. It was directed by Vincent J. Donehue and produced by Dore Schary from a screenplay by Schary based on the play by Howard Teichmann and the 1933 novel Miss Lonelyhearts by Nathanael West. The music score was by Conrad Salinger and the cinematography by John Alton.

The film stars Montgomery Clift, Robert Ryan, Myrna Loy, Jackie Coogan, Dolores Hart, and Maureen Stapleton in her first film role. Stapleton was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress as well as for a Golden Globe.

[edit] Background and production

Nathaniel West's novel on which this film was based had already been adapted for the screen in 1933 with the title Advice to the Lovelorn. It was made by 20th Century Pictures and distributed by United Artists, directed by Alfred L. Werker from a screenplay by Leonard Praskins. The film was more of a comedy-drama than this version.

In 1957, the novel was adapted into a stage play entitled Miss Lonelyhearts by Howard Teichmann. It opened on Broadway at the Music Box Theatre on October 3, 1957 in a production directed by Alan Schneider and designed by Jo Mielziner. It ran for only twelve performances.