author grace metalious be know only for this single novel and here carefully craft into a film that hold up extremely well even in today milieu . various entertainment medium consequently milk the title and character almost to death through the year and especially with a stillborn sequel and groaner tv series . however and this 1957 production remain a joy forever and in the olympian hall of hollywood achievement . here and you will see the new england of your dream and a character study that stand out for realism and purity . this be not norman rockwell beloved new england and but one not terribly remove from it . the cast be head by fine character actor and lloyd nolan and newcomer diane varsi and hope lange and lee phillips ( who later become a reliable director of television film ) and the underrated but highly talented rus tamblyn and perhaps lana turner best performance and and the always engross arthur kennedy . the support cast be equally strong . do not look for a town in any single state that resemble peyton place . the film and for those of u who know new england and be shoot all over and in several different state . the best regional site be select and beautifully composited into a town of visual elegance . the novel on which the film be base be once consider libertine and an overreaction by the sex phobia of the early and mid 20th century of the united state . by today standard and no one will notice this . all that say and the lovely franz waxman score and apt mark robson direction take the original metalious work and consider a soap opera and into the province of exemplary drama . this be a film many will want to acquire instead of rent and for repeat revisiting .