'Marty' is a movie that can be summed up simply in three words. It's very honest. Ernest Borgnine and Betsy Blair play the two main characters, Marty and Clara. The bulk of the movie takes place over one night, the night Marty and Clara meet. Everything is really that simple. The thing that is great is that neither of the characters is anything but human. They are flawed, they are insecure, and they are awkward around each other and don't know how to act in certain situations. The chemistry between Blair and Borgnine is absolutely beautiful. They give us a relationship that is real. There are moments in the movie, that I won't give away, that are almost hard to watch and its hard not to feel sympathy. At the same time, its hard not to relate to the characters on some level. They are human, they are flawed, and its beautiful to watch, yet sad at the same time. I was surprised by the charm of the movie and I recommend it to anyone. 8.5 out of 10.
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tripper08 October 2001
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On the surface, 'Marty' appears to be a simple love story about a butcher and a school-teacher, but there are many more layers to this film, which manages to be simultaneously funny & deeply moving without ever getting corny.
There's so much about this film that stands the test of time half a century later. It's no wonder it won so many awards that year (including 4 Oscars.) In her autobiography, Betsy Blair mentions that 'Marty' was the high point of her career; it made her a movie star overnight and she was never again in anything as important (though I thought her performance in 'A Delicate Balance' with Katherine Hepburn years later was even better.) She won the BAFTA for her role here, as did Ernest Borgnine, who deservedly swept every award that year for his role as Marty, including the Oscar and the Golden Globe. Borgnine is flawless in his performance & lovable from the very first scene. Esther Monciotti as his mother also delivers a standout performance. Some of the funniest and most memorable lines in the film belong to her and her on-screen sister. The rest of the supporting cast are also great to watch. The frank dialogue and the humanity of the characters make this a film you want to watch more than once. -
claudio_carvalho1 August 2004Marty Piletti (Ernest Borgnine) is a lonely, insecure and honest thirty-four years old good man, living with his Italian mother, Mrs. Theresa Piletti (Esther Minciotti), and working as a butcher. Angie (Joe Mantell) is his best friend, a very shallow person, and his company to the bars and ballrooms in the evenings, since the ugly and fat Marty is rejected by the girls. His Italian family and friends put pressure on him to get married, but Marty has no girlfriend and lots of difficulties to get close to women. One Saturday night, Marty meets Clara Snyder (Betsy Blair), a twenty-nine single, ugly (obs: `dog', in accordance with the description of Marty's friends in the story, but indeed Betsy Blair was a charming woman, having beautiful eyes and lovely smile and voice) and rejected woman, in a ballroom. Betsy is a teacher in Brooklyn with college degree, and like Marty, is very insecure and has the feeling of rejection by men. They feel attracted by each other and spend a wonderful night together. On the next day, before and after the Sunday Mass, Marty's relatives and friends make jokes with the lack of beauty in Clara. The marvelous open end of the story, uncommon in American movies, is one of the best I have ever seen. This movie is a simple, beautiful and touching love story with magnificent performances of the cast and a sensitive direction. The story and slangs (dog, tomatoes etc.) are dated in 2004, but does not jeopardize the beauty of this delightful romance. `Marty' is the only Best Picture winner (awarded in Picture, Director, Actor and Screenplay and nominated for Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Art-Direction and Cinematography) to also win at the Cannes Film Festival. My vote is nine.
Title (Brazil): `Marty' -
Okay, so I'm in the Business. I don't believe this movie could get made today except as an art house film. Its beauty lies in its simplicity. Starting with a terrific script by Chayefskey (arguably one of the five best playrights of the 20th century), this movie eschews every that's big about motion pictures for a story about Everman who didn't have a date on Saturday night. Rod Steiger first performed the role on television. It won a number of Emmys. "Opened up" for the silver screen, it retains the intimacy of its characters. Ernest Borgnine has probably been in 100 movies, but this was his shining moment. He breathes live into the hapless Bronx Butcher whose soul longs for love. When he gives his "I'm gonna get down on my knees..." speech, the tears begin to flow. Why? Because in our heart of hearts, each of us feels the need for love and self validation. Marty doesn't need special effects or action sequences. Marty is in a class by itself. Had it never been made we would have all missed an opportunity to look inside ourselves. Maybe in this day and age, with all our CGI and Virtual Reality, we need another Marty, to remind us who we really are.
