Marty (1955)

Director:

Delbert Mann

Writers:

Paddy Chayefsky (story)
Paddy Chayefsky (screenplay)

Release Date:

10 June 1955 (Belgium)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

EVERYBODY'S RAVING ABOUT "MARTY" . . . The year's BIG entertainment surprise a warm and human story with characters you'll love and remember!

Plot:

A touching story about two lonely people who have almost resigned themselves to never being truly loved.

Plot Keywords:

Love | Butcher | Small Business | Moving | Phone Booth

Awards:

Won 4 Oscars. Another 13 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Ernest Borgnine	...	Marty Piletti
Betsy Blair	...	Clara Snyder
Esther Minciotti	...	Mrs. Theresa Piletti
Augusta Ciolli	...	Aunt Catherine
Joe Mantell	...	Angie
Karen Steele	...	Virginia
Jerry Paris	...	Tommy

Runtime:

91 min | 94 min (alternate version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Canada:G (Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | USA:Approved (PCA #17297) | Brazil:Livre | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Bronx, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Hill-Hecht-Lancaster Productions

Trivia:

Cameo: [Paddy Chayefsky]The character of Leo, who appears in the back of the car when Marty is approached by his friends to make up the pair for the "odd squirrel" they have with them. According to Delbert Mann, Chayefsky (who was once a moderately renowned stage actor) was recruited for the very visually obscured part solely to save the time and money of hiring an extra. According to Chayefsky, for his three lines he was required to rejoin the actor's union, which required dues of $140. He recalled the role as paying about $67.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the first scene, when Marty is talking to Mrs. Fazarri in the butcher shop, in a frontal shot of Marty he is slicing pork chops and puts the knife back, and begins to wipe his hands. When the camera angle changes to a rear shot of Marty, he is again slicing before putting the knife up to wipe his hands.

Quotes:

Marty Pilletti: Alright, ma, I'll wear the blue suit! But I'm still an ugly little man.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mad Men: The Hobo Code (#1.8)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Marty

Sweet little movie

Every one in awhile, a small movie cleans up at the Oscars. It seems to happen about once a decade. This might be the first, though.

Ernest Borgnine is the title character. He is a butcher who is unmarried, Catholic, Italian and lives in New York where it would never occur to anyone to mind their own business. Everyone who buys a pork chop gives him grief over his bachlerhood, and that extends to his Mother, too. He is a sweet guy - loans money to his friends, is polite to strangers and considerate to his family. He is a little lonely and frustrated and doesn't have much to do.

One night in a dance hall a stranger offers him $5 to take a girl home, since the guy doesn't want to have anything to do with this particular girl. Marty is amazed at the rudeness so to not humiliate the girl any more than she has to be, and since he's alone anyway..they meet and dance and have a very nice night. He is very nervous and has a lot to say and sometimes rambles on a little. Not the worse crime in the world.

There is a small subplot over Marty's Aunt moving in with Marty and his Mom since she does not get along with her daughter-in-law. I suppose this is to show that even if you are married, life still hands out problems. And if you get to live long enough to be considered 'old', that sometimes you are uprooted and unwanted and a bit of a burden to your family.

Borgnine is terrific and won Best Actor over pretty tough competition. Joe Mandell as Angie, Marty's best friend, and Betsy Blair as Clara, who is the girl he meets, were also nominated.

This material was originally a television 'play' starring Rod Steiger as Marty and Nancy Marchand as Clara. I bet it was good. 8/10.