Review of Marty (1955) by Orlok W — 16 Jun 2014

A lonely bachelor, socially tortured for being single, falls for a schoolteacher he meets at a dance hall.

Ernest Borgnine, insecurities fully on display, gives a lovely, vulnerable performance in the titular role in this warm, positive film. The plot is fairly simple, but the film is tightly written and directed with no wasted time.

I think what I enjoyed most about the film was Paddy Chayefsky's script. In my younger days, I had conversations with delightful young ladies that lasted the whole night, and while I can never remember what we talked about, I can often remember the feeling of connection and the joy of talking. Chayefsky's scenes in which Marty and Clara are meeting for the first time and getting to know each other seem natural and sweet, and he captures that feeling of connection in way that is true without sacrificing the need to keep the conversation interesting for the audience. Perhaps Richard Linklater watched this film while writing his Before films.

Overall, this isn't a film that will set the world on fire, but it might warm a heart or two.