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Marty, starring Ernest Borgnine and Betsy Blair, is a touching story from the 1950's about two people who fall in love and want to be together. However, they come up against the gossip, social pressure, and expectations of family and friends that hold them back from their natural instinct to marry and love one another. Both are "older" by the standards of the time but that does not stop them from wanting someone special. They are both excited about the prospect of spending their lives together and then, there is a pause as the elation runs up against reality. Borgnine and Blair are excellent in the role of a young couple who desire to break away from the bonds of friends and family to form their own home life. How will it turn out? This movie is a departure from the glossy Hollywood movies of the 1950's that used colour and celebrity talent and lacked the realism and honesty of this classic. Marty was a more mature movie, with a more effective treatment of social divisions and complicated relationships. Paddy Chayefsky wrote the script and Burt Lancaster was the producer. Both were creative forces in the film world of the 1950's. Delbert Mann directed; he also directed other fine movies such as Separate Tables and Middle of the Night. This is a precious film with a place in the history of American cinema.
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jerryunderwood19629 February 2009The only reason I gave this movie nine stars instead of ten is that it ended too soon!
It is hard to find a single thing wrong with this film. Stretching the imagination, one could call some of the attitudes "dated". (For example, the mothers think college girls are "one step from the street", during an era in which wives were still expected to be stay-at-home moms.) But still, this remains almost the perfect film for the group of viewers who appreciate heart- warming stories. (It will probably leave the "Rambo" crowd cold.)
I usually judge the success of a film by the "squirm factor"; if I am sorry to see the film end, I know I've watched a good film. By this standard, Marty is a superb film in every way. We really do care what happens after the credits roll.
See this film! -
Boyo-225 February 2002Every one in awhile, a small movie cleans up at the Oscars. It seems to happen about once a decade. This might be the first, though.
Ernest Borgnine is the title character. He is a butcher who is unmarried, Catholic, Italian and lives in New York where it would never occur to anyone to mind their own business. Everyone who buys a pork chop gives him grief over his bachlerhood, and that extends to his Mother, too. He is a sweet guy - loans money to his friends, is polite to strangers and considerate to his family. He is a little lonely and frustrated and doesn't have much to do.
One night in a dance hall a stranger offers him $5 to take a girl home, since the guy doesn't want to have anything to do with this particular girl. Marty is amazed at the rudeness so to not humiliate the girl any more than she has to be, and since he's alone anyway..they meet and dance and have a very nice night. He is very nervous and has a lot to say and sometimes rambles on a little. Not the worse crime in the world.
There is a small subplot over Marty's Aunt moving in with Marty and his Mom since she does not get along with her daughter-in-law. I suppose this is to show that even if you are married, life still hands out problems. And if you get to live long enough to be considered 'old', that sometimes you are uprooted and unwanted and a bit of a burden to your family.
Borgnine is terrific and won Best Actor over pretty tough competition. Joe Mandell as Angie, Marty's best friend, and Betsy Blair as Clara, who is the girl he meets, were also nominated.
This material was originally a television 'play' starring Rod Steiger as Marty and Nancy Marchand as Clara. I bet it was good. 8/10. -
Hitchcoc5 December 2016Ernest Borgnine is probably most remember for playing opposite Tim Conway on "McHale's Navy." He has played many quirky characters, sometimes real villains. But his roots go back to this film, where he won an Academy Award. He plays a quiet, middle aged butcher who lives with his mother. When he's not working, he spends his time with a bunch of other guys. They are nice people, but they have little ambition. They are just marking time, with little in the offing. They talk and talk and talk. They have great moments of indecisiveness where they can't even figure out what to do. One night, Marty (Borgnine) is at a dance and talks to a rather homely girl who has been jilted by her blind date. They have a nice talk and he finds he likes her. His mother, of course, thinks little of her (the reason being that her "little boy" may want to leave her alone). Marty's friends get into the act, referring to her as a dog. He is getting pressured from all around. No spoilers. Just a recommendation that you watch this movie in some quiet time and watch a masterful, underplayed, human drama.
