Sunrise at Campobello

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This article is about the 1960 film. For the 1958 play, see Sunrise at Campobello (play).
Sunrise at Campobello
Sunrise-at-Campobello.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed byVincent J. Donehue
Screenplay byDore Schary
Based onSunrise at Campobello
1958 play
by Dore Schary
Produced byDore Schary
StarringRalph Bellamy
Greer Garson
Hume Cronyn
CinematographyRussell Harlan
Edited byGeorge Boemler
Music byFranz Waxman
Distributed byWarner Bros.
Release date
  • September 28, 1960 (1960-09-28)
Running time
144 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Sunrise at Campobello is a 1960 Warner Bros. biographical film telling the story of the struggles of future President of the United States Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his family when Roosevelt was stricken with paralysis at the age of 39 in August 1921. Based on Dore Schary's 1958 Tony Award-winning Broadway play of the same name, the film was directed by Vincent J. Donehue and stars Ralph Bellamy, Greer Garson, Hume Cronyn and Jean Hagen.

The film was produced with the cooperation of the Roosevelt family. Eleanor Roosevelt was present on the set during location shooting at the Roosevelt estate in Hyde Park, New York.

Plot[]

The Roosevelt family at Campobello (1920)
(l-r) Ralph Bellamy, Eleanor Roosevelt and Greer Garson at Hyde Park, NY, filming Sunrise at Campobello (1960)

The film begins at the Roosevelt family's summer home on Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada (on the border with Maine), in the summer of 1921. Franklin D. Roosevelt is depicted in early scenes as vigorously athletic, enjoying games with his children and sailing his boat.

He is suddenly stricken with fever and then paralysis. Subsequent scenes focus on the ensuing conflict in the following weeks between the bedridden FDR, his wife Eleanor, his mother Sara, and his close political adviser Louis Howe over FDR's future. A later scene portrays FDR literally dragging himself up the stairs as, through grit and determination, he painfully strives to overcome his physical limitations and not remain an invalid. In the final triumphant scene, FDR is shown re-entering public life as he walks to the speaker's rostrum at a party convention, aided by heavy leg braces and crutches after his eldest son James pushed his father's wheelchair near to the podium.

Cast[]

Production[]

Sunrise at Campobello presents events that took place over three years, from August 1921 to July 1924, culminating in FDR's speech at the 1924 Democratic National Convention.[1] Before and during Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency, the extent of his disability was minimized. Sunrise at Campobello depicts the debilitating effects of FDR's paralytic illness to a greater extent than had been previously disclosed by the media.

Schary had originally considered Anthony Quayle for Roosevelt until his wife suggested Bellamy.[2] Exteriors were filmed at the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site, the Roosevelt Campobello International Park on Campobello Island, and the Roosevelts' former Manhattan residence. Interiors were shots on sets at Warner Bros. The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles filled in for Madison Square Garden for the 1924 convention. The film was scored by Franz Waxman.[3]

Reception[]

The film faced competition from Elmer Gantry, The World of Suzy Wong, The Apartment and Butterfield 8, which all dealt with sex and which impacted the box office performance of the film.[4]

The film was entered into the 2nd Moscow International Film Festival.[5] At its screening on July 19, 1961 at the Russia Theatre, within minutes the audience started to leave, leading to over 2,000 people walking out,[6] possibly after realizing that the film did not depict the war years.

Variety said that the film "...loses none of its poignant and inspirational qualities." It called Bellamy "brilliant", and noted Garson's "deeply moving, multifaceted characterization."[3] Bosley Crowther said "Ralph Bellamy's performance of Mr. Roosevelt is every bit as strong, as full of feeling and characteristic gesture, as Mr. Bellamy made it on the stage," but took exception to some of FDR's mannerisms that become annoying in closeups. He also noted "a brilliant performance by Hume Cronyn as Louis McHenry Howe."[7] The Hollywood Reporter review said "the play was an excellent job and has been improved upon."[8]

More recently, Darragh O’Donoghue considers the film an exercise in hagiography, but notes "Hume Cronyn is the heart and soul of the film as Louis Howe, FDR’s right-hand man, an asthmatic whose relish for the “real world” of compromised politics disgusts FDR’s patrician mother played with haughty relish by Ann Shoemaker."[9]

Awards and honors[]

Greer Garson won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama.[10]

Academy Awards

Nominations[11]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Sunrise at Campobello". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. American Film Institute. Retrieved 2015-09-26.
  2. ^ Steinberg, Jay S., "Sunrise at Campobello", TCM
  3. ^ a b "Sunrise at Campobello", Variety, December 31, 1959
  4. ^ "When F.D.R. Was Beaten". Variety. September 6, 1961. p. 2.
  5. ^ "2nd Moscow International Film Festival (1961)". MIFF. Archived from the original on 2013-01-16. Retrieved 2012-11-09.
  6. ^ "Moscow Fest Fluffs U.S. Film". Daily Variety. July 20, 1961. p. 1.
  7. ^ Crowther, Bosley. "'Sunrise at Campobello' Opens at the Palace", The New York Times, September 29, 1960
  8. ^ Higgins, Bill. "FDR's Virus Battle Inspired 'Sunrise at Campobello' in 1960", THR, April 11, 2020
  9. ^ O'Donoghue, Darragh. "Sunrise at Campobello", Cineaste, Vol. XLVI, No. 2, 2021
  10. ^ "NY Times: Sunrise at Campobello". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Baseline & All Movie Guide. 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-11-23. Retrieved 2008-12-24.
  11. ^ "Oscars.org -- Sunrise at Campobello" Archived 2014-01-14 at archive.today. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved January 15, 2014.

External links[]

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