The High Cost of Loving

Jose Ferrer and Gena Rowlands star in The High Cost Of Loving as a pair of typical 50s American suburbanites who are about to become parents. But at a time when there should be joyous celebration there's a lot of anxiety around the household because the new arrival may become part of The High Cost Of Loving.

It seems as though Ferrer's company is being taken over in a merger and that usually means a staff shakeup. Ferrer starts to wonder if he has a future with his company's purchasing department after misreading a lot of signals. His position is a universal one both in government and in private industry when these things happen. In my working days I was through situations that Ferrer is experiencing and you try to read signals when you think trouble might be coming your way.

Jose Ferrer also directed this film and assembled a slew of familiar faces from the small screen as well as the big, so much so you might think this was a made for television film. Edward Platt the chief from Get Smart is the new company president, Richard Deacon of the Dick Van Dyke Show is Rowlands's obstetrician, and a favorite of mine the one and only Colonel Klink, Werner Klemperer plays a most officious new personnel director who in one beautiful scene only increases Ferrer's anxiety.

For some reason this film is not often broadcast. Glad I was up early and caught it on TCM today. A great tribute to the multi-talents of Jose Ferrer.

In the 1950s, José Ferrer's career seemed to be charmed. He won the Oscar for Best Actor in 1951, was nominated two years later and with this film, "The High Cost of Living", they not only had him star in the picture but direct it as well. And, in the process proved he was exceptional at both jobs.

Jim Fry (Ferrer) is a simple man...a guy who works hard in a predictable job with a wife who loves him and enjoys this predictability. However, when there is talk of a merger with his company and another, everyone seems to have received an invitation to a big luncheon except for Jim. He soon starts to wonder if they are going to fire him...that WOULD explain why he wasn't invited. The problem is that his wife (Gena Rowlands) just informed him that she's pregnant!

I loved so much about this film. The script seemed honest and realistic, the acting just the same. Overall, they take a movie that SHOULD have perhaps earned a 5 or 6 and made it nearly earn a 9...something I rarely give any film. Well worth your time.

Any movie with...

Mr. Howell Mel The Chief Klink Ms. Hathaway Dr. Joe Early Otis Campbell can't be all bad.

The 1950's corporate ethos is on full display in this time capsule of mid-20th century America. The normally affecting Jose Ferrer is serviceable but comes across in this film like a recent graduate of the Jack Webb school of acting. Stiff. Jack Lemmon, or an actor with a greater ability to work in a lighter touch, would have been a better choice. In spite of the less than ideal casting of Ferrer, the movie is generally well acted and nicely shot in black and white. Sit back and watch your favorite TV character actors perform on the big screen before making their bones on the tube.

This 90 minute movie could have been over in 30 seconds, if Jim Fry had just gone up to his boss and asked why he wasn't invited to the luncheon.

As it stands, it feels like they really had to struggle to stretch this story out to an hour and a half. The first ten minutes is nothing but opening credits and a long pointless scene of Fry and his wife silently getting out of bed, having breakfast, and getting ready for the day. I was hoping their cars would crash when they pulled out of their garage in that weird way, so there would be some action.

There is no romantic spark between Jose Ferrer and Gena Rowlands, and the ending of the movie is blatantly spelled out for the audience about thirty minutes before the movie actually ends. For a "comedy," there are almost literally no laughs.

But on the plus side, I grew up in the 1950's, and I enjoyed seeing all the old appliances and cars and their dashboards and work desks without computers and even smoking in the office. So there's that.

José Ferrer's 1958 film, "The High Cost of Loving," centers its narrative squarely on the anxieties of Jim Fry, played with a palpable tension by Ferrer himself. As an office manager, Jim finds himself facing the looming threat of a potential layoff, a precarious situation made all the more significant by the recent news that his young wife, Ginny (a vibrant and early showcase of Gena Rowlands' talent), is pregnant. The film meticulously portrays Jim's internal struggle as he grapples with the fear of financial insecurity and the immense responsibility of providing for his growing family during uncertain economic times. Ferrer's performance captures the quiet desperation of a man striving to maintain stability in a world that feels increasingly unpredictable.

Adding a significant layer to the emotional core of the film is the portrayal of Ginny Fry by a young Gena Rowlands. Her performance beautifully captures the hopeful anticipation and burgeoning joy of impending motherhood, creating a poignant contrast to Jim's mounting anxieties. Rowlands imbues Ginny with a youthful optimism and unwavering support for her husband, even as she remains somewhat shielded from the full weight of his fears. Their dynamic forms the emotional heart of the film, highlighting the unspoken pressures that can strain even the most loving of relationships when faced with economic uncertainty and the profound life change of starting a family.

Adding a touch of the era's cultural landscape is a cameo appearance by Nick Clooney. While his role might be brief, his presence offers an interesting historical marker and a connection to the broader entertainment context of 1958. It serves as a subtle reminder of the community in which the Frys reside and the shared anxieties that might have permeated everyday life in a time of economic shifts.

"The High Cost of Loving" unfolds with a deliberate and thoughtful pace, allowing the audience to fully immerse themselves in Jim's internal turmoil and the subtle nuances of his interactions with Ginny and his surrounding world. Ferrer's direction emphasizes the emotional weight of the situation, focusing on the quiet anxieties and unspoken fears that can permeate domestic life. The film avoids dramatic sensationalism, instead opting for a realistic portrayal of a man grappling with responsibility and the uncertainty of the future in his specific time and place.

Ultimately, "The High Cost of Loving" offers a compelling and relatable portrayal of the anxieties surrounding job security and the financial pressures of starting a family in 1958. Ferrer's nuanced performance as Jim, coupled with Gena Rowlands' captivating portrayal of Ginny, creates a poignant depiction of a couple navigating a significant life change under a cloud of economic uncertainty. The film serves as a timeless reminder of the universal human experience of fearing for one's livelihood and the profound impact such anxieties can have on personal and familial well-being in any community.