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iquine2 January 2021(Flash Reviews)
This is an honest, a super realistic, love story between two unpopular young adults. Simply put, Marty is good guy who never gets a woman to take his offer for an innocent dance. He meets a upstanding woman named Clara in the same boat. Many of his friends try to push him into situations that take him away from Clara; he humbly declines because they have a strong emotional connection. The stories focus is on the two them awkwardly gaining confidence with themselves and each other as everyone around them tries to tear then apart because of their own self concerns. Definitely a film from a different era that would be hard sell to produce today yet the moral should be required for high school kids and they are so worried about truly unimportant things. -
AlsExGal3 February 2017In the opening scene you see a woman from a lower-class New York neighborhood chiding Marty Piletti continually: "Whatsa matter with you? Whatsa matter with you? Whatsa matter with you?" This is the theme of the movie – why isn't Marty married? Why isn't he loved? Why doesn't he fit in with the rest of society? Marty's social scene is his group of male friends who also can't get dates but are full of excuses about it, but he mainly hangs with his best friend Angie. Marty is filled with a lot of self-doubt, and is socially awkward. In one scene, Marty gets up the courage to call Mary Feeney after Angie convinces Marty that she likes him. He stumbles over his words: "I wonder if you might recall me?" Needless to say Mary does not recall him, nor does she want to go on a date with him.
You can almost physically feel Marty's pain as he strikes out in life. The lines are good, and Borgnine delivers them so that they hit your heart. "There comes a point in a man's life when he's gotta face some facts. And one fact that I gotta face is that whatever it is that women like, I haven't got!" In contrast, you see married couples having their own sets of problems, Marty's cousins Virginia and Tommy in particular, showing that the grass on the other side is not always greener. They have a new baby and Tommy's mother is interfering. To be fair, Tommy pushed his mom towards selling the house she had lived in for a lifetime and moving in with the new couple.
Marty finally sees light at the end of the tunnel when he meets Claire, a sweetly attractive girl who is dumped by her obnoxious blind date for not being "hot" enough. Two social rejects coming together and falling in love is seemingly a stale concept, but the script is fantastic. As they are dancing, Marty gives some insight into his character: "You don't get to be good-hearted by accident. You get kicked around long enough, you get to be a real professor of pain." Marty's mother, who was so anxious for Marty to get a girl, changes her mind when her sister moves from Tommy's couch to her couch, warning her that someday she'll be abandoned too. Angie doesn't like Marty's new girl because he is jealous of the way she monopolizes Marty's time. Marty is again filled with self-doubt and does not show up for his date with Clara, until he finally gets smart and realizes that he wants to rise above it all and pursue happiness.
There was one thread running through the movie that I thought was interesting. The characters say one thing and feel one way early on, then change their minds later. Marty's mother encourages him to get married, then later tries to break up his new relationship with his girlfriend. Marty's cousin Tommy encourages Marty to buy the butcher shop, then later tells him he is foolish. Tommy is in agreement with his wife that his mother should live elsewhere, then turns on Virginia when his mother starts to cry. There are other such "switches" that happen throughout.
Oh, keep an eye out and you might catch a glimpse of Jerry Ohrbach as a barely out his teens extra out on the dance floor. -
ccthemovieman-112 February 2006Two things were puzzling to me about this film: 1 - Why Blair's looks were constantly insulted in this film; 2 - How it won Best Picture Of the Year.
Blair was a good actress and very appealing. The fact she is described as a "dog" in this movie is ridiculous. The truth is, she was a very pretty (yes, in a plain way), wholesomely attractive woman. Hey, a lot of men, including me, would love to have a "dog" like that next to us.
Outside of that unfair description, the movie is filled with believable characters in a story that makes you reflect. Ernest Borgnine does very well in his touching role. His looks fit the part in here perfectly.
