"What you feel like doin' tonight?"

Hollywood always liked to remake films. Mostly from other countries – but now and then they would and will remake a television play – and the film I am going to talk about today once “was” such a television play. It’s pretty easy today – have a picture hint:

Once upon a time...

… playwright Paddy Chayefsky and director Delbert Mann were rehearsing in a hotel for THE RELUCTANT CITIZEN when Chayefsky spotted a sign and thought he was able to write a story from this. The sign said:

"Girls, dance with the man who asks you.
Remember, men have feelings, too."

So Chayefsky wrote a teleplay - which was aired in 1953 with Rod Steiger in the leading role and Nancy Marchand as his leading lady.

In 1955 - after some meanderings - Chayefsky as associate producer and Delbert Mann as director made a big screen film of it filmed in Samuel Goldwyn Studios, West Hollywood, California and at the Bronx, New York City, New York.

It would gain some Academy Awards - including the award for Best Picture. It also won the Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festival - which made it the only other film to receive both awards besides THE LOST WEEKEND (1945).

Isn't it funny that today's film is also taking place on a single weekend?

You might already guessed it - I am rambling about:

MARTY (1955)

~ I love the look Ernest Borgnine delivers on this Italian poster.. ~

Here we have the US posters - one telling you just in the beginning what to think of it:

Here is a similar one - showing you what Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis, Danny Kaye, Charlton Heston and Jane Russell thought of it (seems like with this "cast" everyone has at least one to "listen to", huh? - sorry for not being able to post a bigger version of this poster..)

Another poster is showing Marty's problem:

- and here we have my absolute favourite poster for this film:

In a nutshell:

Marty Piletti (Ernest Borgnine) is a big-hearted not too handsome 34 year old bachelor who works as a butcher and lives with his mother Theresa (Esther Minciotti). Everyone keeps picking on him that he should get married – like all his younger siblings did.

~ Marty and his mother ~

Theresa’s sister Catharina (Augusta Ciolli) is living with her son Thomas (Jerry Paris), his wife Virginia (Karen Steele) and their new born baby in a small apartment and – well, they don’t go along very good. So decision is made: Catharina is going to live with Marty and Theresa in their big house.

Then Marty meets a girl: 29 year old Clara Snyder (Betsy Blair) – a kind of mousy teacher – living with her parents – and just dumped by a complete jerk ~ just saying.. ~ at the ballroom – because he met a girl he finds more attractive..

~ Knight without shining amour - and a damsel in distress. ~

Clara isn’t the kind of female Marty’s friends find attractive enough to spent time with – and Catharina keeps telling her sister that Marty soon won’t need her anymore..

~ Marty with friends on a lazy Sunday eve:

Angie (Joe Mantell) & Ralph (Frank Sutton) ~

So Marty has to make a decision: Is he going to do what everyone wants him to do – or will he see the girl again, who he likes and who likes him?

~ one of Hollywood's most likeable on-screen couples..~

Watch out for…

• … Paddy Chayefsky as Leo – he is sitting in the back of the car, when Marty is asked to leave Clara for ...well.. let me call it “a night of fun with three not so shy girls/nurses..” ... You’ll get the picture..
  Paddy Chayefsky is the one delievering the wonderful line:

"This guy is a nice guy - this guy."

~ honest - don't you just love that? ~

• ... Joe Mantell as Angie - because he is really funny.. ;") - well, most of Marty's friends are.. in some ways..

~ Marty and Angie - not really about to take the town.. ~

• … Jerry Orbach - I was told that this film was his debut – he was one of the guests in the ballroom scene – actually I wasn’t yet able to spot him there - but I noticed that in there are mostly parties of two women and one man sitting at the tables..
  
  
• … Joi Lansing as cover model on the magazine Marty’s friends are studying.

Schmooze:

• First US film to be shown in USSR after WWII.
  
  
• Apparently only film in film history which's advertising cost more than the production of it.
  
  
• The film was produced by Burt Lancaster and Harold Hecht – there are rumors that they supposed to lose some money – as a tax-write-off.. ~ ..naughty, Mr. Lancaster.. ~
  
  
• Betsy Blair was at that time Mrs. Gene Kelly.

• Ernest Borgnine performed before with Burt Lancaster (who does not appear in MARTY - besides the trailer..) in FROM HERE TO ENTERNITY (1953) and VERA CRUZ (1954).
  
  
• Joe Mantell, Augusta Ciolli and Esther Minciotti also appeared in the TV production of Marty two years before.
  


• There were some objections against casting Ernest Borgnine as Marty because before this he mostly appeared as the bad guy.
  
