East Side, West Side (1949 film)
| East Side, West Side | |
|---|---|
Theatrical Film Poster
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| Directed by | Mervyn LeRoy |
| Produced by | Voldemar Vetluguin |
| Written by |
Marcia Davenport (novel) Isobel Lennart |
| Starring |
Barbara Stanwyck James Mason Van Heflin Ava Gardner |
| Music by | Miklós Rózsa |
| Cinematography | Charles Rosher |
| Edited by | Harold F. Kress |
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Production
company |
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| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
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Release date
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December 22, 1949 |
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Running time
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108 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1,754,000 |
| Box office | $2,540,000 |
East Side, West Side is a 1949 melodramatic crime film, starring Barbara Stanwyck as a wronged wife and Ava Gardner in one of her earliest roles, along with James Mason and Van Heflin. Based on a novel by Marcia Davenport and a screenplay by Isobel Lennart, the film was produced by Voldemar Vetluguin, directed by Mervyn LeRoy and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Just after World War II, socialite Jessie Bourne (Barbara Stanwyck) is home alone one night in her Gramercy Park apartment on New York’s East Side when she receives a mysterious hang-up phone call. Her wealthy playboy husband Brandon (James Mason) is out enjoying himself at the Del Rio night club where young model Rosa Senta (Cyd Charisse)–-who has seen and admired Jessie, who has been a customer at the dress salon where she works-–admonishes Brandon for going out alone. Brandon tries to mollify Rosa but is cut short when Brandon’s former mistress, gold-digging Isabel Lorrison (Ava Gardner), walks in. She has returned from Paris intent on rekindling the romance; but he rebuffs her, professing faithfulness to his wife. An argument ensues in which Isabel's date, wealthy Alec Dawning (Douglas Kennedy), who knows Brandon's reputation, knocks him unconscious. Brandon is rescued by Rosa, who takes him to her home to recover.
Brandon eventually returns home in the wee hours to find Jessie waiting up and tells her that he was working late, stopped for a drink, was knocked out by a drunk, and then rescued by Rosa. He explains how Rosa knows Jessie. The next morning, Jessie's friend Helen Lee (Nancy Davis) calls on her, presumably to remind her of the Lees' party that night for an intelligence officer and ex-NYPD beat cop Mark Dwyer (Van Heflin) returning to the States from post-war service in Italy. Both women have already seen the morning newspaper in which the nightclub brawl is front-page news. After much prodding, Jessie confesses to Helen that she is afraid of what will happen to her marriage with Isabel back in town. Jessie says she intends to live her life normally, including going shopping. She decides to go to the dress salon where Rosa works to hear for herself what transpired at the club. Once there, Jessie takes Rosa aside to thank her for rescuing Brandon. Rosa confirms Brandon's story—a relief to Jessie. As thanks, Jessie offers to take Rosa to LaGuardia Airport to pick up Mark Dwyer, whom Rosa has had a long-standing crush on.
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