Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsPrimetime EmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalFall TV GuideMost Anticipated This MonthSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayTrending peopleCelebrity news
    IMDb LabsHelp centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
    Some content may be auto-translated
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
    Some content may be auto-translated
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

The Dark at the Top of the Stairs

  • 1960
  • Approved
  • 2h 4m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
913
YOUR RATING
Eve Arden, Angela Lansbury, Shirley Knight, Lee Kinsolving, Dorothy McGuire, and Robert Preston in The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (1960)
Drama

In Oklahoma in the 1920s, Rubin Flood (Robert Preston) loses his job as a travelling salesman after the company goes bankrupt. This adds to his worries at home. His wife Cora (Dorothy McGuir... Read allIn Oklahoma in the 1920s, Rubin Flood (Robert Preston) loses his job as a travelling salesman after the company goes bankrupt. This adds to his worries at home. His wife Cora (Dorothy McGuire) is frigid because of trying to make ends meet. His teenage daughter Reenie (Shirley Kni... Read allIn Oklahoma in the 1920s, Rubin Flood (Robert Preston) loses his job as a travelling salesman after the company goes bankrupt. This adds to his worries at home. His wife Cora (Dorothy McGuire) is frigid because of trying to make ends meet. His teenage daughter Reenie (Shirley Knight) is afraid of going out on dates, but eventually makes friends with a troubled Jewish ... Read all

  • Director
    • Delbert Mann
  • Writers
    • Harriet Frank Jr.
    • Irving Ravetch
    • William Inge
  • Stars
    • Robert Preston
    • Dorothy McGuire
    • Eve Arden
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.1/10
    913
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Delbert Mann
    • Writers
      • Harriet Frank Jr.
      • Irving Ravetch
      • William Inge
    • Stars
      • Robert Preston
      • Dorothy McGuire
      • Eve Arden
    • 19User reviews
    • 12Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 1 win & 7 nominations total

    Photos8

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 2
    View Poster

    Top Cast29

    Robert Preston
    Robert Preston
    • Rubin Flood
    Dorothy McGuire
    Dorothy McGuire
    • Cora Flood
    Eve Arden
    Eve Arden
    • Lottie Lacey
    Angela Lansbury
    Angela Lansbury
    • Mavis Pruitt
    Shirley Knight
    Shirley Knight
    • Reenie Flood
    Lee Kinsolving
    Lee Kinsolving
    • Sammy Golden
    Frank Overton
    Frank Overton
    • Morris Lacey
    Robert Eyer
    • Sonny Flood
    Penney Parker
    Penney Parker
    • Flirt Conroy
    • (as Penny Parker)
    Ken Lynch
    Ken Lynch
    • Harry Ralston
    Bobby Beekman
    • Boy
    • (uncredited)
    Paul Birch
    Paul Birch
    • Jonah Mills
    • (uncredited)
    Helen Brown
    • Mrs. Haycox
    • (uncredited)
    Michael Chain
    • Boy
    • (uncredited)
    Paul Comi
    Paul Comi
    • Jenkins
    • (uncredited)
    John Elman
    • Boy
    • (uncredited)
    Ben Erway
    Ben Erway
    • Joseph Moody
    • (uncredited)
    Butch Hengen
    • Boy
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Delbert Mann
    • Writers
      • Harriet Frank Jr.
      • Irving Ravetch
      • William Inge
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews19

    7.1913
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    More like this

    White Banners
    7.0
    White Banners
    Flamingo Road
    7.1
    Flamingo Road
    Come Fill the Cup
    6.8
    Come Fill the Cup
    The Blue Veil
    7.1
    The Blue Veil
    The Bachelor Party
    6.7
    The Bachelor Party
    Bright Victory
    7.3
    Bright Victory
    Love Me Tonight
    7.5
    Love Me Tonight
    99 River Street
    7.4
    99 River Street
    The Unsuspected
    7.2
    The Unsuspected
    Tower of London
    6.6
    Tower of London
    Designing Woman
    6.7
    Designing Woman
    Footlight Parade
    7.5
    Footlight Parade

    Related interests

    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama

    Storyline

    Did you know

    • Trivia
      When asked which one of her movies stands out to her, Dame Angela Lansbury cited this movie, saying, "That's one I felt we did a good job with, one that didn't get the attention it deserved."
    • Quotes
      • Executive: We sell new machinery. What do you know about drilling equipment for oil fields?
      • Rubin Flood: Not a thing.
      • Executive: Then why should we hire you?
      • Rubin Flood: You chew tobacco, mister?
      • Executive: I beg your pardon!
      • Rubin Flood: You talk crops and weather? You know who's had a baby lately? You know who goes to church and who don't? Who likes corn liquor and who likes store liquor? Who's a Republican, who's a Democrat?
      • Executive: Our methods are a little more modern than that.
      • Rubin Flood: Well, I'm telling you that the people out here are farmers, no matter how much oil they got in their land. You want to come out of this territory with a profit? You'd be better off taking that diamond stickpin out of your tie and putting a straw hat on the back of your head and a chaw in your cheek! You're gonna have to hunker down and talk business with a man who's cleaning out his pigsty. That's where a lot of sales are made... and it can't be done in a New York suit!
    • Connections
      Featured in Biography: Angela Lansbury: A Balancing Act (1998)
    • Soundtracks
      The Dark At The Top Of The Stairs
      Composed by Max Steiner

      Performed by Chet Atkins with Bob Thompson And His Strings

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    • Release date
      • October 8, 1960 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Das Dunkle am Ende der Treppe
    • Filming locations
      • Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA(Studio)
    • Production company
      • Warner Bros.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    • Runtime
      • 2h 4m(124 min)

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    You have no recently viewed pages
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2026 by IMDb.com, Inc.