Marty: 1955

I didn't expect to find such an endearing, heartwarming character or story after watching the last five or six films that earned Best Picture. Marty is a pleasant surprise. I found myself actually becoming lost in the story, as opposed to checking the time and wondering how much longer I would have to spend watching the film. I think what made Marty enjoyable for me is that it is the story of an underdog, but it's also a story of a love and family and how sometimes our friends and family don't truly understand us.

Marty (played by Ernest Borgnine, who won Best Actor for this role) is a butcher living in the Bronx with his Italian mother. All his siblings are married, and since Marty is the oldest, all his customers (women) constantly ask why he isn't married. The opening scene shows just how frustrating this is for Marty. A few scenes later, Marty's own mother gives him a hard time about not being married, and Marty finally loses it:

Marty with his mother

I couldn't help but feel sympathy for Marty. He's an all-around nice guy, but he can't seem to find a girl. And he's pretty much given up because he's tired of being turned down. Yet the very same night he has this argument with his mother, he meets Clara (Betsy Blair), a sweet girl who has also faced the same heartache as Marty.

Clara and Marty

Perhaps the main reason Marty's story is so appealing is its universality. Who hasn't been let down in love? Who hasn't faced some sort of disappointment? Who hasn't had to deal with family issues? Marty's story reminds us that we shouldn't give up.

Within the film, there is another storyline, albeit small, that focuses on Marty's mother and her sister. Marty's sister lives with her son and daughter-in-law, and this living arrangement simply isn't working. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law cannot share the same house or kitchen. In this storyline, the screenwriter explores the dilemma of the older mother in the 1950s. As empty-nesters and widows, they have no one to take care of, and unlike today's retired women, they have no hobbies. They know how to and want to cook and clean. Their lives were about their children and husbands, and now that they are alone, they have nothing. Hearing their stories and fears makes me grateful to live in a time when there is life after children. Today, mothers are still mothers, but they embrace their roles as grandmothers and have so many opportunities to be involved in their communities and to simply enjoy life. This storyline reminded me of an interview I heard recently with Ethan Hawke, who starred in Boyhood. When asked about the film and growing older, Hawke explained that growing old shouldn't be feared. All that is happening is we are moving into different stages of our lives, just as we did in childhood, and what we really fear is the change that comes with those stages. His comment resonated with me because I can already look back and see times in my life where I had to move into a new stage and despite the excitement I had I was also scared and wanted to stay where I was. These mothers are in that situation themselves. They are not ready for this new stage in life, and unfortunately, their society doesn't present many options to them.

Marty is absolutely worth seeing, especially if you need a reminder that there are genuine people in the world and that good things do come to those who wait.