Best Motion Picture 1955

Marty

Starring: Ernest Borgnine, Betsy Blair, and Esther Minciotti.

Reviewed by Peter Veugelaers ©2000

Singleness and relationships are issues lightly and irreverently explored in some contemporary sitcoms, like Friends, however 1955Ős Marty has some old fashioned reality and heart on life for the unadorned single guy and girl forty or fifty years ago.

Marty touches on the moral and immoral side of America, where one man, like Marty (a memorable Ernest Borgnine) works hard as a butcher, goes to Catholic Masses and doesnŐt chase women, although would enjoy their friendship. Some of his friends are women chasers, flirts and are promiscuous.

However, sensitive and kindhearted Marty has given up looking for women until one night when he meets mild mannered teacher, but no pin up beauty queen, Clara (Betsy Blair). Life changes for Marty, but obstacles to this romance come from his possessive mother (Esther Minciotti) and friends obsessed with the ideal and picturesque woman found in Mickey Spallaine books.

Marty touches on morals of a world that is no longer our own, but is no pious sermon.

In some of todayŐs films platonic romance has been replaced by in your face, cold and distant sex and promiscuity on demand and in Marty old fashioned love and emotionalism is captured realistically and with warmth and beauty. ItŐs a pleasant reminder of solid virtues.

It is a tad far fetched (Borgnine and BlairŐs blossoming friendship moves the story along but is not a credible plot device) and is slight.

However, the struggle Marty encounters as a single man is movingly and beautifully captured, particularly through Ernest BorgnineŐs splendid performance and Delbert MannŐs deft observations of the characters. The outcome for Borgnine and Blair is heart warming and beautiful to watch, despite the unauthentic initiation of Borgnine and BlairŐs relationship.

The disjointedness at the end is disconcerting, but this is well made entertainment for a more mature audience. 8/10.

Peter Veugelaers ©Copyright 2000
If anyone wants to use the article( for permission) or contact the author at: peterv@maxnet.co.nz

 

The Original Mama's Boy

 

Lonely Bronxite Marty (Ernest Borgnine) is being shown up by his younger brothers and sisters -- they're all married but him, and he's got all the Italian ladies in the butcher shop where he works telling him, "You should be ashamed a youself!" and "Whena you gonna get married, Marty?" He's from a nice Italian Catholic family -- the object of life is to spawn, and he's not fulfilling his God-given purpose.

Marty is the simple, heartbreaking story of one man who's given up on the whole dating scene. His Ma (Esther Minciotti) is bugging him to find a nice Italian girl, too, and he explains his frustration to her in a painful scene. "I'm a fat ugly man!" he yells at her. He's had enough rejection. And then, wonder of wonders, one night he meets Clara (Betsy Blair), a plain and plain-spoken chemistry teacher, and these "dogs," as he bluntly calls the two of them, hit it off. But his troubles don't end there: His mother, for all her nagging, is suddenly afraid of being left alone, and tries to persuade Marty that Clara's not the girl for him. And his loser friends, who think they know all there is to know about women but spend every Saturday night with each other, are also jealous of Marty's new friend.

Paddy Chayefsky's screenplay captures perfectly the yawning loneliness of Marty's bachelor life: hanging out in bars with buddies and the awkward phone calls to girls who'd rather not hear from him, the disappointment of crushed dreams and the daring it takes to develop new hope, the awfulness of dating and the coldness of even family and friends. Director Delbert Mann's camera lingers on Borgnine's soulful face as he is slapped again and again by women's rebuffs.

In some ways like Nancy Savoca's 1991 film Dogfight (with River Phoenix and Lili Taylor), Marty puts its unfortunate characters under a magnifying glass, searing them with the cruelty of their world and the people around them. A compelling and thoughtful film, its strong performances by Borgnine and Blair alone would make it a must see.

the Flick Filosopher