Carrie (1952)

Carrie is a 1952 feature film based on the novel Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser.

Directed by William Wyler, the film stars Jennifer Jones in the title role and Laurence Olivier as Hurstwood. Eddie Albert played Charles Drouet. Carrie received two Academy Award nominations: Costume Design (Edith Head), and Best Art Direction (Hal Pereira, Roland Anderson, Emile Kuri).

Wyler was reluctant to cast Jones, and Jones's husband David O. Selznick pushed hard for her to be cast. The filming was plagued by a variety of troubles: Jones had not revealed that she was pregnant; Wyler was mourning the death of his year-old son; Olivier had a painful leg ailment that made him cranky, and he developed a dislike for Jones; and Hollywood was reeling under the effects of McCarthyism, and the studio was afraid to distribute a film that could be attacked as immoral. Ultimately, the ending was changed to eliminate Hurstwood's suicide and the film was cut to make it more positive in tone. Some critics accused the film of sentimentalizing the novel, box office was weak, and reviews were generally disappointing, although they praised Olivier, who received a BAFTA nomination. Later critics also praised Albert's performances, but most agreed that Jones' was weak. Wyler eventually admitted that the film was too depressing during a time when American audiences wanted escapist entertainment to take their minds off the Cold War.

The film was screened as part of the 13th Venice Film Festival official program.

Synopsis

Carrie Meeber (Jennifer Jones) leaves her family in a small rural town and heads to Chicago. On the train to Chicago, Charles Drouet (Eddie Albert) approaches her. Although Carrie is reluctant to speak to him, the salesman persists and the two chat until they reach Chicago. Carrie gets off in South Chicago, the slums as Charles Drouet points out, after taking Drouet's business card.

Actors