The Best of Everything (1959)

An expose of the lives and loves of Madison Avenue working girls and their higher ups.

Director:

Jean Negulesco

Writers:

Edith R. Sommer (screenplay), Mann Rubin (screenplay),

Stars:

Hope Lange, Stephen Boyd, Suzy Parker

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Hope Lange	...	Caroline Bender
Stephen Boyd	...	Mike Rice
Suzy Parker	...	Gregg Adams
Martha Hyer	...	Barbara Lamont
Diane Baker	...	April Morrison
Brian Aherne	...	Fred Shalimar
Robert Evans	...	Dexter Key
Brett Halsey	...	Eddie Harris
Donald Harron	...	Sidney Carter
Sue Carson	...	Mary Agnes
Linda Hutchings	...	Jane
Lionel Kane	...	Paul Landers
Ted Otis	...	Dr. Ronnie Wood
Louis Jourdan	...	David Savage
Joan Crawford	...	Amanda Farrow

Storyline

With her unofficial fiancé Eddie Harris studying in England for a year, Radcliffe educated Caroline Bender decides to get her first ever job as a secretary at Manhattan located Fabian Publishing, which offers its employees "the best of everything". There, she finds her story is somewhat similar to all the other secretaries, who are biding their time in the secretarial pool either before getting married - to a current or future beau - or moving on to their dream job. In the latter category is aspiring actress Gregg Adams, who with fellow secretary, the naive and inexperienced April Morrison, become Caroline's new roommates. Caroline also finds that as a secretary to the editors, she has to learn the special needs and foibles of each. They include the "witch" Amanda Farrow whose demanding exterior masks a truly lonely woman, the aging Lothario Fred Shalimar, and the understanding Mike Rice, whose best friend is a bottle of booze. The path to true happiness for each of Caroline, Gregg ...

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Plot Keywords:

secretary | editor | actress | publishing house | roommate | 

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Taglines:

The story of the girls who claw and scratch their way to the top...only to realize too late - there's no wedding ring on their finger!

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 October 1959 (USA)

Also Known As:

Alla mina drömmar

Filming Locations:

Alfred E. Smith Housing Project, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Company of Artists, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Joan Crawford was originally set to act as onscreen "hostess" for the film's coming-attractions trailer, but this was scrapped when Fox refused to accede to Crawford's request that the trailer also feature a prominently displayed Pepsi-Cola bottle.

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Goofs

When Caroline is in Mike's apartment the New York City skyline is seen in the background. However, it is clear this is a backdrop and only two lights are seen to flicker throughout the whole skyline.

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Quotes

Amanda Farrow: Now you and your rabbit-faced wife can both go to hell!

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Connections

Featured in In Her Shoes (2005)

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Soundtracks

"Again"
(uncredited)
Music by Lionel Newman
Played when Caroline is introduced over drinks

User Reviews

A perennial favorite that is always enjoyable to view.

I first saw this film in 1959 at the Hoyts Double Bay cinema in Sydney when fifteen years old. I loved it then and still do. The ensemble cast is great - in those days the actors acted "naturally" and you "felt" for them in the respective roles. A "glossy" film of the period -the relationships therein still relevant to today's world but now the sexes are on the same level, women would not or should not allow the type of treatment displayed in the past. The soundtrack music is wonderful and it is a delight that Film Score Monthly released the CD in January, 2005. Pity scenes were cut prior to release - even at two hours you want more! I have registered with Amazon for the DVD (they do now have a special page). To view this film in CinemaScope after forty six years of pan and scan will be great. Twentieth Century Fox, please look further into your catalogers of fifties CinemaScope productions for DVD

• there IS a large market out there. I await arrival from US of March,

2004 Vanity Fair Special article on the film, which is said to be fifteen pages with many photos on set. Cheers.