Was it worthy of the Academy's "Picture Of the Year?" Well, that's very debatable, but it's a pleasant enough film and the kind, frankly, I wish I would see more often. -
Richie-67-48585215 May 2017Do you want your heart warm & toasty? How about a feel good movie that takes you for a journey through human nature up close & personal? Love, friendship, life, work, companionship, intimacy, parents, marriage, and all the normal life problems with solutions presented here for your viewing enjoyment. Who hasn't had some of the thoughts or experiences depicted in this movie? No one and that is what captures you right away. You could be any one of the characters in this movie that's how down to earth it is. Perfect part for Ernie Borgnine too who plays Marty the guy who is just out of luck when it comes to love and purpose but has everything else which fulfills and at the same time reminds you that something is missing. There are so many well directed and acted out scenes that make this a movie that one wants to watch over & over again. I have seen it 20 times and I am not through either. It captures the mood and time of that era and place that enables one to relate to it all without missing a beat. The main points of the movie are delivered up right away too with the remaining part of the film supporting all the premises. We go up and down and identifying with Marty, the lead player is not hard. He wants love but doesn't know what it is or how to go about it and from what he does understand, it just doesn't work for him. His agony is so heartfelt that it is like a cry to the Universe for help and it comes, but not in ways expected. That is what makes it so potent and memorable. There is an especially good scene with Marty and his ma and he is eating dinner that is so well acted out not just for the wanting a plate of your own but for the deep emotions and expressions with no resolutions but also no surrender either. Nice little glimpse into the Italian culture of the time too. Highly recommend a meal while watching, definitely a dessert or snack with a tasty drink and let this little gem go to work on you. It will! Enjoy Hey Marty...whadda you want to do tonight...I dunno whaddaya want to do?
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Prince-P15 January 2024In the mid-50s, Hollywood began to invest more and more in lavish movie spectacles. TV had become an increasingly serious competitor, and in order to attract people back to the cinemas, the studios tried to offer stuff that television couldn't match. So, the executives at United Artist laughed scornfully when Harold Hecht told them about his new idea. The producer wanted to make a film about an overweight, middle-aged man who still lives with his mother. Hecht planned to call the movie "Marty", just like the guy whose life he intended to portray.
Ironically, the play Harold Hecht wanted to film was originally made for TV. And its author, Paddy Chayefsky, had many definite demands before selling the rights to his text. First, he wanted to write the screenplay. Then he wanted to have control over the casting. Last, but not least, Chayefsky wanted Delbert Mann to direct "Marty" (the same guy that had handled the television adaptation). If Hecht had any objections to any of this, he at least didn't mention it.
In September 1954 Delbert Mann began shooting exteriors in the Bronx. After a week of intensive work, the cast and crew then moved on to the soundstages at the Goldwyn Studio in Hollywood. But now it turned out that the film was in an awkward predicament. A bout of financial mismanagement had resulted in an empty production account. It was only after the Bankers Trust of America stepped in and granted a loan that "Marty" could be finished.
Unfortunately, the executives at United Artists decided to release "Marty" as a second feature. The modest black-and-white story with no stars, no action and a lot of dialogue seemed slated for an existence in the shadows. But then everyone (not least Harold Hecht) got a big surprise. The film won the prestigious Palme d'Or at Cannes. And the success continued. At the Academy Awards, "Marty" received four Oscars, including best picture and best director. -
MovieMan028324 April 2003I think of this is a great rainy afternoon movie. You're flipping through the channels on one of those great lazy Saturdays...it's summer but it's raining outdoors and you're stuck inside. You come across a classic movie channel (AMC, TCM--take your pick) and pause. What's this? Ernest Borgnine? You always like him, why not stop for a moment and watch. It looks like it's just beginning. "Marty"? Yeah, you've heard of it, vaguely. Won the Oscar or something, but it's been kind of forgotten. So you start watching and before long you're totally enchanted, completely charmed, by the simple story and realistic characters. Who can't sympathize with Borgnine's sensitive butcher, hanging out with his Italian friends and their goofy conversations about Mickey Spillane, all the while pining away with his heart of gold for a girl that his buddies call a "dog"? The conversations have the kind of natural humor and warmth that remind you of the old days hanging out with your pals. As you watch the movie, you find yourself enthralled and you never change the channel, watching it till the end, realizing that you've seen this plot riffed on and spoofed on various TV shows, films, and cartoons over the years. When the movie's done, you're really excited--this is one of those films you discovered on your own and nothing can beat that thrill. Now, this isn't the way I saw "Marty"--I rented it and now own it on DVD--but it's the spirit I get from it. I love the conversation between Marty and his best friend, its street poetry that's entertaining without being false, in the diner as their Friday night lays out ahead of them. I love Marty and Clara's walk, their honesty and his enthusiasm; you worry is he going to far, being too gregarious for the shy Clara? Will it work? I love the preparations for Sunday Mass, the fight between the married couple, and Marty agonizing over standing up his girl while his friends have an amusingly banal and silly conversation in which they keep repeating themselves. It's really just a charming and wonderful film, joyful even in its sad moments. If you don't enjoy it, what can I say, but my recommendation comes completely honest and from the heart. This is one of those personal favorites that also happens to be an underrated classic--but just underrated enough so that the joy of discovering it on a rainy Saturday afternoon remains undiluted.
