Nancy Fallon (Ginger Rogers) is a divorcee who has trouble communicating with her 15-year-old daughter Dodie (Betty Lou Keim). Left in the custody of her father (Michael Rennie), Dodie feels as though her mother has deserted her.[5]
The film was based on a play, A Roomful of Roses, written by Edith Sommer. It was bought for production in 1954 bu Guthrie McClintock and Stanley Gilkek.[6] In June 1955 Patricia Neal agreed to star.[7]
The play premiered on October 17. The New York Times said the acting was "winning" and it was "written with humanity".[8]
Linda Darnell later made her stage debut in a production of the play in Phoenix Arizona.[9]
Film rights were purchased by 20th Century Fox before the play was even produced. In May 1955 Darryl F. Zanuck assigned the play to Sam Engel to produce.[10]
Reisch later said it was one of his favorite films, saying "It was a beautiful idea: a girl, the daughter of a woman who had meanwhile remarried, comes to the house to meet her new family. [Edmund] Goulding directed it. We only used the nucleus, the germ of the play, and made a lovely picture, a big success. But it was in black-and-white CinemaScope; again we couldn't get the color camera."[11]
The film was known as Our Teenage Daughter and Dodie before Fox settled on Teenage Rebel. In June 1956 Betty Lou Kenim was cast in her stage role.[13] Filming started in June 1956. The movie was the only film being shot on the Fox lot.[14]
^Solomon, Aubrey. Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History (The Scarecrow Filmmakers Series). Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1989. ISBN978-0-8108-4244-1. p250.
^SAM ZOLOTOW (November 3, 1954). "LUNTS RETURNING IN PLAY TONIGHT: Edna Best and Brian Aherne Also Are Starred in Noel Coward's 'Quadrille'". New York Times. p. 35.
^ARTHUR GELB (July 12, 1955). "STRATFORD GROUP REACHES RUBICON: American Shakespeare Fete Opens Tonight With 'Julius Caesar' as Initial Bill". New York Times. p. 21.
^BROOKS ATKINSON (October 18, 1955). "A Roomful of Roses' Opens at Playhouse: Play by Edith Sommer Merits Bouquets Betty Lou Keim and Patricia Neal Praised". New York Times. p. 48.
^LOUIS CALTA (July 12, 1956). "PLAY ROLE TAKEN BY LINDA DARNELL: Film Actress Signs Contract to Bow Here Next Fall in 'Harbor Lights' Garbo May Do Play Harris Goes to London". New York Times. p. 15.
^Hopper, Hedda (May 10, 1955). "Story of 'Roomful of Roses' Seems to Have Some Thorns". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. b5.
^"Diana Dors Signed by R.K.O.". New York Times. May 25, 1956. p. 26.
^THOMAS M. PRYOR (June 15, 1956). "REPUBLIC PLANS 18 NEW PICTURES: Studio Will Resume Filming Operations in July With Low-Budget Program Columbia Signs Reinhardt". New York Times. p. 30.
^THOMAS M. PRYOR (June 16, 1956). "PROBLEMS SLOW ACTIVITY AT FOX: Story and Talent Difficulties Keep Studio From Planned Film Production Record Tony Curtis to Star Of Local Origin". New York Times. p. 12.
