Spring Reunion (1957) - Turner Classic Movies

Brief Synopsis

An alumni reunion spells romance for former college lovers.

Cast & Crew

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Robert Pirosh

Dana Andrews

Betty Hutton

Maggie Brewster

Jean Hagen

Robert Simon

Laura La Plante

Film Details

Genre

Romance

Drama

Release Date

Mar 1, 1957

Premiere Information

not available

Production Company

Bryna Productions, Inc.

Distribution Company

United Artists Corp.

Country

United States

Location

Newport, California, United States

Technical Specs

Duration

1h 19m

Sound

Mono

Color

Black and White

Synopsis

Thirty-three-year-old Maggie Brewster is looking forward to the upcoming reunion of the Carson High School Class of '41, of which she was voted the "most popular girl." Maggie has not married and has chosen to remain in California, where she lives with her parents and has a successful career in her father's real estate business. School friend Barna Forrest, married with four children, arrives from out of town to stay with the Brewsters for the reunion. Maggie is currently trying to sell a house owned by her classmate, Fred Davis, who was voted "most likely to succeed," but has spent his life wandering the world. Fred returns while she is at the property and tells her that he is taking the house off the market. Fred, who dated Maggie in high school and had a reputation for being a lothario, invites her to go for a sail with him, but she leaves to keep a beauty shop appointment, adding that she hopes to see Fred at the reunion that evening. Fred says that he will not be going. At the dance in the high school gym, Jack Frazer, the class's football hero, flirts with Maggie, but she knows that he is married. Jack then switches his attentions to Barna who, apparently unhappy with her married life, encourages him. Fred does come to the dance after all, and tells Maggie that he is leaving the next day to take a job in advertising in San Francisco and suggests that they slip away to a quiet bar. Maggie declines but joins Fred as he walks around the school and accompanies him to a nearby malt shop. Maggie soon returns to the gym, where she appears in a re-creation of a show the class presented at the '41 graduation dance. After the dance, Fred, Maggie, Jack and Barna go to Fred's house, where Fred kisses Maggie. Although he appears earnest, she is not affected by him, but as they walk by the ocean, Fred begins to convince her of his sincerity and Maggie wonders aloud how they both have missed hooking up with someone. Jack gets nowhere with Barna and drives her back to Maggie's, but she kisses him and tells him to call her in the morning. After Barna tells Maggie's parents that she is still with Fred, they discuss Maggie's future. Although her mother would very much like Maggie to get married, her father sees no reason to change their situation and is not impressed by Fred, whom he regards as unreliable. Meanwhile, Fred and Maggie have gone for a night sail, and when they discover that the boat is leaking, they head for the shore, but run aground on some rocks near a lighthouse. Mr. Collyer, the lighthouse keeper, knows Fred and welcomes their company, but within a few hours, the boat is repaired and they must leave. They walk along the beach and embrace. Maggie arrives home at the same time as the morning paper is delivered and must face her parents. After she tells them that she and Fred are going to be married and that they are leaving that day for San Francisco, Maggie's mother is very happy for her, but her father, who is extremely possessive, is irate and wonders if Fred can settle down. Meanwhile, Barna is quite happy to learn that Jack will be unable to see her due to a back injury. Maggie goes into the office to help her father with the last details of an important deal and discovers that he has offered Fred a job in the company. Although Maggie thinks this is a good idea, Fred is not at all interested and tells her that they are being manipulated by her father, who does not want to lose his little girl. Fred asks Maggie to head off immediately, but she is upset and refuses, so he leaves. After her mother tells her to go after him, Maggie explains to her father that she feels that she is nothing special anymore and has finally found a man who wants to marry her. She then runs after Fred and they drive off together.

Director

Robert Pirosh

Cast

Dana Andrews

Betty Hutton

Maggie Brewster

Jean Hagen

Robert Simon

Laura La Plante

Gordon Jones

Sara Berner

Irene Ryan

Herbert Anderson

Richard Shannon

Ken Curtis

Vivi Janiss

Mimi Doyle

Florence Sundstrom

Richard Benedict

Jimmy Gleason

Sid Tomack

Shirley Mitchell

Jane, receptionist

George Chandler

Dorothy Neumann

Barbara Drew

Richard Deacon

Crew

Robert Alan Aurthur

Leon Barsha

Larry Bowser

Hair stylist for Miss Hutton

Jerry Bresler

Barney Briskin

In charge of prod

Lew Brown

John Burch

Assistant Director

Frédéric Chopin

Kirk Douglas

Executive Producer

Saxie Dowell

Sammy Fain

Paul Groesse

Earle Hagen

Music Composition and Conducting

Olive Koenitz

Sylvia Lewis

Harold Lipstein

Director of Photography

Don Loper

Miss Hutton's clothes

Johnny Mercer

Elick Moll

Sid Perell

Robert Pirosh

Darrell Silvera

Herbert Spencer

Music Composition and Conducting

Richard Tyler

Harry Warren

Henry West

Maurice Zuberano

Prod illustration

Film Details

Genre

Romance

Drama

Release Date

Mar 1, 1957

Premiere Information

not available

Production Company

Bryna Productions, Inc.

