PART ONE
If it weren’t for the Great Recession of 2008, this post might never have happened.
Let’s back up a bit, and to use a bit of film lingo, give you the “backstory”.
Our, initial, close encounter with New England happened in upstate New York towards the end of 2007. After that first, wonderful visit with friends in “upstate”, we then toured all of New England in one, thrill-packed, blitzkrieg trip the following year. It was about that time that we made up our minds to do our own Great Eastern Migration, and make the jump out of California.
Unfortunately, the financial world collapsed about that time, sending real estate values plummeting. Since the sale of our home figured prominently in our calculations, it appeared that we would be waiting an indefinite amount of time before property values recovered sufficiently for it to make sense to relocate.
The good news was that this allowed us to begin enjoying Maine vicariously via the movies! We’ve always been film buffs, and combining our newfound love of Northern New England with (mostly) classic films was a natural. Over the next 6 years or so as we waited for the market to recover, we worked through quite the collection of these flicks, all while helping to fill that longing for Maine.
So, following is a very random list, including a short blurb of each film. There are many, many more of these movies set in Maine, or at least filmed in Maine, but these are the few that we have actually viewed. So, grab that popcorn and box of Rasinettes… and… ACTION!…
High Tide at Noon
Based on the first of a series of novels by Elisabeth Ogilvie in which the author has set the action on the Maine island of Criehaven. Although the film itself appears to be set in Nova Scotia, it’s setting, and much of it’s subject matter, shares a common heritage with Maine. Starring Betta St. John, William Sylvester, Michael Craig, and featuring a very young Patrick McGoohan; this classic portrays a very focused, personal view of family lobstering on the North-Eastern coast.
Carousel
Released in 1956 and based on the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein stage musical, this one features a cornucopia of Maine locations, including Boothbay Harbor, Camden, Newcastle, and Augusta. It’s more of a “serious”, and frankly, quirky story, but it’s fun to try and figure out all the filming locations (as it is with all these movies).
Peyton Place
A very controversial film, based on a very controversial book. Chock-full of scenes filmed in and around Camden, Rockland, Thomaston, and Belfast. This 1957 release probably wins the prize for the most on-screen footage highlighting actual Maine locations, especially the lovely town of Camden. In fact, the film premiered in Camden the day before opening in cities across the U.S. on December 12, 1957. Plenty of tourists visit Camden and try to scope-out the filming locations.
A Summer Place
Queue that wonderful Percy Faith tune! Another controversial story, this “romantic drama” was released in 1959 and is set in the mythical “Pine Island” off the coast of Maine. Many of the exteriors were actually filmed in Pacific Grove and around the Monterey Peninsula in California. Some of the scenes featuring Ken and Sylvia’s beach house were filmed at the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Clinton Walker Residence, situated in Carmel, California. We’ve featured a photo of this property at the top of this post.
So as you can see, “A Summer Place” wins the grand prize for the film that features the most scenes of Maine… not actually filmed in Maine! It is, however, an interesting tie-in to this site – “California to Maine”
Captain January
A delightful, 1936 musical starring Shirley Temple and Buddy Ebsen. Much of the action for this story is set in the lighthouse at “Cape Tempest”. Interestingly, the film is based on a story written by Laura E. Richards who lived, and is buried in, Gardiner, Maine.
Alright! The films listed above should keep you busy for a while. We’ve also got enough films lined up in the projector for a “Part Two” on this subject, including “Bambi”, “Way Down East”, “Deep Waters”, and “The Iron Giant”. So we’ll leave this cliff-hanger for the time-being, and see you, next time – at the movies!
Leave a Reply