The Bridge of San Luis Rey (DuPont Show of the Month)

Last updated
"The Bridge of San Luis Rey"
DuPont Show of the Month episode
The Bridge of San Luis Rey (DuPont).jpg
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 5
Directed by Robert Mulligan
Written byLudi Claire (teleplay), Thornton Wilder (novella)
Produced by David Susskind
Original air dateJanuary 21, 1958 (1958-01-21)
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
 Previous
"Junior Miss"
Next 
"Aladdin"

"The Bridge of San Luis Rey" was an American television play broadcast by CBS on January 21, 1958, as part of the television series, DuPont Show of the Month . It was written by Ludi Claire as an adaptation of the Thornton Wilder novel of the same name. Robert Mulligan was the director and David Susskind the producer.

Contents

Plot

The teleplay is set in the early 1700s in Peru. An old rope bridge over a gorge collapses, killing five persons. Brother Juniper conducts a lengthy investigation of the lives and backgrounds of the five victims. The play follows Juniper's investigation and examines the lives prior to the accident.

A church council then examines Brother Juniper's book recounting his findings and determines the book to be heresy. Both Brother Juniper and his book are publicly burned.

Cast

The cast included performances by: [1]

Production

The program was broadcast by CBS on January 21, 1958, as part of the television series, DuPont Show of the Month . Robert Mulligan was the director. [1] The production was reported to have used a record number of cameras and was watched by a 47% share of the available audience. [2]

Actress Ludi Claire adapted Thornton Wilder's novel for television. Jack Gould in The New York Times credited Claire with a bold approach and "extraordinary craftsmanship." [2] Claire ended up winning the 1958 Sylvania Television Award for best television adaptation. [3] [4] The production also received a Sylvania nomination as the year's outstanding telecast and two nominations for outstanding actress for the performances of Judith Anderson and Viveca Lindfors. [5] [6]

Judith Anderson was also nominated for an Emmy Award in the category of best single performance by an actress.

Reception

In The New York Times, Jack Gould praised the production's "quality, taste and competence", and called the performances magnificent, singling out Judith Anderson and Eva Le Galliene in particular. Gould added: "Television has not known many such moments." [2]

William Ewald of the United Press found it to be disappointing. Though he found it far better than most TV fare, he concluded that it never succeeded in exploring the book's central theme about man's need for love. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Judith Anderson</span> Australian stage and screen actress (1897–1992)

Dame Frances Margaret Anderson,, known professionally as Judith Anderson, was an Australian actress who had a successful career in stage, film and television. A pre-eminent stage actress in her era, she won two Emmy Awards and a Tony Award and was also nominated for a Grammy Award and an Academy Award. She is considered one of the 20th century's greatest classical stage actors.

<i>The Bridge of San Luis Rey</i> 1927 novel by Thornton Wilder

The Bridge of San Luis Rey is American author Thornton Wilder's second novel. It was first published in 1927 to worldwide acclaim. The novel won the Pulitzer Prize in 1928, and was the best-selling work of fiction that year.

<i>The Sound of Jazz</i> American TV series or program

"The Sound of Jazz" is a 1957 edition of the CBS television series The Seven Lively Arts and was one of the first major programs featuring jazz to air on American network television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viveca Lindfors</span> Swedish actress (1920–1995)

Elsa Viveca Torstensdotter Lindfors was a Swedish American stage, film, and television actress. She won an Emmy Award and a Silver Bear for Best Actress.

<i>The Bridge of San Luis Rey</i> (1929 film) 1929 film

The Bridge of San Luis Rey (1929) is a film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in both silent and part-talkie versions. The film was directed by Charles Brabin and starred Lili Damita and Don Alvarado. Only the silent version exists at the George Eastman House film archive.

<i>The Bridge of San Luis Rey</i> (1944 film) 1944 Benedict Bogeaus film

The Bridge of San Luis Rey is a 1944 drama film made by Benedict Bogeaus Productions and released by United Artists. It was produced and directed by Rowland V. Lee with Benedict Bogeaus as co-producer. The screenplay by Howard Estabrook and Herman Weissman was adapted from the 1927 novel The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder. The music score was by Dimitri Tiomkin and the cinematography by John W. Boyle and an uncredited John J. Mescall. The film stars Lynn Bari, Francis Lederer, Akim Tamiroff, Nazimova and Louis Calhern.

<i>The Bridge of San Luis Rey</i> (2004 film) 2004 French film

The Bridge of San Luis Rey is a 2004 French-Spanish-British drama film directed by Mary McGuckian and featuring an ensemble cast, including Robert De Niro, Pilar López de Ayala, F. Murray Abraham, Kathy Bates, Gabriel Byrne, Émilie Dequenne, and Harvey Keitel. It is based on Thornton Wilder's 1927 novel of the same name. The film was released in 2004 in Spain and 2005 in the U.S. and abroad. Despite praise for its costume design, the film was poorly received by critics.

