Marty (1955)

Marty, the story of a single butcher in New York City, won the Oscar for Best Picture of 1955. It's a very heartwarming movie, particularly if you have reached a point in your life when you too, like the title character of this film, have almost given up on the possibility of happiness and love. This is a simple movie about very simple, realistic people. I found it to be charming and quite touching.

Ernest Borgnine plays Marty, who is under constant pressure to get married like his siblings have done. However, Marty sees himself as an unattractive (perhaps even ugly) man, someone who is not appealing to women. He spends most of his time hanging out with his friends, particularly Angie. (They are the originators of the "What do you want to do?" "I don't know. What do you want to do?" style of dialogue that has been in hundreds of movies.) He's dated some women, but Marty has yet to fall in love. One night, at the goading of his mother, with whom he still lives, he goes to the Stardust Ballroom and meets Clara (played by Betsy Blair). They start talking and soon fall in love with each other.

His friends don't find Clara appealing; they keep referring to her as a "dog," a term Marty also uses to describe himself. His mother doesn't like her either; she thinks Marty should keep looking for another girl. Marty initially bows to pressure from his family and friends and, of course, is miserable because he wants to be with Clara. If the plot sounds astonishingly simple, that's part of its magic. The filmmakers of Marty have chosen instead to depict what life would be like for people in this situation. And it still has the same power today as it did in 1955. There are moments, for example, when you will feel the sense of rejection that Marty and Clara feel, especially in one scene where Clara is waiting for the phone to ring so that she can go out to the movies with Marty. It's heartbreaking to watch some of this film, but the payoff at the end is certainly worth it all.

Borgnine is very good in the part, the best work he ever did. Blair is very delicate, almost fragile. She never had a huge Hollywood career, thanks in part to the blacklisting of the 1940s and 1950s. However, she's remarkable here, perfectly suited to the role. Most of the rest of the cast play Marty's family and friends, and they all bring a nice light comedic touch to the movie. This is a well done character study, a small film about "real" people.