Marty (1955)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

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:

This is the remake of a 1953 TV movie of the same name, with Rod Steiger in the title role.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The opening scene shows men in a bar in the middle of the afternoon. One patron says that the Yankees won both games of a double header that day. However, even in the 1950s games took about 2.5 hours to play so it is unlikely that a double header would have been finished by mid-afternoon when the scene is set.

Quotes:

Marty Pilletti: I've been looking for a girl every Saturday night of my life.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Saturday Night Live: The Best of Molly Shannon (2001) (V)

Soundtrack:

Marty

Out on its own .................

I have known, loved and seen this film many times in the past fifteen years and finally bought it recently on DVD in the UK. The story is timeless and I am very surprised that no-one has yet attempted a plausible re-make of it. Stangely made in black and white ( for economic reasons I suppose, as color was widespread enough in 1954 ), the film depicts the horrors of trying to find a soul-mate with family pressures on hand to boot. No doubt italo-Americans will appreciate even more. I found Betsy Blair extremely attractive although she is supposed to be portraying someone "ugly" - the subject is fascinating and endlessly complex as beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The general impression given was one of a depiction of a real-life situation, which is of course to the credit of the film !! I remained hungry at the end and would have liked the film to continue just a little more to show the genesis of their amorous relationship !! But some would argue that at the end of a film you should be left wanting for more .......... I also loved the theme music which is actually sung at the end over the credits where they show the name of the actor plus a view of the actor from the film - this is a technique used all too little nowadays - and this absence is most regrettable as it enabled you to put a face to a name !! I was both surprised and amused that in the 1950's, ugly people were referred to as "dogs" - sounds so funny now - but I think the word "squares" or "cornballs" was also used disparagingly !! Definitely a most original film and which (exceptionally) seems to have attracted a unanimity of positive reviews on IMDb !!