Review of Marty (1955) by Josh M — 25 Jul 2009

Going into Marty, I really knew nothing about it other than the fact that it was a story about a middle-aged guy who meets a woman. Whatever I expected, it wasn't what I got - and that's a good thing.

Marty is the clear ancestor of films like Before Sunset, movies that are willing to let their characters breathe and realize that you don't need gimmicks or absurd stories to drive a romance. Sometimes, simply listening to two people talking and being completely honest is enough, and in the case of Marty, it definitely is.

There's no arguing how perfect Borgnine is for the part; a lesser actor would have played up the "poor, pitiful me" aspect more, or ignored it. Borgnine addresses it, makes it part of his life, but we also understand that he's a man who's adjusted to himself and is okay with who he is.

It's an honest, sweet film that does little more than tell a story of two people who meet and fall in love. But it does it so well, with so much heart, that it's no wonder it's so loved.