Review of Marty (1955) by R.a. L — 31 Jan 2009

"Marty" is about as simple as a movie can get, but that is where it excels. Ernest Borgnine plays the part of an aging, heavyset single butcher who is trying to find love perfectly. It's a part that earned him an Oscar, and I feel it was deservedly so.

Throughout the film, Marty has to constantly be reminded by those who know him that he should find a girl. He feels that he is "fat and ugly" and that no girl would want to be with him. He is a nice guy, but he just doesn't have the looks to attract a woman. The film really draws attention to the fact that a man can be depressed about feeling unattractive and unable to find love. It is the tradition for only a woman to ever be portrayed as feeling this way. Borgnine puts such real emotion into the character, and it comes across as very authentic and believable.

"Marty" doesn't only show the man's side, though. Clara (Blair), who meets Marty at a dance club after being dumped by her date, is in a similar predicament. She is rather homely, so most men don't find her to be a suitable mate, and she too is aging and on her way to becoming an old maid. Blair's performance is also very believable.

The chemistry between Borgnine and Blair is where the film really shines. These two people both come from similar situations and had just been waiting to find one another. Their conversations are innocent and simplistic, but I was drawn to them and really felt empathy for the couple.

As the film progresses, people try to put doubt in Marty's head about Clara who he had promised to call the next afternoon. His mother, after talking to his aunt who was being asked to move out of her son's house, begins to feel like she was going to lose Marty and tries to get him to forget about this girl. His best friend tries to tell him that she's a "dog" and to dump her. Marty lets this get to him but finally realizes that he has found true love. Here the film shows that you shouldn't care about what other people think. This is a story of following your heart and doing what feels right to you.

"Marty" has one of the most touching stories I've ever seen. I felt like I could identify with some of what was going on in the movie, and I'm sure other people do, too. That's why this movie is a classic.