Toys in the Attic (1963 film)
| Toys in the Attic | |
|---|---|
 Promotional movie poster | |
| Directed by | George Roy Hill |
| Produced by | Walter Mirisch |
| Based on |
Toys in the Attic by Lillian Hellman |
| Starring |
Dean Martin Geraldine Page Wendy Hiller Yvette Mimieux Gene Tierney |
| Music by | George Duning |
| Cinematography | Joseph F. Biroc |
| Edited by | Stuart Gilmore |
Production company |
Meadway-Claude Productions Company The Mirisch Corporation |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
Release date |
|
Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $2.1 million[1] |
Toys in the Attic is a 1963 American drama film starring Dean Martin, Geraldine Page, Yvette Mimieux, Gene Tierney and Wendy Hiller. The film was directed by George Roy Hill and is based on a Tony Award-winning play of the same name by Lillian Hellman. The screenplay adaptation is by James Poe and the original music score was composed by George Duning.
Plot
Julian Berniers returns from Illinois with his young bride Lily Prine to the family in New Orleans. His spinster sisters Carrie and Anna welcome the couple, who arrive with expensive gifts. Julian tells them that while his factory went out of business, he did manage to save money. While the sisters are skeptical, there is much talk of a long-hoped-for trip to Europe for the two sisters. In fact, Julian has money from a real estate deal that he pulled off with the help of a former lover, Charlotte Warkins, who is now in an abusive marriage.
Carrie is obsessed with her brother. Her jealousy, instigated by her sublimated incestuous desires for her brother, is aimed at Lily. Carrie tricks Lily into informing Charlotte's husband of a rendezvous between Charlotte and Julian, at which Julian was to give Charlotte her half of the money, and Charlotte was then going to leave her husband and escape the town. Charlotte's husband sends thugs who beat up Julian and maim Charlotte. The thugs take all the money, both Charlotte's and Julian's halves.
Julian returns to the house and discovers that Carrie manipulated Lily into making the phone call to Charlotte's husband, by convincing her that they were actually going to leave together. After Carrie hurls insults at Julian and Anna, telling them they will both be failures, both leave the house, Julian to find and reconcile with Lily, and Anna going to Europe. Carrie is left alone, deluding herself into thinking they will both return one day.
Cast
- Dean Martin as Julian Berniers
- Geraldine Page as Carrie Berniers
- Yvette Mimieux as Lily Prine Berniers
- Gene Tierney as Albertine Prine
- Wendy Hiller as Anna Berniers
- Nan Martin as Charlotte Warkins
- Larry Gates as Cyrus Warkins
- Frank Silvera as Henry Simpson
Reception
The film recorded a loss of $1.2 million.[1]
The film was nominated for the Best Costume Design (Black & White) Academy Award (Bill Thomas), and was nominated for the Best Actress Golden Globe (Geraldine Page) and the Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe (Wendy Hiller).