MovieChat Forums > A Summer Place (1959) Discussion > Ken Was An Idiot To Marry Helen

Ken Was An Idiot To Marry Helen

posted 11 years ago by joeparkson
8 replies | jump to latest

And I'm surprised he didn't turn to drink being married to this awful woman for 20 years. Not only that, he repeatedly left his daughter alone with this toxic person. It was almost as bad as leaving a child with a pedophile.

It's hard to find a more repellent woman in all movie history. Kathie in "Out Of The Past" shot several people to death, but she had an appealing side. You could see why two men were still attracted to her despite her skill with a gun.

Helen didn't shoot anyone, but I saw absolutely nothing but a scheming woman seething with hate.

Props to Constance Ford as an actress. Joan Crawford couldn't have done any better.

Absurdity: A Statement or belief inconsistent with my opinion.

[–] leader-7 11 years ago

She was absolutely brilliant in the role -- i agree. Toxic to the core. AND a credit to her as an actress -- because she was the exact opposite in Rome Adventure (also w/ Troy Donohue.)

Waaay back in that decade, people got married for reasons other than than strictly love, too (as they still do) and I'm sure that there was a 'convenience factor' in that relationship. He needed a wife to get ahead in business, and it's likely that her true colors didn't come out till after it was too late.

But yes, you make very good points.

[–] bill-520 11 years ago

Slightly off-topic but probably not worthy of an entirely new thread ...

Wouldn't it have been a treat to see Helen's reaction to the news of the pregnancy?! I would love to have seen her go over the edge!

[–] pouncemo 10 years ago

Yes, I thought about that too. They did the right thing not to include such a scene, we could all imagine she would have gone through the roof. But on the other hand, she always expected the worst right from the beginning. She may have reacted with calm, cool, resignation.

[–] hka-3 10 years ago

It's hard to find a more repellent woman in all movie history.

I completely agree! I was a Constance Ford fan long before I saw this film, but her portrayal of Helen is so convincing I can barely stand to look at her.

[–] sylvia67 10 years ago

Helen struck me as one of those people who justify their actions by their attitude that what they do is actually for the other persons "own good". She thought what she was doing was for her daughters own good, remember she told her daughter, to "play a man" like a fish... use cunning to get what you want..

[–] kelly-527 9 years ago

Repulsive on so many counts.

Bad mother, up there with Angela Lansbury in Manchurian Candidate. She was a winner.

[–] jayrussell1993 9 years ago

Ken was pretty much of an idiot period.

[–] mcannady1 9 years ago

Movie girl: In the book Ken was trying to forget Sylvia of his late teen years and dated a few women. He marries Helen who seems chaste and good = and attractive. Well, she was chaste and maybe sort of nice looking, but truly awful. Ken thought that with time his wife would become acclimated to marriage and they would find a measure of happiness together. Nope, that did not occur, for she only got worse after she had her daughter Molly who was growing up as a very attractive girl who was admired by the boys. Constance Ford was great as Helen!