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brianjm0616 August 2007Excellent movie! It starts out on a Saturday afternoon and goes into Sunday evening, in that brief time bringing us into the lives of these people in very deep and moving ways. It is very touching to see what can happen when people have a selfish heart or a caring heart. Have seen this picture 5 times now and it stays with me for days each time. Great way to see how we have choices, whether we realize them or not. We see how we all have our own things going on in our lives, our own agendas. We all impact others, and are impacted by others. Maybe we don't want to or think we do, but see how we do. These situations and characters are very easy to relate to. Shows how we could hurt or do anything we want to if we really want it and if our heart is in the wrong or the right place.
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Having just seen Jeff Garlin's charmingly lightweight "I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With", I was curious to see its inspiration since there is constant reference to it throughout, including a scene where Gina Gershon and teen idol Aaron Carter are hilariously miscast in the leads of a stage version. Running only ninety minutes, the 1955 movie holds the distinction of being the shortest film to win the Best Picture Oscar, and its scale is indeed very small it covers a weekend in the life of a lonely, overweight Bronx butcher named Marty Piletti. The eldest of six children, the youngest of whom just got married, Marty lives a routine life living with his widowed mother and hanging out with best pal Angie (the source of a classically circular piece of dialogue - "What do you feel like doing tonight?" "I don't know, Ange. What do you feel like doing?"). Pushed by his mother to go to the Stardust Ballroom where there are a "lot of tomatoes", he inadvertently meets Clara, an equally lonely spinster schoolteacher from Brooklyn. It's intriguing to see how cultural mores have changed since both characters are considered over-the-hill for marriage even though he is only 34 and she 29. As they grapple toward intimacy, they face not only their own doubts but those of the people closest to Marty since they become aware how dependent they are on his constant availability.
Directed by Delbert Mann in his first time out at the helm, the production seems accurate in capturing the atmosphere of the mid-1950's lower middle class, and the dramatically effective setting allows Marty's story to take on a well-earned poignancy. This has primarily to do with the honest, unsentimental dialogue by Paddy Chavefsky (several years before "The Hospital" and "Network"). The observant performances complement the treatment with Ernest Borgnine giving his career-best performance in the title role. Even though he is sometimes too robust to be completely convincing as a socially defeated man, he brings surprising force to scenes when his self-awareness no longer can be hide his pain. Looking very much like Julie Harris at the time, Betsy Blair has a tougher role as Clara since her character is so withdrawn as to fade when Marty dominates the conversation. Even with her intentionally lank presence, Blair is too attractive to be considered mercilessly as a "dog". The rest of the cast takes more predictable turns Esther Minciotti as Marty's clinging Italian mother, Joe Mantell as codependent Angie, Jerry Paris (a few years before his days as neighbor Jerry Helper on "The Dick Van Dyke Show") and Karen Steele constantly bickering as Marty's cousin and his wife. It's a solidly modest film with no pretensions. Other than the theatrical trailer featuring producer Burt Lancaster's glowing praises, the DVD has no significant extras. -
Ernest Borgnine does a great job as Marty Piletti, a middle-aged, single Italian-American looking to see if he might finally develop a relationship, against the wishes of everyone around him. Aside from looking at his life, one gets the feeling of the lives of Italian-Americans in 1950s New York: Marty's mother is concerned about his status as a bachelor, his aunt moves in with them after getting kicked out by his cousin, and other things.
I also got the sense that the movie was looking at some of the changing mores of the post-war era (which still had yet to come to full fruition). This is manifested in cousin Tommy's marriage, and how his wife keeps getting in conflict with his mother. No longer would everyone only marry within their own ethnicity, and it probably would create some conflicts.
But no matter how you look at it, "Marty" is a very admirable movie. Not only do I agree that it deserved its Oscars, I can see why it became so popular in the Soviet Union. I certainly recommend it.
