Return to Peyton Place (1961)

• Year: 1961
• Released: 05 May 1961
• Country: United States
• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055370/
• Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/return_to_peyton_place
• Available in: 720p, 1080p,
• Language: English
• MPA Rating: Approved
• Genre: Drama
• Runtime: 123 min
• Writer: Ronald Alexander, Grace Metalious
• Director: José Ferrer
• Cast: Carol Lynley, Jeff Chandler, Eleanor Parker
• Keywords: small town,

	5.9/10
	34% – Audience

Return to Peyton Place Storyline

The residents of Peyton Place, New Hampshire, are not happy when its most famous denizen, Alison Mackenzie, writes a “shocking” novel detailing the sinful secrets of the town. Most outraged is malicious Roberta Carter, who wants the book banned from the school library. Roberta’s other mission is to destroy her son Ted’s marriage to his Italian bride. Theirs, however, isn’t the only marriage in trouble: Alison’s book is causing a rift between her mother and stepfather, who is also the school principal and one of the book’s few defendants.

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Return to Peyton Place Movie Reviews

Worth watching for one reason – Mary Astor

Compared with the original and it’s brilliant cast, this sequel is a bit of a mess. Too much of Miss Lynley goes to New York and falls for very bland Jeff Chandler. Who cares. Also, the lack of a kindly Dr. (Lloyd Nolan in the first) strips the town of it’s heart.

But, on the positive side, Mary Astor is terrific as the ultimate soaper opera version of the evil, possessive, rich, self appointed queen-of-the town. Some great verbal sparing with her new daughter-in-law. And even in defeat, her final, dignified speech is frighteningly prophetic 35 years later. I watch a lot of movies, and this performance took my breath away. Wow!!!!! She is to Soap Operas villains what Alan Rickman is to Action villains.

Not Worth the Trip

Anyone who hasn’t seen the original film Peyton Place will not be able to comprehend what’s happening in Return to Peyton Place. And the journey is hardly worth it.

Aspiring writer Carol Lynley writes a steamy novel about the goings on in her prim and proper New England town of Peyton Place. When Jeff Chandler publishes it, tongues start to wag. Carol’s stepfather Robert Sterling who is the high school principal puts it in the school library and the local pharisees want his head.

It’s all been done before and since and better. Interesting that none of the original cast repeated any of their roles from the first film. I think they were asked, read the script and turned it down.

If Return to Peyton Place has any value it’s because Mary Astor plays a deliciously evil woman, the kind of mother that Danny DeVito wanted to throw from a moving train. Astor overwhelms everyone else the cast.

I think they all knew it as well.

Not as sensational

Not as sensational as the great Metalious’ novel based upon a small New England town with all it’s small talk, and nasty inuendos, but it holds it’s own with fine performances of Mary Astor, who really steals the show as the embittered mean old lady who spoils things for others. Cast includes Carol Lynley as Allison Mackenzie who writes her book; Jaff Chandler, as the publicist; Eleanor Parker as Connie; and Tuesday Weld as Selena Cross. I give it 6/10