Watch Marty For Free

Why so much hype?

Truly Dreadful Film

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

The acting in this movie is really good.

I seriously loved this movie, it just gave that nice warm feeling to know that both Ernest Borgnine and Betsy Blair playing as shy people fell in love. It really gave a good message no matter what you're like, even if you're socially awkward and plain as you think you are, you're going to find true love from somebody. It was just so sweet that the pair of them were mad about each other no matter what they looked or act like! I was so mad at Marty near the end, when he nearly ditched the date with Clara to hang out with his bachelor pals. I even nearly cried when she was holding back the tears and watching the Ed Sullivan show with her parents. Anyhow I was glad he immediately called her and asked him marry her (even if that unfortunately didn't show in the end). Excellent actors, storyline and romance! 9/10 I give this!

Marty is a butcher who lives in New York. He is a simple, plain man in his 30s. He is unmarried and it seems like he will be single forever. Then one day he meets Clara and they seem perfect for each other. However, his interfering aunt Catherine undermines the relationship. Marty, whose confidence is easily shaken, is soon doubting the relationship. Does it have a future? A sweet, feel-good movie. Simple but effective plot, engaging central character and solid direction. Solid performances with the only major negative being a few overly irritating characters. Does feel a bit dated in some respects, but the central theme is timeless.

Marty (1955) was written by Paddy Chayefsky and directed by Delbert Mann. Ernest Borgnine plays Marty Piletti, a Bronx butcher. He's intelligent and capable, but he sacrificed his ambitions to help support his family. Marty has a large extended family, but the people we meet are his mother, played by Esther Minciotti, his mother's sister--Aunt Catherine-- (Augusta Ciolli), and his cousin Tommy, played by Jerry Paris.The primary plot involves Marty and his friend Angie (Joe Mantell). Both of them are in their 30's, but their wheels are spinning and they're going nowhere socially. Most of their dialog involves one of them asking the other, "Whaddya wanna do tonight?" The answer is invariably, "I dunno. Whaddya you wanna do?" Marty dreams of finding a woman to love and marry, but the magic never happens. He's under intense pressure from his mother and his family to marry, but he has to find the girl first.The secondary plot involves Marty's family. This is a weaker effort on the part of the writer and director. Jerry Paris as Aunt Catherine's son Tommy (Marty's cousin) appears to be a decent actor, but his character is cut out of cardboard. Karen Steele as Tommy's wife, Virginia, is too beautiful for the character she plays. And, like Tommy, she hasn't been given a great role.The primary plot progresses when Marty meets Clara (Betsy Blair). We have to suspend disbelief and accept the fact that Clara isn't beautiful. (If she were cast as a beautiful woman, the plot wouldn't work.) She's unmarried and alone, because everyone who sees her perceives her as "a dog." Of course, Blair was beautiful. But, in the context of this movie, she's not attractive.So, the main plot follows Marty and Clara as they begin to understand themselves and each other. It's a beautiful love story. Just because the movie takes place in the Bronx, it doesn't mean that the characters can't have the same intense emotions that Romeo and Juliet have in Verona.I saw this movie when it was released, in 1955, and loved it. I saw it again yesterday on DVD, and I loved it even more. I'm not alone in my beliefs that this was a great film--it won four Academy Awards--Best Picture, Best Actor (Borgnine), Best Director, and Best Writing/Screenplay. It was nominated for four more Academy Awards--Best Supporting Actor (Joe Mantell as Angie), Best Supporting Actress (Betsy Blair), Best Cinematography (B/W) and Best Art Director-Set Director (B/W).Not only was this picture considered a great movie in its day, but it wears very well. The automobiles may look primitive, but the plot is sophisticated, complex, and is as true today as it was 60 years ago. Any movie from the 1950's will look better on a large screen than a small one, but this movie worked really well on DVD. If you haven't seen it, now's the time to view it. It's an incredible film, and you won't be disappointed.Note: Betsy Blair came to Rochester NY to accept an award at Eastman House. In the Q&A portion of the evening, I was able to ask her a question: "How did you manage to look like a 'dog' when you were so beautiful?" She said, "Makeup and costume helped. However, I'm an actress, and I was doing my job."

I'm not sure now what piqued my curiosity regarding this movie. I do like Ernest Borgnine, I've appreciated him in everything from war movies to silly comedy and not once did I get the feeling he was "acting". I didn't even know that Marty got an academy award for best picture until I came to IMDb to post a comment. So that is not the reason I chose this movie. I rented it from Netflix because the local movie stores don't stock these oldies. I think that says a lot about the academy voters. Lately, movies have to show awesome costumes and special effects to win best picture. This one had none of that and yet the academy saw the real story in this movie. Impressive.It moves a bit slow at times, I fear there will be few people under 30 who will appreciate this movie. It dealt with, no perhaps I should say, it demonstrated some issues that are still a part of society. Maybe in 1955 it was okay to portray Italian mothers as overbearing. I doubt anyone would make a movie like that today. And of course most Italian people have intermarried and their life is not quite the same as the ones depicted in this movie. But it sure made Italian mothers look bossy and controlling.Martys mother is frequently after him to get married. he is 34 and she thinks he should have four children already. He meets a girl he really identifies with and suddenly mama doesn't like her. She isn't "right" for her boy. Marty is a hard working decent guy throughout this whole movie. He has to sort some things out but in the end he does what I believe is best for him.The movie does a fair job of showing life in the 1950's Bronx. At least according to a couple friends who described it to me while in the army.This is a movie I'll watch again one day just because the acting and the message is so good.