Paul Newman portrays a young man whose struggle for success threatens his personal happiness, in this well-scripted screen version of John O'Hara's best-selling novel. Having never known his father's love or respect, Alfred Eaton (Newman) sets out to prove himself in the business world. Marrying the "right" woman (Joanne Woodward), he works unceasingly, but is ultimately confronted with crises and choices that force him to rethink his priorities. Co-starring Myrna Loy as Alfred's alcoholic mother, Leon Ames as his embittered father, and Ina Balin as the woman who might bring him genuine happiness, From The Terrace is an absorbing tale of ambition, power and love fueled by sharp dialogue, complex characterizations and keen insight into the human heart.
From the Terrace is one of Paul Newman's lesser-known films, but it's a worthy showcase for the actor's developing screen persona. Like Butterfield 8, this is a slick, prestigious adaptation of a John O'Hara novel, about loose morals and forbidden love among the wealthy elite. Director Mark Robson lacks the mastery of melodrama that Douglas Sirk would've brought to this material, but he's still on target with O'Hara's tale of a prodigal son (Newman) who rejects his late father's steel mill in favor of big-business conquest, only to find his trophy wife (superbly played by Newman's off-screen wife, Joanne Woodward) straying into the arms of her former fiancé, while he falls in love with a socialite (Ina Balin) with whom he's much more compatible. A well-tuned drama of marital discord and unchecked ambition, From the Terrace was sharply adapted by Ernest Lehman between the triumphs of North by Northwest and West Side Story, and Newman's brooding performance gave him a solid boost to his iconic role in the 1961 classic The Hustler. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Rating:
Summary: paul newman fan
Comment: Paul Newman was not just another pretty face. I think this was one of the films that proved that.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Best Paul Newman Love Story
Comment: This is one of my favorite Paul Newman movies. Pull up a chair with
your popcorn and call up your girlfriends. It's a good "Chick Flick".
A forgotten movie as far as I am concerned.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: My favorite Newman movie ever!
Comment: It may be one of his lesser known films, but the heartache that Newman shows on screen through those gorgeous blue eyes melts my soul every time I watch this movie. If anyone has ever been torn between true happiness and being with someone because it's the right thing to do will love this movie. The morals of the story still ring true today: money can't buy happiness and success isn't anything if you don't have love. I am reminded what an awesome actor he was everytime I view this movie.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Wanted it all, when he got it, the price was too high and the reward empty.
Comment: This is one of my all-time favorites of Paul Newman (Alfred Eaton) and Joanne Woodward (Mary St. John). They play off each other magnificantly, she the upper crust, wealthy, spoiled socialite, he the forgotten son of a steel mill owner with a desire to prove his worth in money and business success because his father deprived him of self-worth and love. Newman does a great job early in the movie of communicating the pain of knowing his father loved his brother most and never really loved him. He was driven to prove he didn't need his father, he would show him he was worth something, his goal was to achieve great business success, be richer and more successful than his father ever was. The MacHardie character (head of the Wall Street firm of J.D. MacHardie) portrays the businessman who has put the success and the reputation of the company ahead of family, personal relationships, and success in one's personal life. Nothing matters more than the company--it's first, last, and foremost always, all else is to be sacrificed for the sake of the company. His comment about marriage to an adulterous wife is less the sin than divorce because divorce breaks a contract and breaking a contract is condemnation on the reputation of the company. As MacHardie said, adultery is just between man and wife and God, this so exemplifies the all-encompassing appetite of big business--globbling up people and lives and using them up, nothing matters more than the company, lives are lived based on what's best for the company.

The tenderness between Newman (Alfred now David to Natalie) and Balin (Natalie)is touching, it's love at first sight for her, even though she denies it. Alfred sees the warmth and tenderness of a loving close family with Natalie and her father/mother; he has never experienced this family bond--not in his own family or in his marraige. The relationship is wrong, but Natalie pursues Alfred without the sleazy feeling of an illicit affair. Ina Balin plays this role perfectly--innocent, caring, loving and kind, there is an instant bond between Alfred and Natalie and you feel the pain of their decision to end it but the relationship haunts them both.

Mary meantime has decided her socialite, partying life is just what she likes, and she flouts her affair with her old flame and fiancee in Alfred's face. She's confident Alfred will never give up his career and compromise his business success. Mary and Alfred grow completely apart and Alfred has to choose between his goal of bettering his father or giving it all up for the love of his life.

The music from Elmer Bernstein is beautiful for this movie. And Joanne (Mary) is dressed to the nines--such a contrast in her beautiful dress designs and the simple clothing of Natalie, all pointing to Alfred's stark choice between his high-flying career and love.

There is something special about this movie over others Newman and Woodward have done (however, I do like The Long Hot Summer very much, lots of real romance between Newman and Woodward in that one since they were married just after that movie's release). Newman has other great movies, such as Cat On A Hot Tin Roof and The Verdict, but I have watched From The Terrace many times and enjoy it each time. It's a good one to add to a Newman/Woodward collection.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: From The Terrace
Comment: For rail buffs this movie has some fascinating railroad scenes. The opening scene says Philadelphia 1946 . The scene was actually filmed at the Central RR of NJ Jersey City Terminal. There are views of Reading RR steam engine 2124 arriving at Jersey City. This large T-1 steam engine was used on the Reading RR Iron Horse rambles steam fan trips around the time of the filming. The engine was too large to fit through the trainshed at Reading's Philadelphia terminal but it could fit into Jersey City Terminal so this section of the movie was filmed there. The late rail photographer Don Wood was at Jersey City Terminal during the filming and gave me some nice photos of Myrna Loy and Joanne Woodward posed on front of Reading Steam engine 2124 and the two actresses meeting with Reading RR PR people. There are some other train scenes throughout the movie with a different locomotive at different locations. I like the movie it reminded me of the classic movie The Best Years of Our Lives.

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