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The Dark at the Top of the Stairs

Play trailer Poster for The Dark at the Top of the Stairs 1960,  2h 3m,  Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist 80% 5 Reviews Tomatometer 86% 100+ Ratings Popcornmeter
80% Tomatometer 5 Reviews 86% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
Rubin Flood (Robert Preston) is going through a rough patch. He lost his job as a traveling salesman, and his increasingly distant wife, Cora (Dorothy McGuire), blames him for the family's financial troubles. His daughter (Shirley Knight) seeks refuge in the arms of a Jewish delinquent (Lee Kinsolving), while his son (Robert Eyer) remains firmly attached to his mother. As Rubin tries to keep his family together, he meets an attractive woman (Angela Lansbury) who arouses Cora's suspicion.

Critics Reviews

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Variety Staff Variety Feb 23, 2012
The film is well cast and persuasively acted. Go to Full Review
Gerri Major Jet Magazine Jan 17, 2024
It is a dramatic and moving drama of the fears and feelings of insecurity that beset average people. Go to Full Review
Clyde Gilmour Maclean's Magazine Dec 2, 2019
Dorothy McGuire and Robert Preston are a married couple plagued by a number of honestly observed domestic problems in a long but interesting drama... Go to Full Review
Dwight MacDonald Esquire Magazine Jul 12, 2019
There are a few moving scenes, but after two hours of it have wobbled past, one feels one has had more than enough of family life as hopped up and smoothed down by Mr. Mann. Go to Full Review
Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Apr 7, 2011
B-
This version of William Inge's family melodrama is verbose and lacks subtlety, but the acting is good, especially Shirley Knight who received her Oscar nomination. Go to Full Review
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The Dark at the Top of the Stairs

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Delbert Mann

Director

Robert Preston

Rubin Flood

Dorothy McGuire

Cora Flood

Eve Arden

Lottie Lacey

Angela Lansbury

Mavis Pruitt

Shirley Knight

Reenie Flood

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The Dark at the Top of the Stairs

The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (1960) The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (1960) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Rubin Flood (Robert Preston) is going through a rough patch. He lost his job as a traveling salesman, and his increasingly distant wife, Cora (Dorothy McGuire), blames him for the family's financial troubles. His daughter (Shirley Knight) seeks refuge in the arms of a Jewish delinquent (Lee Kinsolving), while his son (Robert Eyer) remains firmly attached to his mother. As Rubin tries to keep his family together, he meets an attractive woman (Angela Lansbury) who arouses Cora's suspicion.
Director
Delbert Mann
Producer
Michael Garrison
Screenwriter
Harriet Frank Jr., Irving Ravetch
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co
Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 22, 1960, Original
Runtime
2h 3m
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