We have all heard the adage “Never judge a book by its cover,” but how many of us really take it to heart? We all walk around and often make snap decisions about our neighbors, our colleagues, the people who work in stores, teachers, doctors, the mailman, the guy who mows our lawn, our fair-weather acquaintances, and even our friends. We check out what they are wearing, their hair, whether their nose is too big, whether they put on a few pounds, and how many times a lunch tab is picked up. We are a cocky group of people. Often, we will walk away if we are not impressed or intrigued. We, as a whole, do make snap decisions about everyone around us, and we are so often completely out in left field.
I am really no different, but there are times I will use another technique to measure others. I stand still. I listen to my gut and wait for an answer. It is just that simple. The universe, with all its vast energy and mysteries, will try very hard not to steer a person wrong.
I have a vivid memory from when I was seven, in Miss Cooperman’s second-grade class in the Bronx. There I met Julia. She was a sweet little girl who had no friends. Everyone shunned her because she didn’t look like any “normal” person. She was deformed. She had some kind of disease that I don’t remember. Her head was permanently tilted in one direction. Her eyes bulged out of their sockets. She had a limp, and her eight fingers were pudgy and misshapen. She did have the prettiest blond hair, and I remember her eyes were blue. She had a great laugh, but she had trouble smiling. Her face didn’t change. It always looked the same, no matter what she was thinking or feeling. Julia was brilliant and kind to all, but she had no friends except for me. I always thought she was cool. She dressed better than I did and loved to talk and play. So we did. Her mom was the best, and I have memories of her picking us both up from PS 70 and of having playdates. We both loved our Tiny Tears Dolls, and we could pretend together for hours.
Julia was a great friend that I never would have gotten to know if I hadn’t listened to my gut and ignored the physical stuff. I believe she came into my life for a reason to teach me a valuable lesson. I try to think of Julia whenever I meet someone who might not meet society’s standards. I think I succeed more times than not. Teaching school helped me. I met all kinds of people throughout my 35 years.
In 1955, an underdog film came out. No one thought it would succeed. It was different because the two leading roles were not supposed to be pretty or glamorous. They were meant to be quite ordinary. This is what the great Paddy Chayefsky (NETWORK) believed. Two “dog-like” people meet, fall in love, and suddenly, the man and woman appear beautiful to each other. It is extraordinary in an ordinary way. This is the story of MARTY, a runaway hit that went on to win four Oscars, including Best Picture.
MARTY took the Oscars by storm. It was nominated for eight statues. Besides Best Picture, it won Best Actor (Ernest Borgnine), Best Screenplay, and Best Director (Delbert Mann). It cost only $320,000 to make in just sixteen days, with an additional three for reshoots. It grossed over three million. No one would have predicted its success.
MARTY had significant problems getting the word out about it. The studio did not want to spend anything on PR. To them, it was just a B movie. It opened in a few theaters in the Bronx and got rave reviews from critics. It was then, by a lark, entered into the Cannes Festival and was awarded the top prize. Word of mouth spread. The public wanted to see it. The studio rushed 5000 copies out, and the rest is history. Burt Lancaster and his partner, Harold Hecht, put up the money against all odds.
Borgnine got the role of MARTY at his audition. He made both the director and writer cry. He was offered a contract instantaneously. His simple, authentic expression won the hearts of America. His puppy-dog eyes could melt any woman as long as they didn’t notice his physique or bullish face. He was a butcher. Who falls for a man who chops up meat? When I watched him on screen, I thought he was spectacular, a brilliant actor, and even handsome in a rugged manner.
Clara (Betsy Blair) obviously noticed MARTY. She was also not considered pretty by Hollywood standards, but in real life, she was Gene Kelly’s wife. Blair had been blacklisted during the McCarthy era. The studio didn’t want to hire her. Kelly believed in his wife’s talents and used his star power to blackmail the studio execs, saying they’d better hire her, or he wouldn’t work for them again. Blair was hired. She was meant to play this part, and she received an Oscar nomination for her stellar work. It changed the trajectory of her career.
The dialogue, tone, and pacing were genius. It projected the times when men talk and when they don’t. Chayefsky wanted to write about men’s emotions. He wanted MARTY to shout out to the world that men have feelings, too. We got the message loud and clear. “What do you wanna do tonight? I don’t know. What do you wanna do?” It goes on endlessly on repeat, highlighting how men are basically insecure and need to protect their delicate ego at all costs.
MARTY is a charming classic. It is insightful and allows audiences a compelling, honest slice of Americana. It showcases how self-doubt and loneliness can lead anyone down a path not intended to be traveled. MARTY and Clara are not perfect. They have real fears and insecurities, but together they could move mountains. Isn’t that what love is all about? You never know what gifts lie in wait within a soul. My friend Julia taught me that. My family moved away at the end of the school year. I never saw Julia again. I hope she has led an extraordinary ordinary life.
MARTY is available on TCM.