Goodyear Television Playhouse is an American anthology series that was telecast live on NBC from 1951 to 1957 during the first Golden Age of Television.

<i>DuPont Show of the Month</i> American TV series or program

DuPont Show of the Month was a 90-minute television anthology series that aired monthly on CBS from 1957 to 1961. The DuPont Company also sponsored a weekly half-hour dramatic anthology series hosted by June Allyson, The DuPont Show with June Allyson (1959–61).

Little Moon of Alban (<i>Hallmark Hall of Fame</i>) 5th episode of the 7th season of Hallmark Hall of Fame

"Little Moon of Alban" was an American television play broadcast by NBC on March 24, 1958, as part of the television series, Hallmark Hall of Fame. It was written by James Costigan, directed by George Schaefer, and starred Julie Harris and Christopher Plummer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Plot to Kill Stalin</span> 1st episode of the 3rd season of Playhouse 90

"The Plot to Kill Stalin" was an American television play broadcast on September 25, 1958, on the CBS television network. It was the first episode of the third season of the anthology television series Playhouse 90. Delbert Mann was the director, and the cast included Melvyn Douglas as Joseph Stalin, Eli Wallach as Stalin's personal secretary, and Oskar Homolka as Nikita Khrushchev. It was nominated for two Sylvania Television Awards: as the outstanding telecast of 1958 and for Douglas as outstanding actor in a television program.

Rendezvous in Black (<i>Playhouse 90</i>) 4th episode of the 1st season of Playhouse 90

"Rendezvous in Black" was an American television play broadcast live on October 18, 1956, as part of the CBS television series, Playhouse 90.

The 1957 Sylvania Television Awards were presented on January 15, 1958, at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Don Ameche was the master of ceremonies. The Sylvania Awards were established by Sylvania Electric Products.

The 1958 Sylvania Television Awards were presented on January 22, 1959, at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. The Sylvania Awards were established by Sylvania Electric Products.

The 1959 Sylvania Television Awards were presented on January 21, 1960, at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. The Sylvania Awards were established by Sylvania Electric Products.

The Last Clear Chance (<i>Playhouse 90</i>) 26th episode of the 2nd season of Playhouse 90

"The Last Clear Chance" was an American television film broadcast on March 6, 1958, as part of the CBS television series, Playhouse 90. A courtroom drama, it features a strong performance by Paul Muni as an attorney defending his son in disbarment proceedings. Muni was nominated for both an Emmy Award and a Sylvania Award for his performance.

<i>The Moon and Sixpence</i> (1959 film) 1959 American television movie

The Moon and Sixpence was an American television movie broadcast on NBC on October 30, 1959. The production, starring Laurence Olivier, was adapted by S. Lee Pogostin from the novel by Somerset Maugham. The production won multiple Emmy and Sylvania Awards, including awards for Olivier's acting, Pogostin's adaptation, and Robert Mulligan's direction.

"The Turn of the Screw" was an American television movie broadcast by NBC on October 20, 1959, as the third episode of the television series, Ford Startime. It was written by James Costigan as an adaptation of Henry James' novella of the same name. John Frankenheimer was the director and producer.

"All the King's Men" was an American television play broadcast in two parts by NBC on May 14 and 21, 1958, as part of the television series, Kraft Television Theatre. It was written by Don Mankiewicz based on the 1946 novel by Robert Penn Warren. Sidney Lumet was the director, and the cast was led by Neville Brand as Willie Stark and Maureen Stapleton as Sadie Burke.

"The Winslow Boy" was an American television play broadcast by CBS on November 13, 1958, as part of the television series, DuPont Show of the Month. It was based on the play by Terence Rattigan. Alex Segal was the director and David Susskind the producer. Frederic March starred as Arthur Winslow and was nominated for a Sylvania Award for his performance.

References

  1. 1 2 "DuPont Show Of The Month, Season 1". Classic TV Archive. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 Jack Gould (January 26, 1958). "High-Level 'Bridge': Translation of Wilder's 'San Luis Rey' To TV Screen Beautifully Done". The New York Times. p. X13.
  3. Larry Wolters (January 23, 1959). "Costigan Play Wins 4 Awards". Chicago Daily Tribune via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Little Moon Of Alban, Author, Star, Win Top Sylvania Television Awards". The Sacramento Bee (UPI story). January 23, 1959. p. A13 via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Contenders Nominated For 1958 TV Awards". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. January 10, 1958 via newspapers.com.
  6. Fred H. Russell (January 11, 1959). "Telecast Topics". The Bridgeport Post. p. B13 via Newspapers.com.
  7. "'Bridge of San Luis Rey' Disappointing To Critic". Medford Mail Tribune (UP story). January 22, 1958. p. 14.