''Marty'' (1955 movie)- Review

Directed by:  Delbert Mann
Released: 1955
Country: United States

Genre: Romantic drama

Cast: Ernest Borgnine, Betsy Blair, Esther Minciotti, Augusta Ciolli, Joe Mantell, Karen Steele

Rating: 4 out of 5

Review

''Marty'' is one of those simple, lovely little films that are so charming that you can never forget about them. It is a film that is a must-watch for those who are fond of sweet love stories.

The titular character, Marty (Ernest Borgnine) is a 34-year-old man. He has never been married. All of his siblings have already married and settled down. His mother is quite worried for him. Marty is also worried for himself, as his friends constantly insist him to get married. At his mother's insistence, he goes to a dance one evening, and there he meets Clara (Betsy Blair), a 29-year-old schoolteacher whose date abandoned her. Marty asks Clara to dance with him, and she does, and spending the entire evening together, they gradually discover that they are in love, and that they are loving the time that they are spending together.

There is also a subplot as Virginia, wife of Marty's cousin starts complaining about her mother-in-law. Virginia thinks that the presence of her mother-in-law is ruining her privacy. This subplot deals with the problems and conflicts that both mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law tend to get through. The mother suffers from a kind of insecurity that her daughter-in-law is poisoning her son against her, while the daughter-in-law strongly feels that her mother-in-law is an obstacle to her  leading a happy life,

But more importantly, ''Marty'' is a great love story! I mean, it is so sweet that it will definitely bring a smile on everybody's face! The scene in which Marty and Clara walk after the dance and Marty cannot even stop talking- that scene was so lovely! The way in which the two characters come to understand each other- in spite of having known each other only for a short time- is really amazing. Perhaps this understanding is because of the fact that they can identify with each other's problems and insecurities. Neither Marty nor Clara is glamorous, but what they possess is good heart, what they possess is love. The chemistry between the two main characters was excellent! Betsy Blair is so cute and charming, and Ernest Borgnine's performance is really great. I admit it is not a great film that emotionally overpowered me or something, but yes, it is an excellent love story that brought a smile on my face and left me impressed- it is  a beautiful film, well-written, well-directed, and well-acted.

4 out of 5