Cheap The Marrying Kind (DVD) (Judy Holliday, Aldo Ray) (George Cukor) Price

Related Products

Customer Reviews of The Marrying Kind

Judy Holliday in pleasant, light drama
I am a big fan of Judy Holliday's romantic comedies from the 1950's and own Born Yesterday, It Should Happen to You (with Jack Lemmon in his first movie appearance), The Solid Gold Cadillac, and Bells Are Ringing (with Dean Martin). I was expecting The Marrying Kind to also be a comedy, and I was disappointed to find out that it consists far more of pathos than comedy. It shows in flashbacks the decline of the 7-year marriage of a couple on the verge of divorce, and nowadays we might call this film a "dramedy." However, once I'd adjusted to the fact that I wasn't watching Judy in all-out comedy, I enjoyed the movie for what it is. Particularly that it centers almost completely around the relationship (and interactions) of the two main characters, Florence (Judy) and Chet Keefer (Aldo Ray). Because they are on stage alone together most of the movie, it really showcases their individual talents as actors, and they work extremely well together as a dramatic pairing.

Aside from the acting and the story, there are several other things that I found especially fascinating about the film: first, the use of real New York City locations from the early 50s--it is amazing how much the city has changed in 50 years! Second, the movie's portrayal of working-class, urban marriage feels extremely real and accurate for that era (other than their very roomy apartment), and because of that, it offers an intriguing window into that time period. Finally, I was very taken by the style of the dialogue. Not being either an expert on linguistics or the writing history of playwrights Garson Kanin and Ruth Gordon, I couldn't be sure if they were merely being stylistic, or if they intended to offer a very accurate portrayal of a specific New York dialect. Whichever it is, the protagonists speak in a very unique way, with certain words left out in their sentences and others repeated--which gives an entertaining regional flavor to the script.

This movie is not rated, but by today's standards it would be a G--no sex or bad language. However, I believe children would be bored by this movie as would, very likely, most men. This is pretty much a classic "chick flick," since its entire focus is on the courtship and marriage relationship between a man and a woman.

---

Beautiful
There's not much I can say about this neglected gem (on DVD BEFORE "Bells Are Ringing" and AFTER "Born Yesterday"!) that isn't already in these reviews. It's my favorite Judy Holliday flick, although I saw "Bells" first and first came to love Holliday through that movie. This movie is intimate, warm, realistic, gentle and it has humor (as much as Garson Kanin can muster, I guess, I really do think he, even when working with his wife, is grossly overrated). Holliday's climax to the park scene is certainly well done, but it is also identical to her getting hit in the face in "Born Yesterday." She did it good, she did it great, but she did it twice. And Aldo Ray is perfect as the loving, loveable, earnest, well-meaning husband. I thought he and Holliday were very good together. I loved this low-key little movie, and I think it will please (as it kindly attempts to do) anyone who likes this kind of thing.

---

Quiet Gem
George Cukor, Garson Kanin and Ruth Gordon were the best kind of fans for Judy Holliday; they made it possible for her to create great roles in wonderful pictures. From her carefully-sheparded movie debut in a supporting role in ADAM'S RIB (where Katherine Hepburn graciously yielded the screen to Judy's comic talents) to her Oscar-winning turn repeating her Broadway success in BORN YESTERDAY, Holliday gave us an unforgettable gallery of women, and her work was never finer than in THE MARRYING KIND. Matched with Cukor's protoge (ahem!), Aldo Ray, Judy is remarkable in this role, playing an ordinary housewife whose marriage is on the brink of dissolving. Her big scene in Central Park mid-picture is a perfect example of her unique ability to make you laugh and break your heart in quick succession. Lovely, lovely work from all concerned, and an extremely rewarding small movie that casts a big shadow.