PS: Jerry Paris, who plays Tommy, played the neighbor on "The Dick Van Dyke Show". -
bkoganbing14 August 2007Among other things Marty will be known for is being the best film Burt Lancaster ever produced without Burt Lancaster the actor. Hard to disagree with four Academy Awards credited to the film.
Originally a made for television drama that starred Rod Steiger in the title role, Marty piqued the interest of both Burt Lancaster and his producer partner Harold Hill. Rod Steiger had gotten very good reviews for his interpretation of the part of the thirty something Bronx butcher. However upon getting the film rights, Lancaster himself did not want to cast Steiger again because he felt no one would see the film again after seeing Steiger on free television. Lancaster also personally cast Ernest Borgnine in the lead after having worked with him on From Here to Eternity.
In 1955 Marty on television and the big screen struck a resonant cord with the American public. Something about the tale of the Bronx butcher longing anxiously for a life soul mate made it a universal theme about fear of loneliness. The plot such as it is has Marty going to the Stardust Ballroom and meeting plain jane school teacher Betsy Blair.
Marty has a lot going against the relationship. His erstwhile friends, as big a pack of losers ever created for the screen, don't want to lose one of their number. His mother, after listening to her sister, changes from pushing him out the door to meet new people, to strongly urging him to forget Betsy Blair. The conversation between the two women, Esther Minciotti as Borgnine's mother and Agusta Ciolli as his Aunt Katherine is a classic.
One of Marty's biggest boosters was columnist Walter Winchell. He plugged the film a lot in his column and was very instrumental in beating the publicity drums for Marty. Ironic since two years later, Burt Lancaster delivered a cinema indictment against Winchell in playing Winchell clone, J.J. Hunsecker in Sweet Smell of Success.
No doubt Winchell helped because Marty scored with four Oscars. Best Picture of 1955, Best Actor Ernest Borgnine, Best Director Delbert Mann and Best Adapted Screenplay Paddy Chayefsky. There were also nominations for Best Supporting Actress for Betsy Blair and Best Supporting Actor for Joe Mantell as Marty's 'friend' Angie.
Though its mores are definitely ground in the Fifties, Marty is a timeless tale that could easily be rewritten for the 21st centuries. There are still butchers in the Bronx and 30 something school teachers looking for love. It's what makes it universal. -
35-year old Bronx butcher (Oscar-winner Ernest Borgnine), unmarried and living with his widowed Italian-Catholic mamma, meets a single girl at a dance who has the same low self-esteem as he does; after coffee, pie, and about three hours of intimate conversation, he's smitten with the girl, but his single buddies and his worried mother immediately disapprove. As directed by Delbert Mann and written by Paddy Chayefsky (adapted from his teleplay), we're supposed to automatically see ourselves in these "real" characters--yet nobody on-screen talks with the rhythm of real people. Chayefsky tries turning naturally hurried, everyday talk into low-class poetry, but his own rhythm is repetitive (Borgnine keeps asking everyone, "Whad'dya so sore about?!" in the same intonation). One sees right away the circular device of the slim story--and waits for the plot-thread to come full circle. Surprisingly, when it does, it's quite satisfying, mostly due to Borgnine's insight into his character and his dedication to keeping him honest. The picture isn't profound, nor is it especially intuitive or heart-wrenching, but it does have a quiet easiness that appeals to audiences. When Betsy Blair returns home from her date with Borgnine, she talks about the date to her parents in a light, sing-songy way that makes you smile. What doesn't pass are the performances by Esther Minciotti and Augusta Ciolli as Borgnine's mother and his aunt; these women approach the material like they've been playing the same characters on TV or on the stage for years, and their braying voices and martyred hurts are so creaky they threaten to turn the proceedings into a self-parody. *** from ****
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dataconflossmoor4 April 2008"Marty" is an absolutely fabulous movie which takes on a formidable approach to social realism, this is a feat which was not depicted all too frequently back in 1955!! The film, "Marty" won the academy award for best picture in 1955, and, with the plethora of talent this movie possessed, it is no wonder!! Ernest Borgnine is spectacular as the hard luck simpleton, his reputation in Hollywood speaks for itself! Betsy Blair (She was compelling in "A Delicate Balance") is a method actress who carries off her agitated emotions with a very subtle disposition! Jerry Paris (Jerry on "The Dick Van Dyke Show") is a wealth of talent who was incredibly believable in this film! Many of the other actors and actresses with smaller roles in this movie were powerfully cogent as well! Paddy Chayefsky, (Most famous for "Network") who writes the screenplay, has an amazing