Ten North Frederick (1958)

Director:

Philip Dunne

Writers:

Philip Dunne (screenplay)
John O'Hara (novel)

Release Date:

28 July 1958 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

At her father's funeral, Ann Chapin thinks back over the last five years of his life, years of apparent...

Plot Keywords:

Address As Title | Political | Based On Novel | Number In Title

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Gary Cooper	...	Joseph B. 'Joe' Chapin
Diane Varsi	...	Ann Chapin
Suzy Parker	...	Kate Drummond
Geraldine Fitzgerald	...	Edith Chapin
Tom Tully	...	Slattery
Ray Stricklyn	...	Joby
Philip Ober	...	Lloyd Williams
John Emery	...	Paul Donaldson
Stuart Whitman	...	Charley Bongiorno
Linda Watkins	...	Peg Slattery
Barbara Nichols	...	Stella

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo | Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

West Germany:16 (f) | USA:Approved (PCA #18935) | Finland:K-16

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Spencer Tracy was originally cast in the lead role, but withdrew due to ill health and concerns over the ability of co-star Suzy Parker.

Glossy Political Soap Opera

John O'Hara whose Pal Joey was brought to the screen the year before wrote the book Ten North Frederick on which this film is based. For some reason this is a film of Gary Cooper's that is rarely shown any more.

Cooper is the WASP type upper crust patrician who has some political ambition. He's a well respected man in his area, except apparently in his own home.

He's married to a woman who makes Lady MacBeth look like Mary Poppins. Geraldine Fitzgerald steals the acting honors in this film with her portrayal as the exponential shrew of a wife. Though I haven't seen Ten North Frederick in years, it's Fitzgerald's performance that has stayed with me and I suspect will stay with you if the film is ever going to see the light of day.

Diane Varsi and Ray Stricklyn are the rebellious kids in the household who can't quite figure out all the hostility there, but they not something is radically wrong. Suzy Parker plays Varsi's friend with whom Cooper has a midlife crisis affair with. Believe me when you see Fitzgerald in this film, you won't blame Cooper in the slightest.

Ten North Frederick set the standard for John O'Hara type soap operas and I'm surprised no one picked up on this one. With some updating this could easily be a plot for a prime time soap opera pilot.