THE MARRIAGE GO ROUND
US, 1961, 98 minutes, Colour.
James Mason, Susan Hayward, Julie Newmar, Robert Paige.
Directed by Walter Lang.
The Marriage Go Round is a glossy, but laboured, romantic and sex comedy of the late '50s. It was adapted by writer-director Leslie Stevens from his own play. Stevens worked on several films with James Mason, including Hero's Island.
Susan Hayward and James Mason do their best with the sophisticated roles, but it is not their style. There is comic support from the statuesque Julie Newmar. This occasions a humorous reflection on permissive theory and practice and eugenics. There is a bright score by Dominic Frontiere. Alan Bergman and Marilyn Keith providing a song sung by Tony Bennett.
1. The appeal of the romantic sex comedy? of the late '50s early '60s? Impact in its time (e.g. English X Certificate)? Later?
2. Production gloss: colour, cinemascope? Musical score, song? Tony Bennett singing? Sophisticated and affluent background?
3. How evident that the film was based on a play? A satisfactory cinematic adaptation?
4. The status of the stars and their touch with this kind of comedy? (Or not?)
5. The university situation: lectures, birth and eugenics, marital bliss: theory and practice? American society in the 50s-'60s? Conventional behaviour - beginning to be challenged? Sweden and the stereotypes of Scandinavian permissiveness? The challenge to American standards?
6. The picture of the Delvilles: Paul and Content? As persons? Husband and wife? Their lifestyle, detail? The crisis with Katrine? Paul and the provocation, temptation? His response? Content and her reaction ? routing the attack? Reconciliation?
7. Julie Newmar's presence as Katrine - the large blonde Scandinavian type? Self-confident? Dogmatic? Attitudes, the visit? Her proposition? Her logical approach to emotions? Tempting Paul? Good theory ? bad practice? Her being defeated by Content?
8. The supporting cast and their styles ? serious touches, comic touches?
9. The film's themes reflecting attitudes in the '50s and '60s about marriage and the family? optimistic theory - and the qualifications of practices?
