Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- melodramatic
- suspenseful
- brooding
- classic television night
- soap opera marathon
What critics said
Critics generally regarded this reunion mystery as dull, convoluted, overacted, and among the least memorable entries in the Peyton Place franchise.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The investigation unfolds among returning Peyton Place characters whose relationships and prior scandals shape the case.
Stella Chernak's return to Peyton Place is explicitly motivated by a desire to wreak havoc.
Rodney Harrington and Allison Mackenzie die in a car accident, but Norman questions the official claim that Rodney was drunk.
Peyton Place is presented as a community whose residents' family histories and secrets drive the mystery.
Films like Murder in Peyton Place, and why
Peyton Place
television mystery drama built around a returning ensemble, concealed motives, and small-town scandal
The Big Sleep
melodramatic mystery centered on family secrets, suspicious deaths, and an ensemble of troubled residents
Anatomy of a Murder
small-town murder investigation combining courtroom tension, social secrets, and heightened melodrama
Movie Details
- Director
- Bruce Kessler
- Release Date
- 1977-10-03
- Runtime
- 100 min
- Rating
- 7.5 / 10 (2)
Cast
- Stella Stevens
- Dorothy Malone
- Ed Nelson
- Tim O'Connor
- Joyce Jillson
- Janet Margolin
- Marj Dusay
- Christopher Connelly
Common questions
- What is Murder in Peyton Place about?
- A grieving brother challenges the official story behind a fatal car crash as a vengeful figure returns to destabilize Peyton Place.
- What is Murder in Peyton Place like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Murder in Peyton Place as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Murder in Peyton Place violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Murder in Peyton Place as mild.
- What did critics think of Murder in Peyton Place?
- Critics generally regarded this reunion mystery as dull, convoluted, overacted, and among the least memorable entries in the Peyton Place franchise.
- Which films are like Murder in Peyton Place?
- Films with a similar feel include Peyton Place, The Big Sleep, and Anatomy of a Murder.
- How long is Murder in Peyton Place?
- Murder in Peyton Place runs 100 minutes.
