''The Moon and Sixpence'' was an American

television movie A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

broadcast on

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...

on October 30, 1959. The production, starring

Laurence Olivier Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier (; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, was one of a trio of male actors who dominated the Theatre of the U ...

, was adapted by S. Lee Pogostin from

the novel ''The Novel'' (1991) is a novel written by American author James A. Michener. A departure from Michener's better known historical fiction, ''The Novel'' is told from the viewpoints of four different characters involved in the life and work of ...

Somerset Maugham William Somerset Maugham ( ; 25 January 1874 – 16 December 1965) was an English writer, known for his plays, novels and short stories. Born in Paris, where he spent his first ten years, Maugham was schooled in England and went to a German un ...

. The production won multiple

Emmy The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

and

Sylvania Awards Sylvania (Latin for "forest land" or "woods") may refer to: Companies trading as Sylvania * Sylvania Electric Products, a former major American diversified electrical and electronics manufacturer * Sylvania (brand), its Canadian lighting produc ...

, including awards for Olivier's acting, Pogostin's adaptation, and

Robert Mulligan Robert Patrick Mulligan (August 23, 1925 – December 20, 2008) was an American director and producer. He is best known for his humanist dramas, including ''To Kill a Mockingbird (film), To Kill a Mockingbird'' (1962), ''Summer of '42'' (1971), ' ...

's direction.

Plot

A successful stockbroker leaves his family in middle age to become an artist. His wife (played by

Geraldine Fitzgerald Geraldine Mary Fitzgerald (November 24, 1913 – July 17, 2005) was an Irish actress and a member of the American Theater Hall of Fame. In 2020, she was listed at number 30 on ''The Irish Times'' list of Ireland's greatest film actors. Early li ...

) responds by committing suicide. In Paris, he befriends another artist (played by

Hume Cronyn Hume Blake Cronyn Jr. OC (July 18, 1911 – June 15, 2003) was a Canadian-American actor and writer. Early life Cronyn, one of five children, was born in London, Ontario, Canada. His father, Hume Blake Cronyn, Sr., was a businessman and ...

), then has an affair with his friend's wife (played by

Jessica Tandy Jessie Alice Tandy (7 June 1909 – 11 September 1994) was a British-American actress. Tandy appeared in over 100 stage productions and had more than 60 roles in film and TV, receiving an Academy Award, four Tony Awards, a BAFTA, a Golden Glob ...

), destroying their marriage. He settles in

Tahiti Tahiti (; Tahitian ; ; previously also known as Otaheite) is the largest island of the Windward group of the Society Islands in French Polynesia. It is located in the central part of the Pacific Ocean and the nearest major landmass is Austr ...

where he marries a native woman (played by

Jean Marsh Jean may refer to: People * Jean (female given name) * Jean (male given name) * Jean (surname) Fictional characters * Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character * Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations * Jea ...

) and develops

leprosy Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease (HD), is a long-term infection by the bacteria ''Mycobacterium leprae'' or ''Mycobacterium lepromatosis''. Infection can lead to damage of the nerves, respiratory tract, skin, and eyes. This nerve damag ...

Cast

The following performers appeared in the movie: *

as Charles Strickland *

as Amy Strickland *

as Dirk Stroeve *

as Blanche Stroeve *

Denholm Elliott Denholm Mitchell Elliott, (31 May 1922 – 6 October 1992) was an English actor, with more than 125 film and television credits. His well-known roles include the abortionist in ''Alfie'' (1966), Marcus Brody in ''Raiders of the Lost Ark'' (1981 ...

as The Writer *

Judith Anderson Dame Frances Margaret Anderson, (10 February 18973 January 1992), known professionally as Judith Anderson, was an Australian actress who had a successful career in stage, film and television. A pre-eminent stage actress in her era, she won two ...

as Tiare *

as Ata *

Cyril Cusack Cyril James Cusack (26 November 1910 – 7 October 1993) was an Irish stage and screen actor with a career that spanned more than 70 years. During his lifetime, he was considered one of Ireland’s finest thespians, and was renowned for his int ...

as Dr. Coutras *

Murray Matheson Sidney Murray Matheson (1 July 1912 – 25 April 1985) was a U.S.-based Australian actor. He appeared on stage and in films and television programs until 1983. Biography Matheson was born in Casterton, Australia in 1912 where he grew up on a 3 ...

Production

The 90-minute movie was produced in December 1958 and recorded on color videotape.

David Susskind David Howard Susskind (December 19, 1920 – February 22, 1987) was an American producer of TV, movies, and stage plays and also a TV talk show host. His talk shows were innovative in the genre and addressed timely, controversial topics beyond th ...

was the producer and

the director. It was sponsored by RCA and used in advertising for color television sets. The film is based on Somerset Maugham's 1919 novel, ''

The Moon and Sixpence ''The Moon and Sixpence'' is a novel by W. Somerset Maugham, first published on 15 April 1919. It is told in episodic form by a first-person narrator providing a series of glimpses into the mind and soul of the central character, Charles Stric ...

''. The novel had previously been adapted into a stage play in 1925, a feature film in 1942, and an opera in 1957. The television adaptation was written by S. Lee Pogostin. The production was

's debut on American television. Olivier won Emmy and Sylvania Awards for his performance, which required him to portray the transformation of the protagonist from a timorous London stockbroker to a rude Parisian artist and eventually a noble leper in Tahiti. Makeup artist Dick Smith was responsible for Olivier's makeup after the character developed leprosy. Olivier noted the extreme makeup reflecting the disfigurement of his character's face "does the acting for me." Smith and Olivier later worked together again on '' Marathon Man'' (1976).

Reception

Critics

In ''The New York Times'', Jack Gould called Olivier's performance "a work of towering accomplishment". He also wrote that the "completely arresting" production proved "that TV can achieve glorious heights if its creative people are afforded free rein." In the ''New York Herald-Tribune'', Marie Torre called it "the closest thing to dramatic perfection ever known on television." She also wrote that Olivier's performance "had a brilliance and magnetism unmatched in the annals of TV." Bob Thomas of the

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...

found Olivier's transformation from dullish London stockbroker to amoral painter to have been skillful and convincing. However, Thomas criticized the story as the "chronicle of a cad" with scene after scenes in which the protagonist mistreats his family and friends. Thomas also found any drama in the story to have been "largely muffled" by the narration-heavy adaptation and "talky" dialogue filled with "idle philosophizing". He also found much of the dialogue to be dated, including an exchange in which Olivier tells his Tahitian wife, "I shall beat you, you know," and she replies, "How else shall I know that thy love is true?"

Awards

The film won two

Emmy Awards The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

: for outstanding single performance by an actor (

) and outstanding directorial achievement in drama (Mulligan). It was also nominated for outstanding program achievement in the field of drama but lost to ''

Playhouse 90 ''Playhouse 90'' was an American television anthology series, anthology drama series that aired on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 133 episodes. The show was produced at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California. Since live anthology dr ...

''. The film also won four Sylvania Television Awards: outstanding dramatic program; outstanding telecast; outstanding performance by an actor in a starring role (Olivier); and outstanding television adaptation (Pogostin). David Susskind also received a Peabody Award for his production of "a drama of style and substance."

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Moon and Sixpence American television films 1959 television films 1959 films Films based on British novels Films based on works by W. Somerset Maugham