Marty Movie Review

Marty (1955)

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Written by: Paddy Chayefsky
Directed by: Delbert Mann
Starring: Ernest Borgnine, Betsy Blair, Esther Minciotti
Rated: Approved [PG]
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Plot
A middle-aged butcher and a school teacher who have given up on the idea of love meet at a dance and fall for each other.

Verdict
It's from an era just old enough to feel strange and out of place due to social customs. I like the earnestness of the movie. It doesn't focus on drama in the relationship but two people desperate to find someone. Those feelings remain pertinent no matter the generation. The conflict Marty faces are people trying to discourage his burgeoning romance out of selfishness and jealousy. They don't want to be left behind and lonely. While I like the focus, I wish this portrayed more than one night so we could get more character and relationshiop development. It ends up feeling incomplete.
It depends.

Review
All of Marty's (Ernest Borgnine) siblings are married. He's a butcher and even customers are trying to fix him up. He just doesn't have many prospects, and he's frustrated with the dating scene. Marty is a nice enough guy that just can't find someone that likes him.

Ernest Borgnine plays Marty

He runs into Clara (Betsy Blair), who's in the same boat as he is. No one pays them much mind and their dating prospects are shallow. They like each other well enough, but it's almost comical how Marty refers to both of them as dogs to accentuate that neither of them are attractive.

Marty and Clara hit it off. He's head over heels, unable to stop talking. I don't know if she doesn't feel the same way or if she's just more reserved. Either way, he's talkative. At the end of the night when he tries to kiss her, he gets rebuffed. He thinks it's an outright rejection, but she explains it's not. She just didn't know what to do in that situation due to a lack of experience. He's obviously relieved it wasn't yet another dismissal.

Marty's mom earlier encouraged him to find someone, now discourages his new relationship as she's afraid of what will happen to her when he moves out. It's pure selfishness. His friends are the same way, discouraging him for being interested in a girl they deem too plain. Funny enough, none of them have girlfriends. It's a misery loves company situation, and Marty is falling into the trap of peer pressure. He doesn't call Clara like he promised.

Ernest Borgnine, Betsy Blair play Marty, Clara

While hearing his friends complain about having nothing to do and no one to see that night, Marty realizes the mistake he made. He does have someone he can go see. He rushes to call Clara, stating that he had a good time with her, liked her, and if they have enough good times maybe he'll propose.

It's a simplistic romance that avoids forced drama. I appreciate the earnestness as two people just want to find someone they like and reciprocates. Marty and Clara find that in each other. The concept is simplistic to a fault. This doesn't need drama, but it could use more character development as their relationship progresses.