The Best of Everything (1959)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Jean Negulesco

Writers:

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

Release Date:

9 October 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

THESE ARE THE GIRLS who want the best of everything... but often settle for a lot less!

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Editor | Love | Actress | Publishing House | Secretary

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

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

Runtime:

121 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (certificate #19344) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Australia:G

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The original score, created by esteemed Hollywood composer Alfred Newman for Twentieth Century-Fox, was the last in an association dating back to The Bowery (1933), two years before 20th Century Pictures amalgamated with Fox. Only one more assignment brought back Mr. Newman to his former home studio: as musical director (with assistant Ken Darby of a mild filming of Rodgers and Hammerstein's State Fair (1962). Worth noting, Mr. Newman (and associate Charles Henderson)) had netted an Oscar nomination for serving in the same capacity on the appealing 1945 version.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: A huge palm tree is visible during a company picnic supposedly set on an estate near New York City - a botanical impossibility.

Quotes:

Amanda Farrow: When you finish the slush files, then you may go. But I want my comments on each.
Caroline Bender: Typed?
Amanda Farrow: No Miss Bender. Beat it out on a native drum.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mad Men: Babylon (#1.6)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Again

an underrated film

A classic late 50's film. The superannuated headliners (Joan Crawford and Louis Jordan) are not at their best, but the direction, cinematography, and acting of the younger cast are compelling. In a 50's sense (which I love).

The look and feel of the artsy (over-artsy?) contemporary film "Far from heaven" reflects exactly this sort of film (and I suspect this film may be one of the models). A silly plot, of course (hey, it's 1959!), but as a film-- glorious! As a reflection of the society, extremely interesting. And as witness to how Hollywood breaks away from the idealistic portrayal of American sexual mores, fascinating.