La fureur d'aimer

I have reviewed well over 13,000 films here on IMDb. Because of that, I have noticed that with most films there is a certain sameness and predictability about them. And, in light of this, I was very pleasantly surprised by "Marjorie Morningstar"--a truly unique and lovely film from start to finish.

Natalie Wood plays Marjorie Morganstern--a very impressionable 18 year-old who goes off to work at a summer camp. There she meets an older man (while the character was supposed to be 32, Gene Kelly was 46 at the time) who seems very talented and highly attractive. It's no surprise she falls for him, but all he really wants, at first, is to score with her. For 1958, the film is very blunt about this and even uses the word 'sex'--very, very unusual for its time. However, she wants more. When her parents find out about him, her mother is particularly worried--at 32, Noel (Kelly) should be more than just a summer camp counselor. As far as Marjorie is concerned, however, Noel is a genius--and will one day be a great playwright. It's clearly a case of a young girl seeing a man as she HOPES he'll be versus who he really is. What's next? See the film.

The film has many strong things going for it other than the uniqueness of the plot. For Kelly, it's a wonderful opportunity to get away from his pretty-boy song and dance persona and show some depth. And, for Wood, it's one of her first non-child roles where she is a serious leading lady. Apart from their nice work as well as some strong support from Ed Wynn and Martin Milner, the film has a gorgeous musical score--very haunting and sweet. Overall, this is a lovely film--- with so much more going for it.

UPDATE: I just saw a rerun of an old fifties TV show "Four Star Playhouse" and noticed that "Breakfast in Bed" actually had a lot in common with the film. However, while the film was hard-edged and rather sad, the show was more comedic...and less interesting.

Great, great book. TERRIBLE movie. Natalie Wood is lovely, to be sure, but not a great actress. Gene Kelly is a great actor and dancer, but horribly miscast. The simpering! The overacting! Spare yourself. Read the book.

This is just one of those glossy '50s tearjerkers, with glamorous people, pretty Technicolor, and fab costumes. The best thing about it is Gene Kelly, who is absolutely handsome, charming, and sexy as a slimy rogue who leads the sweet, innocent Natalie Wood down a treacherous emotional path. The two stars have tremendous chemistry, in spite of the large age difference between them. Kelly proves that he is (was?) a marvelous dramatic actor, a side seldom seen in his career outside of this movie. He should have done more of it. Wood is more of a raw, unpolished talent at this point in her career, but her vulnerability and ability to bring real tears to a scene makes her performance tremendously affecting. She's also radiant and beautiful, showing off her Audrey Hepburn-like ingenuous charisma. This is not a perfect movie, but you will be engrossed and emotionally moved by it. Fine performances also by the supporting cast, including Martin Milner, Ed Wynn, Carolyn Jones, and just about everyone else. A fine popcorn romance.

This film has some of the most bizarre casting in Hollywood history - who could possibly conceive of Gene Kelly playing a Jew? Yes, an 'assimilated Jew," but a Jew nonetheless. Maybe the same Warner exec who a few years later envisioned WASP-ish Rosalind Russell as Mrs. Jacobi in A MAJORITY OF ONE? With the exception of Everett Sloane (who may have been Jewish - I've never been able to confirm this) and Ed Wynn (who was), this is the most goyishe-looking family imaginable. Claire Trevor was from Brooklyn - I guess they thought this qualified her to "pass". Everyone looks like they just got back from church, not a synagogue.

Hollywood and the movie industry were built by Jews - except for Darryl F. Zanuck, all the major movie moguls - Mayer, Selznick, Cohn, Goldwyn, Warner, Laemmle - were Jewish - yet they were frightened of portraying Jews honestly on screen, and many an actor had to subdue his "Jewishness" and change his name to 'blend in' - could John Garfield have become a movie star under his real name, Julius Garfinkle?

MARJORIE MORNINGSTAR hasn't held up well as a film or on the printed page - maybe in the 1950s she was the gal every young woman wanted to be or know, but when I finally got through the book a few years ago, I found her to be not only irritating but a tease of the first order - few men or women would have much patience with her superficial personality today. I wondered at the book's popularity - somehow it managed to nudge past AUNTIE MAME and become the #1 bestselling novel of 1955.

While this picture was a little dated for viewing in 2000, it showed an excellent example of the acting ability of Gene Kelly especially. Natalie Wood is always a pleasure to watch; not only for her beauty but her facial expressions which are numerous. The story was a lovely one; so typical of some relationships that weren't meant to be despite the love involved. Kelly did a great job of indecisiveness that plaques some people in relationships. Well written and well acted.