Marjorie Morningstar (1958)

While working as a counselor at a summer camp, college-student Marjorie Morgenstern falls for 32-year-old Noel Airman, a would-be dramatist working at a nearby summer theater. Like Marjorie... See full summary »

Director:

Irving Rapper

Writers:

Everett Freeman (screenplay), Herman Wouk (novel)

Stars:

Gene Kelly, Natalie Wood, Claire Trevor

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 5 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Gene Kelly	...	Noel Airman
Natalie Wood	...	Marjorie Morgenstern
Claire Trevor	...	Rose Morgenstern
Everett Sloane	...	Arnold Morgenstern
Martin Milner	...	Wally Wronkin (as Marty Milner)
Carolyn Jones	...	Marsha Zelenko
George Tobias	...	Maxwell Greech
Martin Balsam	...	Dr. David Harris
Jesse White	...	Lou Michaelson
Edd Byrnes	...	Sandy Lamm (as Edward Byrnes)
Paul Picerni	...	Philip Berman
Alan Reed	...	Puddles Podell
Ruta Lee	...	Imogene Norman
Ed Wynn	...	Uncle Samson

Storyline

While working as a counselor at a summer camp, college-student Marjorie Morgenstern falls for 32-year-old Noel Airman, a would-be dramatist working at a nearby summer theater. Like Marjorie, he is an upper-middle-class New York Jew (born 'Ehrman'), but has fallen away from his roots, and Marjorie's parents object among other things to his lack of a suitable profession, such as medicine or law. Noel himself warns Marjorie repeatedly that she's much too naive and conventional for him, but they nonetheless fall in love. As they pursue an on-again-off-again relationship, Marjorie completes her studies at Hunter College, and works to establish an acting career, while Noel first leaves the theater for a job with an advertising agency, but later completes a musical he'd started writing before he and Marjorie had first met. Meanwhile, their relationship deepens (though, consistent with '50s Hollywood mores, the more full-fledged sexuality in their relationship is never explicitly communicated...

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Plot Keywords:

playwright | new york city | musical revue | jewish | based on novel | 

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Taglines:

The picture that is the story of every young girl who ever had to choose between decency and desire!

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

Although "Southwinds Hotel," where Marjorie meets Noel, is supposed to be in the Catskill Mountains (NW of New York City), the movie was actually filmed at Schroon Lake, in the Adirondack Mountains (NE of New York City).

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Goofs

At Marsha's wedding, Marjorie extinguishes her cigarette twice.

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Quotes

Uncle Samson: Health is everything. The rest is mud.

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Crazy Credits

There is a credit for the perfume worn by the leading players.

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Alternate Versions

The Warner Bros. logo and the WarnerColor credit are cut from television and video prints.

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Connections

Referenced in You Bet Your Life: Episode #9.33 (1959)

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Soundtracks

A Very Precious Love
Music by Sammy Fain
Lyrics by Paul Francis Webster

User Reviews

An OK flick

I have watched Marjorie Morningstar on video a few times and have read others' review of it. As a Jew, I was not bothered by the stereotypes. They rang true because in that day an age, that is how parents viewed marriage for their children. Interesting that the Bar Mitzvah was held in an Orthodox synagogue where there is separate seating men and women though the religious observance of the Morgensterns is questionable. In any case, while the premise of a young woman falling for an older man with great passion is believable, Gene Kelly as Noel Airman to me was not even likable. And it is wonder why they needed to cast a 46-year old man in a role of a 33 year old. Ed Wynn and Carolyn Jones were a delight, while most of the other characters were not particularly noteworthy. The movie ending is far different from the book, and honestly, I think I prefer the movie ending though the book's end was probably more true to life.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 April 1958 (USA)

Also Known As:

Marjorie Morningstar

Filming Locations:

Jewish Home for the Aged Boyle Heights Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Beachwold Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

128 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (WarnerColor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1