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Street Scene

Released Aug 26, 1931 1h 20m Drama List
90% Tomatometer 10 Reviews 72% Audience Score 100+ Ratings
Adapted from a Pulitzer Prize-winning play, this slice-of-life tale captures one day on a residential Manhattan street. Brownstone neighbors gather on a sweltering summer evening to swap the latest gossip about the philandering Mrs. Maurrant (Estelle Taylor) and her alcoholic husband (David Landau). The Maurrants' daughter, Rose (Sylvia Sidney), who longs to escape her seedy existence, must deal with her parents' sins when her father learns of his wife's infidelity. Read More Read Less
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Critics Reviews

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Richard Brody New Yorker With the cinematographer George Barnes, Vidor-keeping the stagelike setting outside the apartment building-sends the camera plunging frenetically into the fray and conjures the city's architectural space with deep-focus images. Sep 21, 2020 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy One of the best of the early talkies. Rated: 4/4 Jul 22, 2024 Full Review Roger Moore Movie Nation As dated as it obviously is, there's a timeless quality to the work that makes it a cultural touchstone Rated: 3/4 Jan 19, 2022 Full Review Jorge Luis Borges Sur Street Scene, adapted from the comedy of the same name by the expressionist Elmer Rice, is inspired by the simple, negative desire not to look "standard." Dec 15, 2021 Full Review Ralph Bond Close Up Street Scene proves the tremendous possibilities of sound and music wedded intelligently to the pictorial image. Jan 20, 2021 Full Review Fernando F. Croce CinePassion A theatrical snapshot that's also a heaving Vidor vision May 24, 2015 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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william k Remarkable adaptation of a award-winning play literally creates the titular street scene in a studio with good details and sense for realism; enhanced by overall excellent performances. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Wow! Despite its limitations for modern sensibilities (ethnic stereotypes, staginess, broad [and corny] humor), Street Scene packs a wallop. It's realistic, funny, exciting and tragic, with fine performances. Sylvia Sidney and Beulah Bondi are stand-outs, and the direction by King Vidor (The Crowd) keeps everything moving and in balance in spite of the static setting -- a tenement stoop in Hell's Kitchen. See it and be amazed! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/01/23 Full Review kevin w Wearing its heart on its sleeve, this slice-of-life (whose message is the question "why can't we all just get along?"), set in front of a New York apartment building in a poor neighborhood, is about social justice and hangs it's coat on one family where the husband both ignores his wife and derides her. The production shoots for the stars and aims for the heart, though the effort hasn't aged well. Still, its a quality effort. Bealah Bondi, trusty character actress, carries the thing as the well-meaning neighbor you love to hate. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member A slice of life urban love letter, as only King Vidor could film. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review Audience Member it really feels like a stage play :D Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/16/23 Full Review Audience Member Among the best movies I have ever watched! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/04/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Street Scene

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Street Scene

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Movie Info

Synopsis Adapted from a Pulitzer Prize-winning play, this slice-of-life tale captures one day on a residential Manhattan street. Brownstone neighbors gather on a sweltering summer evening to swap the latest gossip about the philandering Mrs. Maurrant (Estelle Taylor) and her alcoholic husband (David Landau). The Maurrants' daughter, Rose (Sylvia Sidney), who longs to escape her seedy existence, must deal with her parents' sins when her father learns of his wife's infidelity.
Director
King Vidor
Producer
Samuel Goldwyn
Production Co
Samuel Goldwyn Company, Feature Productions
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 26, 1931, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 14, 2019
Runtime
1h 20m
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