Carrie (1952)

62% of users liked it
(456 ratings)

Carrie is based on Sister Carrie, a novel by Theodore Dreiser. Dreiser's clumsy, unwieldy prose is streamlined into a neat and precise screenplay by Ruth and Augustus Goetz. Jennifer Jones stars as Carrie, who leaves her go-nowhere small town for the wicked metropolis of Chicago. Here she becomes… More Carrie is based on Sister Carrie, a novel by Theodore Dreiser. Dreiser's clumsy, unwieldy prose is streamlined into a neat and precise screenplay by Ruth and Augustus Goetz. Jennifer Jones stars as Carrie, who leaves her go-nowhere small town for the wicked metropolis of Chicago. Here she becomes the mistress of brash traveling salesman Charles Drouet (Eddie Albert), then throws him over in favor of erudite restaurant manager George Hurstwood (Laurence Olivier). Obsessed by Carrie, George steals money from his boss to support her in the manner to which he thinks she is accustomed. Left broke and disgraced by the ensuing scandal, Carrie deserts George to become an actress. Years later, the conscience-stricken Carrie tries to regenerate George, who has fallen into bum-hood. If Laurence Olivier seems a surprising casting choice in Carrie, try to imagine what the film would have been like had Cary Grant, Paramount's first choice, accepted the role. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 58 min.
Directed By: William Wyler
Written By: Augustus Goetz, Ruth Goodman Goetz
Genres: Drama, Romance, Classics

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1952 Wide
On DVD: Jan 18, 2005

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Well-crafted but dry and sentimental adaptation of Theodore Dreiser's controversial novel Sister Carrie.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Based on Theodore Dreiser's novel, William Wyler's melodrama is well directed and well acted, especially by Laurence Olivier.
Doug Hennessy, Filmcritic.com
remarkable acting, better than Olivier's showier roles in those well-known Shakespearean movies, and not to be missed

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Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

This movie is a depressing, sad, and probably very realistic drama. If you like that, you'll like this movie, but I found it really boring.
jay n

Fine version of Dreiser's story considering the period when it was made. Wyler's assured direction is a big plus. Jones' fussy nervous performance is a drawback although she improves towards the end of the film. She's overpowered however whenever Laurence Olivier… More
Fine version of Dreiser's story considering the period when it was made. Wyler's assured direction is a big plus. Jones' fussy nervous performance is a drawback although she improves towards the end of the film. She's overpowered however whenever Laurence Olivier is on the screen giving a masterful portrayal of a man slowly disintergrating. Miriam Hopkins is also very fine as a cruel and vindictive wronged wife.
Veronique K

"carrie" is adapted from classic realism satirist theodore dreiser's "sister carrie" which parodies the metropolitan alienation on uptowners, and the essence of the novel is about the futility of dreams among a bunch of soulessly philistines without spiritual… More
"carrie" is adapted from classic realism satirist theodore dreiser's "sister carrie" which parodies the metropolitan alienation on uptowners, and the essence of the novel is about the futility of dreams among a bunch of soulessly philistines without spiritual substance, estray in the immense sphere abound with materialistic inquisitions. but somehow the movie production transmutes into a dirge of a romantic steer with the veil of overflowing sentimentality which invetibly leads to melodramaticity. it transforms into a showcast vehicle for laurence olivier as dashing middle-aged man suffering from a suffocating marriage to a cruel uncaring woman, then he seeks solace from a burgeoning fair carrie as the love of his life. depraved by his obnoxious wife's confinement, he commits thievery to elope with carrie by deceiving carrie into the train with false excuse. but the script grants abundant mercy to the olivier's hurstwood who is merely compelled by the relentless opressions of a frigid woman. and later hurstwood degenerates into street bum, but his torch for carrie remains flamy, at last he condescends himself into panhandling from carrie for a meal. but he rejects her further charity to embrace him back into her luxurious patronship. it totally neglects the core spirit of the novel and its severe philosophy of life's crude grimness which rots everyone, carrie for vanity and desire, hurstwood for cracked pride...etc. the movie interpretation is naive beautification to smoothen it into a tragic romance, hurstwood becomes a noble gentleman distressed in ill fate, and carrie is a simplistic ingenue with pious faith in love. in the novel, carrie is complicated with peacockish naivety and knee opportunitism which guide her into being a dishonorable mistress trading herself for the extravagenza. hurstwood under dreiser's pen is a duplicious liar who methodically guiles carrie with the complacency to flatter himself with the affair of a young lad, and he cannot take defeats well so he shuns away from frustraction with no backbone, a complete loser demised without name, title, not even a bit concern from carrie. hollywood is alsways inclined to capsulate literature with sugary romanticism despite the grittiness in the original work, same with "a place in the sun" which is dreiser's another masterpiece sweetened by the studio that transpires into another tear-jerking melodrama. only olivier's performance is worthy of praises for his dignified suaveness, but the whole flick is literarily written for him, isn't it?
Walter M