amount of talent regarding his ability to evoke heartfelt emotions which are esoteric in their comprehension!! The whole movie puts Ernest Borgnine on the spot to change the course of his floundering environment which was categorized by the negative associations to his cultural stereotype! To say that these two characters (Ernest Borgnine and Betsy Blair) were introverted, would be a masterpiece of understatement!! The ill-timed fiascoes of being loquacious one moment, and taciturn the next, became a volatile characteristic that obliterated the ground rules to casual dating!! The conversations with Ernest Borgnine and Betsy Blair, always encompassed the visceral components of perseverance!! Trapped in a situation of a lower middle class environment of an emerging ethnicity, the urge for Marty to necessitate a metamorphosis in his prevailing situation became an insurmountable obstacle course!! Ernest Borgnine's portliness was a good tool to convey his plight as the disgruntled curmudgeon who was perennially despondent! The uplifting insight to Marty meeting a girl, for whom he liked and had a lot in common with, became a necessary camaraderie that overcame circumstantial doubts and insecurities! Throughout this entire movie, Paddy Chayefsky's writing effort itemizes reality, and allows Marty to conquer adversity in a way that is thoroughly plausible! I liken this film to "Rocky" as both of these movies illustrate a boorish Italian-American environment to be the single biggest form of societal intimidation! The unassuming demeanor to the genre of "Marty" became the most stellar characteristic to the picture's success! I was pleasantly surprised at how wonderful the film "Marty" was, and, I think anyone who has a curiosity about academy award winning films, should definitely consider seeing this movie!!
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smakawhat20 May 2000I heard about this film through watching another film. What film was that? Well it was Quiz Show, and in that great movie there is a scene where the contestant on the take is told by the producer of the game show, how he is going to loose on the next show. He tells him that the question that will be asked is "what film won best picture in 1955?" and he is suppose to reply "On the Waterfront". The real answer of course, is "Marty", "On the Waterfront" won last year to which the contestant replies NO WAY am I loosing on that question. "I saw that film 10 times everyone's seen that film, it is great. I love that film! YOU CAN'T MAKE ME LOSE ON THAT QUESTION!!!" In reality Marty was a little picture with no major stars in it, an independent production, but it swept America and broke box office records and awards as America embraced good ole Marty.
An enjoyable little film about a guy named Marty who works in a butcher shop (played by Ernest). A simple guy who's life is uneventful as everyone in his family tells him he should get married considering he is now 34. He thinks himself as nothing but an ugly duckling, and has given up, feeling he will live his entire life with his mother. This film is done real well, and when I saw Ernest Borgnine get the award for best Actor I was mystified. Borgnine is a guy I know who has had work in the past, but I can only remember him for the lame roles he has had in TV (like the show Airwolf). I was hoping there was something more to this guy.
Turns out Ernest's role in this film isn't just good its GREAT!! This guy actual has talent! The film is a little dated (the parents take their daughter out to the dance to help her find a date, and Ernest tells a woman he meets that he has to call it a night to be at mass at 10) but the movie is also timeless cause of the issues guys have with trying to find love and the relationships with family and friends. My only criticism was that the film ended too early and I didn't want it to I wanted it to KEEP GOING! But still an enjoyable little film.
Rating 7 1/2 out of 10 -
hughman5531 January 2011As a kid I came to know Ernest Borgnine through "McHales Navy". Then I grew up and quickly forgot everything I ever knew about him. Then along came a movie called "Quiz Show", about the game show scandals of the 50's, where one of the plot points revolved around a game show question pertaining to this movie winning Best Picture and Ernest Borgnine winning Best Actor. And I thought to myself, is this made up? What could the guy from McHales Navy possibly do to win an Oscar for Best Actor? It seemed ridiculous. A fluke. Possibly made up for the movie "Quiz Show".
After passing up numerous opportunities to see this film over the last 40 plus years I finally saw it on TCM and I am schooled.
Everyone in their lives, no matter how beautiful they are, or think they are, has felt like these characters at some point. It is the universal feeling of loneliness and alienation and it is explored thoughtfully and sympathetically here. It also explores the casualties of love. A daughter gets married, equals a Mother loses her son. A guy falls in love with a girl, equals his best friend loses companionship. Falling in love shifts everything around it and not always gently. Love is messy even at its borders.
