The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (1960) Queer Film A-

DIRECTOR: Delbert Mann

Robert Eyer has a few lovely moments as Sonny Flood, the little gay boy who can’t wait to show his uncle Morris (Frank Overton) his picture book of silent movie stars in gay playwright William Inge’s play The Dark at the Top of the Stairs. This beautiful adaptation, directed by Delbert Mann in his interim period between Paddy Chayefsky’s slice-of-life realism and Doris Day’s comedy-romance, from a great script by Harriet Frank Jr. and Irving Ravetch, boasts superb performances by Robert Preston as his dad Rubin, Dorothy McGuire as his mom Cora, Shirley Knight as his sister Reenie, Eve Arden as his aunt Lotte and, above all, Angela Lansbury as Mavis Pruitt, the owner of the local beauty salon who has always loved Rubin.

Cinematography by Harry Stradling.

Warner Bros.

STREAMING: “The Dark at the Top of the Stairs” is unavailable for streaming. However, the DVD can be purchased at Amazon.

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