  
• Ernest Borgnine (who surprisingly looks a lot like Marty.. ahem..) was atually 5times married - though his 3rd marriage to Ethel Merman only lasted a few hours..


• Rod Steiger declares that he rejected the part of Marty in this film because he would have had to work for years for Lancaster and Hecht – while Lancaster and Hecht were afraid that no one would pay money to see Rod Steiger doing the same part in cinema the audience saw before for free on TV...
  
  We’ll never know – but I for one am sure it was a good idea to cast Ernest Borgnine..

The winning team:

• This film won Academy Awards

  for
  Best Picture,
  Best Actor (Ernest Borgnine),
  Best Director (Delbert Mann)
  and Best Writing – Adapted Screenplay (Paddy Chayesfsky)
  
  – it was also nominated for

  Best Supporting Actor (Joe Mantell),
  Best Supporting Actress (Betsy Blair),
  Best Art-Direction-Set Decoration, B/W
  and Best Cinematography B/W.
  
  

• Delbert Mann was the first director to win the Academy Award for Best Director with his debut film.

Never-ending story:

• In 1971 MARTY was remade for Italian television with Renzo Palmer as Marty.

You should watch this film if you…

… are or were single.. ;"p

… love your mother or have a tough time with her.

… are a wallflower.

… are/were the most popular person on the flirting grounds.

… like your cast “not too much looking like Hollywood” for a change.

… always had a soft spot for shy female teachers and leading men with a space width..

You’ll learn that…

… “Micky Spillane sure can write.”

… “the stardust ballroom is loaded with tomatoes.”

… “those college girls are all one step from the street.”

Let's face the music:

The song MARTY was written by Harry Warren - the lyrics are by Paddy Chayefsky. You can hear it during the opening credits and sung in the end of the film - it is also played when Marty and Clara dance together for the first time.

Quotes corner:

“What are you gonna do if Marty gets married?”

I think this is not only a film about Marty and Clara and their generation and how they have trouble to find mates - it is also a film about another generation: The mothers.
The elder women who all their live worked for their children and suddenly have to face the fact that their children don't need them as much as before anymore. Women who learn that they seem to be always in the way of their children and their spouses like aunt Catharina. Women who notice that though they just want their children to be happy hurt them like Theresa hurts Marty.

But it's not Theresa who says this lines which are the red thread of this movie:

“Marty, you oughta be ashamed of yourself. When you’ll get married?”

Have a look:

~ here he is - Burt Lancaster - not appearing in the film.. ..but in the trailer.. ~

This film is about people who are afraid. Afraid of being hurt, left alone or just not being like they are supposed to be. I think most people can relate to that.
It really, really touches me – and when Marty gets the mitten by the girl he calls in the beginning – who apparently tells him that she hasn’t got time for him (– and won’t ever have..) I am each and every time getting teary-eyed. Ernest Borgnine is just sitting there with closed eyes – and I for one almost can feel the pain Marty is having.

Or later when he tells his mother that it doesn’t make any sense to go out for him because he was “fat and ugly”.. Oh boy! That man breaks my sweet little heart.

Look at it here:

Or when Clara gets dumped in the ballroom scene – luckily things like that never happened to me - which means I don’t really know how one feels in such a situation.

Nevertheless I think it’s disgusting to pay any guy "five bucks" who then is going to take care of your date. This is real bad manners – and I beg you to never hurt anyone like that. Of course it’s different when your date is a complete jerk… ;”p

~ Delbert Mann, Ernest Borgnine & Betsy Blair working with the script. ~

The scene in which Marty tries to kiss Clara against her will makes me feel a bit uncomfortable – like always when someone of the involved people isn’t feeling comfortable with the situation. And what gives me some not so nice thoughts is Marty's mentioning that he wouldn’t try anything serious with his mother coming back any minute – leads to the conclusion that he would when it wasn’t on behalf of his mother?? Oh, Marty...

I love that there is a girl turning to the camera waving when Clara and Marty a strolling down the street at night.. ;”) And though Marty obviously owns cigarettes I can’t remember a scene in which he actually smokes.

What I find most interesting about Betsy Blair is that she almost every time has kind of a gleam on her face – which could be due to perfect lighting or her very fair eyes.

I really love this film - and it's characters. It is one of my alltime favourites - and I also happen to adore the dialogues - I think they are partly remarkably funny.

This picture is for my friend Monty:

~ Grace Kelly presenting the Academy Award to Ernest Borgnine. ~

And at last - the picture which I really adore and which makes us all ask ourself:

~ Wouldn't you just love to have a partner with this mien? ;") ~

Thank you all for listening!

