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 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:

actress | publishing house | unfaithfulness | adultery | vocational obsession | 

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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:

Las audaces

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:

Jerry Wald Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie includes several references to other Twentieth Century Fox productions of the era: the paperback book rack seen in many scenes features a movie tie-in edition of The Diary of Anne Frank with Millie Perkins on the cover and at one point the editor mentions the upcoming soft cover version of Sons And Lovers, the movie version of which was produced by Jerry Wald and released in 1960. Perhaps not coincidentally, Diane Baker co-stars in "Anne Frank" as well as this film.

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Goofs

When Hope Lange is on her way out of the office, she goes back to answer her telephone. She says "Hello" when she picks up the phone, but doesn't push the button to connect to the correct phone line until a split second after she answers. The caller wouldn't have heard her answer.

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Quotes

April Morrison: I'm so ashamed. Now I'm just somebody who's had an affair.

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Connections

Referenced in Valley of the Dolls (1967)

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Soundtracks

Wedding March
(uncredited)
From "A Midsummer Night's Dream"
Music by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy
Played when the bouquet is thrown

User Reviews

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.