This Property Is Condemned (1966)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Sydney Pollack

Writers:

Tennessee Williams (play)
Francis Ford Coppola (writer) ...

Release Date:

7 October 1966 (West Germany)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Alva wanted out in the worst way.

Plot:

A railroad official, Owen Legate comes to Dodson, Mississippi to shut down much of the town's railway (town's main income)...

Plot Keywords:

Revenge | Railroad | Mississippi | Railroad Track | 1920s

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win

Cast

Natalie Wood	...	Alva Starr
Robert Redford	...	Owen Legate
Charles Bronson	...	J.J. Nichols
Kate Reid	...	Hazel Starr
Mary Badham	...	Willie Starr
Alan Baxter	...	Knopke
Robert Blake	...	Sidney
Dabney Coleman	...	Salesman
John Harding	...	Johnson
Ray Hemphill	...	Jim
Brett Pearson	...	Charlie
Jon Provost	...	Tom
Robert Random	...	Tiny (as Bob Random)
Quintin Sondergaard	...	Hank
Mike Steen	...	Max

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Sweden:11 | West Germany:16 (f) | UK:12 (2004) | UK:X (1966) | Finland:K-16 | USA:Unrated | Singapore:PG | Argentina:18

Filming Locations:

Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Natalie Wood had to perform a scene standing in a small stream of water. She was so afraid of dark water that costar Robert Blake had to dive under the water, hold his breath and steady her legs so she could perform the scene.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway is shown in 1932, even though it wasn't constructed until 1956.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Newhart: This Probably Is Condemned (#1.5)" (1982)

Soundtrack:

Sing You Sinners

Good southern drama

There's a category of southern drama that has a particular feel to it. You can find it in books like "To Kill a Mockingbird" and movies like this one. The plots are different, but the moods seem to come from the same place. This movie gets it just right. It was obvious there would be a sad ending and I didn't mind. I didn't mind knowing it was coming either.

Natalie Wood gets top billing in this movie, and she creates a convincing flirtatious southern belle. Robert Redford is more interesting in his role, however. I'm not sure I've seen him play cynical and laconic in any other role. Redford fans shouldn't miss this one.