Yours (very well and) truly,

Irene - with a soft spot for wallflowers..

“Three angels came to earth that night and all around the stars were bright.”

Sally of Flying down to Hollywood is hosting “Twelve days of Christmas Movies” and I am doing my bit with this entry about my favourite holiday’s film: Paramount’s classic of 1955 WE’RE NO ANGELS by Michael Curtiz – based on a French play by Albert Husson and brought to you in glorious Technicolor.

In a nutshell:

Christmas eve 1895, prison colony of French Guyana - Devil’s Island: The three convicts Joseph (Humphrey Bogart), Albert (Aldo Ray) and Jules (Sir Peter Ustinov) have escaped from the prison. Before they leave the island they want to rob the store of Felix Ducotel (Leo G. Carroll). But they soon find out that Felix, his wife Amelie (Joan Bennett) and their daughter (Gloria Talbott) are really decent people, who are in deep trouble when Felix’ arrogant and greedy cousin André Trochard (Basil Rathbone) arrives with his nephew Paul (John Baer). So the three convicts stay and help the Ducotel family – with a little assistance of the fourth escaped prisoner: Adolphe – a cute little viper..

Watch out for:

Humphrey Borgart wearing a pink apron – and boy: does it bring out the colour of his eyes!


Schmooze:

• The film's working title was ANGELS' COOKING which is the translation of the play's title which is LA CUISINE DES ANGES.
  
• This is the 6. and last film Humphrey Bogart an Michael Curtiz made together - one of the other movies they did together was CASABLANCA.
  
• There two other films which are based on Albert Husson's play: WE'RE NO ANGELS (1989) with Robert De Niro, Sean Penn and Demi Moore and ORE-TACHI WA TENSHI JANAI by Takashi Miike (1993).
  
• It is said that Gloria Talbott insisted that when her character passes out her head would always fell to the left because she found her profile would look best then. - I got to confess that I never look at her when she passes out. Naughty me - poor Gloria passes out so often that she could have earned my attantion..
  

A nodding acquaintance:

• John Baer played title character Terry Lee in 1953s television series: TERRY AND THE PIRATES (1953).
  
  
• Gloria Talbott played Jane Wyman's daughter in ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS (1955) and played Moneta in television series ZORRO (1957-59).
  
  
• John Smith who played medical officer Arnaud made his (uncredited) debut in GOING MY WAY (1944) as a choir member. In TV series CIMARRON CITY (1958-59) he played Deputy Lane Temple and Slim Sherman in series LARAMIE (1959-63).
  

Sing a Song:

In this film a wonderful song by Frederick Hollander is featured: “Sentimental Moments” and you can also hear “Hark! The herald angels sing”.

My favourite feature:

The shop! There’s so much to see! And the whole set of the Ducotel house is amazing. And they have gladioluses, which are one of my favourite flowers – they’re often seen in 1930ies films because they’re sooo elegant!

Scene to see

I can’t decide which one is the best or initial scene – so: Please watch the whole film. But maybe this scene will give you an impression - though the colours in this seem to be faded:


See the beauty in it:

Joan Bennett’s dresses are gorgeous. The wardrobe was designed by Mary Grant.

What the critics said:

In 2006 Time Out London found the convicts an

"ill-assorted trio of Bogart, Ray and Ustinov"

and go on with

"The lowest point comes when they all line up to croak Christmas carols."

*ouch!*

" ...it's static and laden with leaden talk, with nothing to interest the eye as recompense. ... Bogart looks particularly ill-at-ease and silly."

- sorry, they must have seen another film than I did, well the three prisoner are not the Rat Pack or Bing Crosby or some other croonin' fella but their singing is nothing to make a great point out of it. I think the trio is a perfect match and I love that Humphrey Bogart was not afraid of looking silly.

Quotes Corner :

“We came here to rob them and that’s what we’re gonna do. Beat their heads in, gorge their eyes out, cut their throats. – As soon as we wash the dishes.”

This film is hilarious. Of course there are moments when I have tears in my eyes. I am a bit sentimental, but and I think a good film touches you. So this is another plus for this movie and a good addition to extremely funny dialogues. I also like the fact that neither Adolphe nor the deaths or corpses are seen. I would have liked to see the snake but I think it is much more funny and also does not stress an animal. *yay*
I love the characters and the cast is amazing. Basil Rathbone is elegant as always in a light grey suit – and not quite so elegant wearing a nightcap. I can’t imagine how anyone could not like these four Christmas angels. I can’t make up my mind, which one of them is my favourite.

