THE BACHELOR PARTY
US, 1957, 95 minutes, Black and white.
Don Murray, Jack Warden, E.G.Marshall, Carolyn Jones.
Directed by Delbert Mann.
The Bachelor Party comes from 1957 (and should not be confused with the rather leering Tom Hanks vehicle, Bachelor Party, of 1984).
This film was written by Paddy Chayevsky, prolific playwright for the golden years of television in the 1950s and whose films included Marty, The Catered Affair, The Goddess, Middle of the Night and The Americanisation of Emily.
The film was directed by Delbert Mann who won an Oscar for directing Marty. He was to direct a number of serious films during the 50s and 60s but moved to directing television movies in the 70s and 80s, many of them quite memorable and with serious themes.
One of Chayevsky’s main achievements, not long before he died, was Network.
This is a film about men discussing their lives, marriages, relationships. Don Murray is the hero (he had emerged in such films as Bus Stop at this particular period). Veterans E.G. Marshall and Jack Warden are also in the cast. Carolyn Jones won an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress.
The film is very serious-minded as are so many of Chayevsky’s films. In some ways it is depressing as the men explore the difficulties in their lives and marriages. (There seemed to be a rather inappropriate tag line for the advertising of the film, rather the opposite of what happened: They live it up tonight!)
1. The emphasis of the title, audience expectations, indications of theme?
2. The importance of the black and white photography, city locations, the emphasis on details in particular sequences, sharpness of dialogue?
3. How particularly American was this film? in its settings and characters, in its themes?
4. What insight into the nature of modern marriage did the film give? into love, relations, family, the economies of family?
5. How pessimistic was this film in its presentation of human nature? how optimistic at the end? Did the optimism ring true, especially with the preceding sequences?
6. What moral standards underlay the whole film? The nature of good and evil for modern people? in terms of marriage and relationships? in terms of identity and ambitions?
7. How important was character for this film? Were the characters real, unreal in any way, ciphers or symbols of attitudes?
8. How important was the central character? Audience sympathy for him, identification with him? The relationship with his wife, his ideas on family, the coming child? Why did he decide to go to the party? The effect of the party, the men and their problems on him? The drink and the atmosphere? The threat to marriage in his eyes? The insight that he gained into his companions? The dominance of Eddie, the needs of Arnold?
9. The contrast with Charlie's wife? The picture of the details of family life contrasting with the party, the reality of marriage, the relationship to Charlie? The reconciliation and its value at the end?
10. How central was Eddie? The bachelor type, the explanation of his background, his relationship with the other men and his dominance, his forcing the pace of the party and the details of what was done, his grossness, the effect of drink, his disillusionment with himself and the emptiness of his life? The basic message and values communicated through this character?
ll. Arnold as the occasion for the party, his earnestness and yet his fears, the effect of the others on him, facing the responsibility of marriage, the cynicism of Eddie, the details of the party and their effect on him, his phone call to his friend, the wisdom that Charlie gave? Was this credible?
12. The contrast with Walter, financial questions, business, health, driving oneself into a grave for one's ambitions?
13. Kenneth and his promiscuity, the failure of his marriage? His point of view and advice to Arnold?
14. The importance of the character of Julie: commenting on what the bachelor party was like, her advice to her sister, her fears?
15. Comment on the success of details for building up the atmosphere for the characters, the restaurants, Eddie's flat, the prostitute, the party, the drinking, the existentialist and the significance of her conversation about life, her nymphomania?
16. How useful are films like these for ordinary audiences to get a glimpse of the values of marriage?