[font=Century Gothic]"Carrie"(1952) is based on the novel "Sister Carrie" by Theodore Dreiser. It starts at the turn of the century as Carrie(Jennifer Jones) is leaving Columbia City, Missouri to make it big in Chicago. But the only work that Carrie can find is… More
[font=Century Gothic]"Carrie"(1952) is based on the novel "Sister Carrie" by Theodore Dreiser. It starts at the turn of the century as Carrie(Jennifer Jones) is leaving Columbia City, Missouri to make it big in Chicago. But the only work that Carrie can find is working long hours in a sweat shop making shoes. After she is fired because of an industrial accident, she goes in tears to Charles Drouet(Eddie Albert) looking for work.(Drouet is a successful salesman who she met on the train from Missouri. But to be honest he's quite a cad.) Carrie agrees to dine with Drouet at a swanky restaurant where she catches the eye of the respected manager, George Hurstwood(Laurence Olivier).[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]"Carrie" is a very poignant movie but never sappy. It is extremely well-acted, especially by Olivier playing one of his most complex characters. This movie is surprisingly mature for the time it was made. It concerns itself with sexism, gender relations and working conditions. Actually, it does come very close to social realism in places. Plus, for a movie set in the past, it is not in the least nostalgiac. The movie's only faults is that it is unrelenting and the ending is not that believable.[/font]

Cast

            Laurence Olivier as George Hurstwood

            Jennifer Jones as Carrie Meeber

            Eddie Albert as Charles Drouet

            Miriam Hopkins as Julia Hurstwood

            Basil Ruysdael as Mr. Fitzgerald

            Ray Teal as Allan

            Barry Kelley as Slawson

            Sara Berner as Mrs. Oransky

            Mary Murphy as Jessica Hurstwood

            Harry Hayden as O'Brien

            Charles Halton as Parson/Factory Foreman

            Walter S. Baldwin as Carrie's father

            Dorothy Adams as Carrie's mother

            Jacqueline de Wit as Carrie's sister minnie

            Harlan Briggs as Joe Brant

            Melinda Plowman as Little girl

            Donald Kerr as Slawson's bartender

            Lester Sharpe as Mr. Blum

            Don Beddoe as Goodman

            John Alvin as Stage manager

            Eric Alden
            
            A. Ben Astar as Louis the Headwaiter

            William Norton Bailey as Man at Bar

            Paul E. Burns as Coachman

            Roy Butler as Conductor

            Douglas Carter Beane as Businessman

            Cliff Clark as Policeman

            Edward Clark as Ticket Agent

            Royal Dano as Captain

            Jean De Briac as Wine Steward

            Mike Pat Donovan
            
            Jay Eaton as Bride's Father

            Franklin Farnum as Restaurant Patron

            Al Ferguson as Patron at Slawson's

            Margaret Field as Servant girl

            James Flavin as Mike the Bartender

            Robert Foulk as Sven

            Jack Gargan
            
            Kit Guard as Bum

            Lois Hall as Lola

            Sherry Hall as Theater Cashier

            Jim Hayward as Hirer

            Len Hendry as Frank

            Harry Hines as Floor Man

            Stuart Holmes as Restaurant patron

            Ethan Laidlaw as Waiter

            Nolan Leary
            
            Jack Low as Man

            Mike Mahoney as Call Boy

            Howard Mitchell as Businessman

            Ralph Moody
            
            Frances Morris as Maid

            G. Raymond Nye as Waiter

            Kenneth Patterson as Reporter

            Harry "Snub" Pollard as Man

            Raymond Roe as Boy

            Ralph Sanford as Older Waiter

            Billy Sheehan as Assistant Stage Manager

            Charles Smith as Young Man/Job Seeker

            Julius Tannen as John

            Leon Tyler as Connell

            Frank Wilcox as Maitre 'D

            Chalky Williams
            
            Irene Winston as Anna

            Jim Davies as Waiter

            George Melford as Patron at Slawson's

            William Reynolds as George Hurstwood Jr.

            Daria Massey as Carrie's Sister

            Gerry Ganzer as Showgirl

            Jack Roberts as Bum at Hofer's

            Harper Goff
            
            Oliver Cross as Host

            Gail Bonney as Older Chorus Girl

            James Cornell as Brakeman

            Dulce Daye
            
            Harry Denny as Elderly Man

            Jerry James as Boy Friend

            Richard Kipling as Farmer

            Charles McAvoy
            
            Bill Meader
            
            Allan Ray as Stage Door Johnnies

            Jasper Weldon as Porter

            Bruce Carruthers
            
            Martin Doric as Maitre D'

            Slim Gaut
            
            Allen D. Sewell as Clerk

            Anita Sparrow as Factory Worker
See full cast