Thank you very much, Sally, for having me in your meme!

It is an honour for me. So, as I said before: Thank you.

“Right these way, please. This way to Christmas!”

The End? Wait and watch!

Yours (well and) truly

Frl. Irene Palfy

Look, who's gone Hollywood!

When Hollywood is doing a biographical film, you can be sure that they'll put a lot Hollywood in it - and so did Daniel Fuchs and Isobel Lennart when they were writing the screenplay for LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME (1955), which was directed by Charles Vidor and is about famous 1920ies singing star Ruth Etting. Though Daniel Fuchs earned an Acadamy Award for best writing, motion picture story and a Writers Guild of America Award for best written american musical.

In a nutshell:

Chicago, 1920ies. Martin “Marty –the Gimp” Snyder (James Cagney) is a big shot in – not so clean – laundry business. He knows what he wants – and he wants ex-taxi-dancer Ruth Etting (Doris Day). Ruth knows what she wants, too: She wants a career as a singer – a real big number. In this case Marty is a great help: he gets her a job as a singer, starts her radio career, puts her into the Ziegfeld Follies and brings her Hollywood to star in the movies. And then there is Johnny (Cameron Mitchell), a pianist, who was interested in Ruth. Now he is a Hollywood conductor - and Ruth is going to work with him. What will Marty do about that?


Schmooze:

• James Cagney asked for Doris Day to do the female lead in this film - they had worked together previously on WESTPOINT STORY (1950). LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME is the only film he - as a star - accepted second billing - he thought Ruth Etting was the central character in this film and Doris Day should be payed with a top billing for her work - and he sure was right about that.
• Joe Pasternack who produced LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME has a short and uncredited cameo as a producer.
• Ruth Etting wanted Jane Powell to be in the female lead - but the studio didn't to put cute Miss Powell into a Nightclub scenery..
• You may know Harry Bellaver (Georgie) as Det. Frank Acaro from TV-series NAKED CITY (1958-63) or from ANOTHER THIN MAN (1939) from THE THIN MAN SERIES where he played "Creeps" Binder - you may remember the baby party? Sometimes I get the feeling that you could relate almost any classic film to one of the THIN MAN SERIES.. ;")
• Jane Russell was asked to do the Ruth Etting character - but she refused.
• Veda Ann Borg has an uncredited appearance as dance hall hostess.
• Doris Day wrote later that she first did not want to take this role, because of it's vulgarity. After the film-release she received many fan letters which were not so polite about her playing such a dislikeable person. She answered every letter herself and declared that there was an difference between herself and her roles. In my opinion it is commandable that she did that.
• The German titles for this film are NACHTCLUB-AFFÄREN (lit.: "Nightclub affairs") and TYRANNISCHE LIEBE (lit. "Tyrannic Love").
• MGM's favoured Ava Gardner to play Doris Day's part - but she refused, accordingly because she did not want to be dubbed again.
• Ruth Etting later stated that she never worked as a taxi-dancer.
• James Cagney said that this film would be - out of all his films - in his top five.
• According to Doris Day most of the more violent scenes between James Cangey and her were cut out.

Scene to see:

Every scene between Doris Day and James Cagney is most exquisite but to choose one: The fighting scene after the Ziegfeld show which ends in a (faded out) rape. Doris Day and James Cagney did brilliant fight scenes!!


See the beauty in it:

The blue dress Doris Day changes in after her first Ziegfeld number – the colour is amazing!

Murphy’s Law:

• The clothes and cars aren’t always true to the era.
• The Ziegfeld Follies NEVER billed any performers name over the show title.
  
  

Sing a song:

My favourite song is “10 cents a dance” – but there are several very good songs in this movie, like: “Shakin’ the blues away”, "Stay on the right sight, sister" and many more.

Here you have the real Ruth Etting singing for you:


Quotes Corner:

“I’m what make you tick. Don’t you ever forget that!”

I think this is one of the films Groucho Marx was referring to when he stated that he knew Doris Day “before she became a virgin.” ;”)
This film contains two of my all-time favourite actors: Doris Day (who I also appreciate as a truly gifted singer) and James Cagney. In my opinion Doris Day is a marvelous actress who is at her best when she gets the chance to act in a more dramatic role. James Cagney is indeed doing a thing that he was always good in: the gangster. I am feeling somewhat sorry for Marty who has the saddest part in this film’s trio. Though as a teenager I was fallen for Uncle Buck of HIGH CHAPARELL and I do like Cameron Mitchell – I think it wouldn’t have hurt the film when he was changed against any other young handsome actor. I don’t have a candidate for that on hand but I have not the feeling that he is putting something extremely special into this role – but to be fair: that would have been an enormous task to any actor opposite these two stars. ;”)

“You can put it down that I got the greatest respect for Miss Etting as an artist.”