Distribution Company

United Artists Corp.

Country

United States

Location

Newport, California, United States

Technical Specs

Duration

1h 19m

Sound

Mono

Color

Black and White

Articles

Spring Reunion

April 13, 2007

Spring Reunion (1957) is a bittersweet drama that centers on the fifteen-year reunion of the fictional Carson High School class of 1941. Maggie Brewster (Betty Hutton), once voted the most popular girl in her class, has a successful career, but her one regret is that she never married. When she runs into an old flame at the reunion (Dana Andrews), it looks as if the two might be meant for each other after all. However, his aversion to commitment and her unwillingness to step out of her comfort zone threatens to kill their romance before it even begins.

Spring Reunion is an uncharacteristically subdued drama for the usually vivacious Betty Hutton. However, her thoughtful and heartfelt portrayal of Maggie only proves her range as a dramatic actress. Spring Reunion marked Hutton's final appearance in a feature film before moving on to television and eventually leaving show business altogether.

The always wonderful Jean Hagen is a bright addition to the cast in her supporting role as Hutton's old high school chum, Barna. Watch for Irene Ryan, better know as "Granny" on The Beverly Hillbillies, in a small but humorous role as a faculty advisor intent on making sure that no alcohol finds its way into the punchbowl. Former silent film star Laura La Plante also appears in her final screen role as Hutton's mother.

Spring Reunion is also notable for being one of the first films to be made by actor Kirk Douglas' Bryna Productions.

Producer: Jerry Bresler
Director: Robert Pirosh
Screenplay: Elick Moll, Robert Pirosh, based on a story by Robert Alan Arthur
Cinematography: Harold Lipstein
Art Direction: Paul Groesse
Music: Earle H. Hagen
Film Editing: Leon Barsha
Cast: Dana Andrews (Fred Davis), Betty Hutton (Maggie Brewster), Jean Hagen (Barna Forrest), Sara Berner (Paula Kratz), Robert F. Simon (Harry Brewster), Laura La Plante (May Brewster).
BW-80m.

by Andrea Passafiume

Spring Reunion

Spring Reunion

Spring Reunion (1957) is a bittersweet drama that centers on the fifteen-year reunion of the fictional Carson High School class of 1941. Maggie Brewster (Betty Hutton), once voted the most popular girl in her class, has a successful career, but her one regret is that she never married. When she runs into an old flame at the reunion (Dana Andrews), it looks as if the two might be meant for each other after all. However, his aversion to commitment and her unwillingness to step out of her comfort zone threatens to kill their romance before it even begins. Spring Reunion is an uncharacteristically subdued drama for the usually vivacious Betty Hutton. However, her thoughtful and heartfelt portrayal of Maggie only proves her range as a dramatic actress. Spring Reunion marked Hutton's final appearance in a feature film before moving on to television and eventually leaving show business altogether. The always wonderful Jean Hagen is a bright addition to the cast in her supporting role as Hutton's old high school chum, Barna. Watch for Irene Ryan, better know as "Granny" on The Beverly Hillbillies, in a small but humorous role as a faculty advisor intent on making sure that no alcohol finds its way into the punchbowl. Former silent film star Laura La Plante also appears in her final screen role as Hutton's mother. Spring Reunion is also notable for being one of the first films to be made by actor Kirk Douglas' Bryna Productions. Producer: Jerry Bresler Director: Robert Pirosh Screenplay: Elick Moll, Robert Pirosh, based on a story by Robert Alan Arthur Cinematography: Harold Lipstein Art Direction: Paul Groesse Music: Earle H. Hagen Film Editing: Leon Barsha Cast: Dana Andrews (Fred Davis), Betty Hutton (Maggie Brewster), Jean Hagen (Barna Forrest), Sara Berner (Paula Kratz), Robert F. Simon (Harry Brewster), Laura La Plante (May Brewster). BW-80m. by Andrea Passafiume

Quotes

Trivia

Notes

Spring Reunion was Betty Hutton's first film since the 1952 release Somebody Loves Me and marked last appearance in a feature film before her death in 2007. The picture was also the last film of actress Laura La Plante, who starred in many silent films and returned to the screen after many years to play Hutton's mother. The film's locale of Carson is probably fictional, although there is a suburb of Los Angeles bearing that name. A Hollywood Reporter news item of July 19, 1956 reported completion of location shooting at Newport Harbor, CA.

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