THE MARRYING KIND
US, 1952, 93 minutes, Black and White.
Judy Holliday, Aldo Ray, Madge Kennedy, Mickey Shaughnessy.
Directed by George Cukor.
The Marrying Kind is a pleasing fable about marriage and divorce. It was written by the husband and wife team of Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin. Both are playwrights in their own right, The Actress, Born Yesterday. They combined on several screenplays especially for director George Cukor ? Adam's Rib, Pat and Mike and the present film.
Cukor had directed Judy Holliday in Adam's Rib and Born Yesterday, for which she won the Oscar. This was her next film. She was an expert dumb blonde comedienne in such
films as It Should Happen To You, The Solid Gold Cadillac, Bells Are Ringing. Her short career was terminated by her death from cancer when she was in her early forties.
This film introduces Aldo Ray. He was to put on much weight soon and move from being a hero in films to character roles. There are some excellent effects and lines in The Marrying Kind and it is a plea for marriage rather than divorce.
1. The significance of the title, the characterising of the characters, the pro-marriage themes, the presentation of marriage tensions, clashes, break up? The advocating of talk and counselling rather than divorce? Its presentation, humorously, of the battle of the sexes?
2. The film as a Judy Holliday vehicle ? as directed by George Cukor, her skill at subtlety in dumb blonde roles, a blend of humour and sensitivity? A typical American characterisation?
3. Black and white photography, the domestic atmosphere, apartments, post office, picnics etc.? The atmosphere of the early 1950s?
4. The framework of the screenplay: the divorce court, the 6 o'clock break, the judge and the discussion with the Keefers, the discussion, the flashbacks and their cumulative effect? The talking, airing of grievances, reconciliation?
5. The device of the voice-over and the ironies of the contrast between what was being said and what was seen by the audience? The effectiveness in establishing the characters and their points of view?
6. The particular devices to heighten characterisation and themes, Chester's dream sequence and its consequences, the radio quiz and the desperate attempt to answer and win the money, the ball-bearing skates test, the picnic with Florence singing and the transition to the death of their child, the story about the will and the inheritance, the bus breakdown and the immediate return?
7. The effect of the fragments of the marriage story and their cumulative effect: the delineation of character, the indication of attitudes and their changes, strengths and weaknesses? The background of the initial encounter, meeting, outings, build up to marriage? The honeymoon at Atlantic City? Chester at work in the post office, friendship, the gift of the ear plugs? Florence and her mother and sister and visitors looking over the apartment? Love, the first night at home and the talk, the abrasiveness. the possibility of clash and break?
8. The passing of the years and the realities of married life? The children and their love for them? Their love for one another, the fights? The party and Chester being late and the background of the ball bearings? The patenting of his invention and its failure, somebody stealing the invention? The quiz? The picnic and the effect of the death of the child? Chester's accident and his incapacity? The visits? The inheritance and the suspicions and accusations? The lack of talking and the reality of fighting?
9. The break up - whose fault? The contribution of each? The clash and the humour of everybody giving advice?
10. The love between Chester and Florence? Its development over the years, their needing help to reconcile? The happy ending with the judge achieving this?
11. How well portrayed were the characters, for the audience to identify with them in their situations while distancing themselves with the comedy? The picture of adults growing in relationship? Marriage and coping? Their growing in thinking, having dreams? Happiness, success and failure, grief, mistrust? The importance of the insertion of the dream sequence and the significance of the post office, authority, the President, Chester's feeling guilty about his dancing at the party and his being shot by an execution squad looking like his wife? How did this symbolise the film and its tone?