The End? Wait and watch.

Yours (well and) truly

Frl. Irene

"Charlie... You're not talking... - You're nibbling!"

In 1955 a succesfull play by Robert Paul Smith and Max Shulman - addapted for the screen by Julius Epstein and directed by Charles Walters - was brought to the screen in Eastmancolor: THE TENDER TRAP.

In a nutshell:

New York, mid-1950ies: Charlie Y. Reader (Frank Sinatra) - a theatrical agent - lives a happy life for a bachelor: numerous women(Lola Albright, Carolyn Jones, Jarma Lewis) clean his home, care for his meals and do other things for him, which a bachelor of 35 years would like. (you get the picture - don't you?) A special friend of him among this ladies is Sylvia Crewes (Celeste Holm), a sophisticated classical musician and no love interest of Charlie - though she is interested.

Then Charlie's childhood friend Joe McCall (David Wayne) visits him. Joe is a married father of three children and tired of marital life - and Charlie vice versa envies his friend a bit for his calm lifestyle incl. wife and children.

At an audition Charlie meets the actrice Julie Gillies (Debbie Reynolds) - and is at once interested in her. But Julie has definite plans for her future: She wants to get married - and though she doesn't know her future husband yet, she has a strict shedule: The wedding date is already set and at first sight Charlie is not the man she would like to take part in her plans.

While Charlie and Julie get acquainted to each other, Sylvia and Joe spend time together and Joe starts to develop romantic feelings. More problems ahead, when Julie decides that Charlie could be the man she was waiting for and Charlie is not (yet) ready to give up his female-filled life.

Watch out for:

• A blonde Carolyn Jones as dog-sitting Helen - and watch the TV program carefully: There you can spot Esther Williams - quite tempting.
  

Schmooze:

• Lola Albrigth - who was a hat model and a showgirl in EASTER PARADE (1948) and one of Manuela's (Judy Garland) friends in THE PIRATE (1948) - played the part of Poppy Matson, whose familyname is boworred of Max Shulman's agent Harold Matson, while the surname of Joe McCall is borrowed of Robert Paul Smith's representative, Monica McCall.
  
• Carolyn Jones is best known as Morticia Addams in TV series THE ADDAMS FAMILY (1964-1966).
  
• THE TENDER TRAP shares some staff with HIGH SOCIETY (1956): Frank Sinatra, Celeste Holm and director Charles Walters.
• The costumes were designed by Helen Rose.
• The German DVD release has a 16 rating..
• There is another film called THE TENDER TRAP: It is a 1974 documentary about carnivorous plants - narrated by Vincent Price!!! I would love to see that one!
  
  
  My favourite feature:
  
  Charlie's apartment is great!
  
  
  My favourite character:
  
  I love David Wayne - so this is no real question. .
  
  
  Celebrate the celluloid:
  


• You could eat whitefish and/or


• "rare Wisconsin cheese" and drink


• scotch,


• martini and/or


• coffee.
  

Scene to see:

The restaurant scene - well, I would have start to watch the whole part in the restaurant beginning with Sylvia, Charlie and Joe talking and Julie joining them later - but this is pretty close to what I would have recommended:

Window shopping:

Celeste Holm's wedding costume is my favourite.

Quotes corner:

"When a man comes in and pays $15 for a tie - is it too much to expect a stinking tie to tie?"



A cute film. My favourite part - besides the restaurant scene - is when Charlie tries to get a date with one of "his" girls and all of them have other men! I think that is because in the beginning when all this girls are cleaning and caring it seems like he is putting on them and in the end he is the one who is left.

This film exaggerates satirically the chliché of the bachelor's and the bachelorette's dreams. David Wayne has again some sharp-tongued lines, which I like - and I love when Frank Sinatra - after a hard battle - forgoes to tie his tie.

Though it is in the mean part a comedy there are some not so cheery parts. And for the fans of 1950ies design: Julie visits a furniture exhibition! The scene is not very long, but all we will get in this film.

And of course - you'll get the opportunity to hear Frank Sinatra singing the song which was nominated for an Acadamy Award - this opening reminds me that I am going to need glasses:

I like opening credits..

Goodbye - I'll go and watch another movie - or this one again?

"Who was the girl in the turkish shoes? Because I think I am engaged to her."