So here we have Ernest Borgnine and Esther Minciotti, son and Mother in the film, giving truly once in a lifetime performances in this tiny little movie. Their kindness towards each other, far beyond the script they're working from, is touching. Jerry Paris, pre Dick Van Dyke show, is remarkable as another son with his own set of relationship problems. The sarge from "Gomer Pyle" is in this too. It's a proverbial cavalcade of upcoming '60's television.
But at it's heart it is a touching movie that everyone should see. I wish I hadn't waited so long. Ernest Borgnine was given the chance of a lifetime to play Marty. Though terrific in everything he ever did, nothing before or after Marty gave him the opportunity to show what a truly gifted actor he is. Thank God someone was smart enough to cast him. -
MyMovieTVRomance15 March 2022John Candy's "Only the Lonely" being loosely (very loosely) based on/inspired by this made me want to see it. And although Candy's film is funny, whereas this one wasn't, this one was still a pretty enjoyable film. It was sentimental and understated, short and sweet. A subtle character-driven little romantic drama with people you can root for.
I much prefer the 1991 version for its big laughs and stars, but for fans of that movie, this movie is definitely worth seeing as-well. -
mnpollio27 December 2018Earlier filmed as a TV play, Marty relates the tale of a middle-aged sad-sack Italian butcher in New York City (Ernest Borgnine). Marty is a bachelor, who still lives at home with his mother while supporting her financially. His existence seems to revolve around being berated by his social network for the sin of not being married and punching out kids, trying unsuccessfully to get dates when he is nothing to look at and being put down, and listening to his whining friend ask what they are going to do tonight. One evening he meets a plain Jane schoolmarm (Betsy Blair) and things look like they might turn around for both of them.
It must have seemed daring in 1954 for Oscars to shower big awards on such a small, intimate film like Marty, which is so different from many of the spectacle driven films usually honored. Yet years later, Marty seems like such a forgettable and underwhelming film to deserve such salutations. At the risk of seeming crass, I actually prefer the thinly veiled John Candy remake Only the Lonely to this film, if for no other reason than that Candy and Maureen O'Hara provide the zip that is missing from Marty.
Borgnine won Best Actor as Marty and he is solid here. I am actually glad that Borgnine, typecast playing bullies and villains, was given a chance to play a sympathetic role. He plays it well, but I do not think it is worth a Best Actor Oscar, especially given his competition that year. The remaining members of the cast are believable if not especially memorable.
I really dislike how self-important and dour this film is, especially when masquerading as being an uplifting "real" film about "real" people. Showcasing people without movie star looks does not by default make them "real". The people in Marty's orbit are manipulative and downright nasty to him for no good reason other than to forward the narrative. His mother (Esther Minciotti) berates him for not trying hard enough to find a wife, but changes her tune on a dime when Marty shows up with a serious girlfriend - having an epiphany that this will cause her upheaval. Marty's irritating best friend and fellow sad sack on the prowl for a wife claims to want what's best, but similarly changes tune when he realizes he may lose a hang-out buddy by denouncing Marty's date as "a dog" not worth anyone's time. The Italian women who frequent Marty's butcher shop are downright surreal - hurling non-stop abuse at him and bleating what an embarrassment he is to his poor mother by not getting married. One would think that the only reason for being in existence from this film is marrying any warm body you can find and punching out kids. Talk about anachronistic!
Worse, Borgnine and Blair have absolutely no chemistry together. When they get together for their date, it is an excruciatingly awkward experience. Rather than two kindred spirits meeting and falling in love, we witness two extremely desperate characters browbeat into believing they cannot be happy unless wed, who settle on each other because they have no other options. Blair is withdrawn and barely speaks - while Borgnine sweats and talks and talks and talks - about himself - too much. It is hard to say whether they feel any honest romance or kinship, so much as they view each other as an out to escape the manipulative people in their orbit and to just shut them up.
Somehow rather than feeling happy for Marty and his girlfriend, the whole experience just left me empty and depressed. Rather than offering hope or being uplifted, watching two people that we are uncertain belong together latch on to each other out of sheer desperation seems incredibly gloomy and disheartening.