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Sweet Bird Of Youth


Imperial Home Page -> Screen Stars -> 1956 -> Sweet Bird Of Youth

Tennessee Williams love story/drama starring Paul Newman, Geraldine Page, and a periwinkle 1956 Imperial Parade Phaeton.

Below are several still pictures from the movie.  In order to play, just click any of the pictures below--click on a small picture for a small (10 Meg) movie, or a large picture to view a larger, high quality clip suitable for viewing in "full-screen" mode; file size is 76 Meg. Left click to view the movie directly, or save to your hard drive by right-clicking and selecting "Save Target As".  If you need help viewing, go to our "How To Play Imperial Movies" page.  Enjoy!

 


 

Local politician "Boss" Finley is seen exiting his personal car early in the film.  He just happens to tool around (New Orleans, presumably) in one of the three 1952 Imperial Parade Phaetons created by Virgil Exner, in this case the Los Angeles car.  By this time the car had been converted to 1956 exterior styling.
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In this scene, "Boss" and his daughter, Heavenly, ride in back, while her brother is seen starting the Parade Phaeton.  Notice that, although the exterior has been updated with 1956 sheet metal, the interior looks as it did in 1952--notice the steering wheel.
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"Boss" and Heavenly exit the Parade Phaeton on their way to Easter Sunday service....
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...where they run into Heavenly's old boyfriend, Chance Wayne, played by Paul Newman.  Chance was run out of town years before by "Boss", and now he's threatening him again:

"Laddy, I hear you're consorting with a gen-yoo-ine Princess.  Guess that sort of makes you a Prince, don't it?  I once had a dog called Prince...had to butcher him to keep all the bitches in town from being violated."

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Here's a fun shot of the Parade Phaeton used for its intended purpose!
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And one more view from ground level.
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Returning home to their mansion, Heavenly gets out of the Phaeton to discover that Chance (Paul Newman) has been beaten--his face bloodied--up by her brother and his thugs.
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Moments later, Heavenly decides to run off with Chance, telling her father "Papa, I'm never coming into that house again".  As they drive off in the movie's final scene, Boss complains to his wife that "she can't leave here, not now....what about me?"  "You?  You go straight to hell!"
10 Meg 76 Meg

 

 


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