Thursday, August 24, 2017

Best Picture of 1955: Marty

Movies love to sell the idea of love. Most of the time when they are selling this idea it's happening during a crisis, or a moment of difficulty, or even "when you least expect it". Sometimes it's real and sometimes it's just an idea that the characters create in their heads. Not very often does Hollywood make a love story a simple and charming love story. If it is a simple and charming love story it is usually not the center of the movie it's a side plot to one. That is not the case when it comes to the Best Picture Winner of 1955 Marty. 

Marty is a 34 year old Butcher who lives a normal life in New York. He has many brothers and sister that are all married and starting families of their own. His kid brother very recently got married and now everyone is telling him that "you should be ashamed of yourself for not being married". Marty would very much like to get married but has not had any luck with girls. When his best friend convinces him to go out to the Stardust Ballroom that Saturday a chance encounter changes Marty's luck. Clara, a 29 year old teacher, was convinced to come out on a blind date by one of her best friends. The double date seems to be going well until they get to the Stardust Ballroom. Clara's date runs into a girl that he has a thing for right outside the doors. That is when he decides to ditch Clara. The four of them go in and Clara's date come up to Marty and tells him he will pay him five bucks if he would take Clara home so he can go catch up with the other girl. Marty says no because he is an honorable man and would never help that boy ditch his date. So, Marty watches as the man find another person to bribe and takes him over to the table. Clara tells them she would rather go home alone rather than have someone different take her there. That is when Marty decides to the honorable thing and asks her to dance. Marty and Clara hit it off real well and Marty takes her home and tells her he will call her tomorrow and make plans to see her again. However, after they part ways people start talking to Marty about how much of a "dog" she is and he should not call her again. It's up to Marty to now listen to everyone around him or choose to listen to what his heart says.

Over the years this film has charmed thousands of people and it has influence many other works as well. This film was made reference two the likes of Hey, Arnold, Rocko's Modern Life, and was the center of attention in the movie Quiz Show. Because of how charming this film was United Artist took home top prize of the 1955 Oscar's by beating out 20th Century Fox's Love is a Many Splendored Thing, Warner Brothers' Mister Roberts, Columbia's Picnic, and Paramount's The Rose Tattoo. It was also selected for preservation by the Nation Film Institute in 1994 and was also listed as number 64 on their 100 years... 100 Passions movie list in 2002.

I would have to say that this film is 100% lovable! This was not at all what I expected from this movie. It was never over the top, or over complicated it was just a story. Like I said earlier most of the time when Hollywood is making a movie about love there is always a "problem" that keeps the couple separated, or prevent them from meeting. If the movie is not about the love story in itself they make it a sub-plot to keep things interesting. This film was truly about a normal guy looking for a normal girl to fall in love with. The story was really about a normal man living a normal life and wanting to share that life with someone. The "complications" that he went through to get the girl were normal stuff that everyone goes through. He is taking care of his family, or his friends do not like that got a girl. It was never the girl was kidnapped, or the parents disapproved. It was a clean cut story about how normal people got the chance to fall in love and I thank Hollywood for a great love story that was presented to us today!

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