Entre bastidores

This is the journey of Sam Lawson-from aspiring young actor to aspiring old actor. Along the way he befriends the fair weather couple(McLain and Martin) and unwittingly joins the communist party. A Hollywood milestone, this movie actually flirted with the idea that the Hollywood blacklist might be irrelevant. Franciosa in the best performance of his life, and a great supporting cast make this a must see.

An actor is determined to make it to Broadway, even if he loses his family because of his obsession. Based on a play, the film offers an interesting glimpse into show business, but turns into something of a soap opera. The Korean War and McCarthyism, hot-button topics at the time, are somewhat clumsily shoehorned into the story and the final act comes across as contrived. Franciosa has his first big starring role as the struggling actor and he acquits himself well. Martin has typical role as a boozing director who lets success get to his head. MacLaine's free-spirited character is poorly developed. Jones is quite good as Franciosa's agent.

Dated, though still packing a dramatic punch, "Career" best serves as a showcase for some terrific acting. Anthony Franciosa's gives the best performance of his career; he appears to really be pouring himself into this role. Carolyn Jones is exceptional as his lonely agent; who self-destructively hides her affections for him. Their two performances alone make this worth viewing, but it's still a worthwhile film.

I remember seeing this film when it first appeared in theaters, and liked it very much. It was just well acted, by Tony Franciosa and Carolyn Jones. I remember the scene, funny how these things stick in your head, where Dean Martin, as a conniving agent, bums a hotdog off Tony on the street. Haven't seen it in many years, but it impressed me at the time. Always thought that Tony was somewhat underrated as an actor; liked him with Paul Newman in the couple of films they made together, and in a Hat full of rain. Intense, and good. I loved the scene in the Long, Hot Summer where he's trying to lure lovely Lee Remick inside, and she says, "Jody, I sure do wish you would find some other form of recreation." Good films in those days; still among my favorites.

Tony Franciosa lives and breaths for acting on the stage. He is working currently as a waiter to make ends meet when he's in between plays. When he sees an ex sit at one of his tables, he takes us back via flashback to where it all began, with he and his wife trying to make a go of it. He meets Dean Martin who's a stage director of off-Broadway plays. They form a working kind of friendship, one that's convenient and beneficial to each other, but Tony finds over time that Dean is an opportunist who only thinks of himself. Shirley MacLaine is Dino's girl, who's madly in love with him and that's too bad. Tony's wife leaves him when he can't get steady work, so she can find a dependable father for the new baby she's going to have, and Tony and Shirley wind up together. Then there's Carolyn Jones, who used to be a stage actress, but couldn't find work so she became an agent. She develops a silent crush on Tony. "Career" is a very character-driven film and the acting by its stars are nothing less than perfect. They grab your attention and tug at your heart with their eccentricities and dreams, especially Tony and Carolyn's characters. This may just be Carolyn Jones' best performance put on celluloid, save for "King Creole" with Elvis. This film, while reflecting the highs and lows of the acting profession, delivers solid entertainment and gives a very satisfying ending. It's interesting to see how when one person's star is on the rise, another's is down and that by the end of the film everyone's lives or outlooks are completely different than the beginning. Comeuppance is found for those who may need it in very realistic ways and happiness is found for those who deserve it and worked hard for it. "Career" is about listening to oneself and discovering the obvious. Similar in tone to the film in homage to Hollywood acting and backstabbing, "The Bad and the Beautiful," this underrated film has been swept under the rug. Wipe off the dust and discover your "career" today.