Martin Ritt never disappoints when he shows the inner feelings of ordinary people, laid bare. This film blew me away - it was a film I had always wanted to see after reading a little commentary in John Springer's book "Forgotten Films to Remember" and after finally catching it, I am so glad I did.
Even the music at the start gives viewers a deceptive picture - as the newly weds drive into Sunset Hills Estate they view with excitement their new home - which has the same interior as their neighbours'. The neighbours at the back invite them to a barbecue - on one side they can see neighbours getting quite passionate in the bedroom, on the other side a woman is picking flowers - very cosy!! But every family has a flaw. Herman is the typical neighbour "everyman" - organising barbeques, rebelliously cleaning his car on Sunday when his family is at church, but Herman is weak, a fence sitter who deep down doesn't want to get involved eg when Iko, his good friend at work, wants to move his family to Sunset Hills, Herman doesn't try very hard to help him. It is only the dramatic events at the movie's end that spur him into action and also make him realise that his wife (Barbara Rush) is a strong woman with a mind of her own. Pat Hingle plays Herman with his usual conviction.
Jerry Flagg (Tony Randall) is obnoxious from the start. Always intoxicated, he makes life hell for his long suffering wife, Isabelle (Sheree North). He is a failure, a man who won't believe that his dreams are gone and that there are no fast ways to becoming a millionaire. He also feels he and his wife deserve better than this housing estate. To me, Tony Randall and Sheree North give the greatest performances, if only because they are playing against type. Randall, as someone mentioned, was always the kooky best buddy ie "Pillow Talk", "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter" and the ultimate eccentric Felix Unger from "The Odd Couple". His Jerry Flagg is almost painful to view, especially the scene where he, yet again, proposes another "get rich quick" scheme. If Tony Randall was surprising, Sheree North was a revelation - she was originally a night club dancer who was bought to Hollywood as a back up when Marilyn Monroe was getting temperamental. Her credits before this movie were a specialty dancer in Lewis and Martin's "Living It Up", "The Lieutenant Wore Skirts" and "How to Be Very, Very Popular" among others - who would have thought she could handle a role with such inner strength and sensitivity.
Joanne Woodward was excellent. Like the professional she is, as Leola Boone, the child like Southern bride of brutish Troy (Cameron Mitchell) she keeps building and building her characterization with each scene until you realise how tragic she is. Initially Troy comes across as a decent, strong man, having to put up with a flaky wife - but he is the most damaged and dangerous of all. A wife beater, whose garage is a museum of collected war paraphanelia, he, as one of the neighbours puts it "only feels like a man when he has a uniform on". When his application to join the police force is turned down it precipitates a crisis that catches the viewer completely unaware. Even the newly weds have their problems - David (Jeffrey Hunter) is happy to be a hands on engineer but Jean wants him to be somebody she can be proud of - in other words an executive. As someone commented their newness and stiffness works to their advantage - especially Patricia Owen's slightly prissy demeanor. This is a movie I would have no hesitation in recommending to everyone.
Highly, Highly Recommended.
Even the music at the start gives viewers a deceptive picture - as the newly weds drive into Sunset Hills Estate they view with excitement their new home - which has the same interior as their neighbours'. The neighbours at the back invite them to a barbecue - on one side they can see neighbours getting quite passionate in the bedroom, on the other side a woman is picking flowers - very cosy!! But every family has a flaw. Herman is the typical neighbour "everyman" - organising barbeques, rebelliously cleaning his car on Sunday when his family is at church, but Herman is weak, a fence sitter who deep down doesn't want to get involved eg when Iko, his good friend at work, wants to move his family to Sunset Hills, Herman doesn't try very hard to help him. It is only the dramatic events at the movie's end that spur him into action and also make him realise that his wife (Barbara Rush) is a strong woman with a mind of her own. Pat Hingle plays Herman with his usual conviction.
Jerry Flagg (Tony Randall) is obnoxious from the start. Always intoxicated, he makes life hell for his long suffering wife, Isabelle (Sheree North). He is a failure, a man who won't believe that his dreams are gone and that there are no fast ways to becoming a millionaire. He also feels he and his wife deserve better than this housing estate. To me, Tony Randall and Sheree North give the greatest performances, if only because they are playing against type. Randall, as someone mentioned, was always the kooky best buddy ie "Pillow Talk", "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter" and the ultimate eccentric Felix Unger from "The Odd Couple". His Jerry Flagg is almost painful to view, especially the scene where he, yet again, proposes another "get rich quick" scheme. If Tony Randall was surprising, Sheree North was a revelation - she was originally a night club dancer who was bought to Hollywood as a back up when Marilyn Monroe was getting temperamental. Her credits before this movie were a specialty dancer in Lewis and Martin's "Living It Up", "The Lieutenant Wore Skirts" and "How to Be Very, Very Popular" among others - who would have thought she could handle a role with such inner strength and sensitivity.
Joanne Woodward was excellent. Like the professional she is, as Leola Boone, the child like Southern bride of brutish Troy (Cameron Mitchell) she keeps building and building her characterization with each scene until you realise how tragic she is. Initially Troy comes across as a decent, strong man, having to put up with a flaky wife - but he is the most damaged and dangerous of all. A wife beater, whose garage is a museum of collected war paraphanelia, he, as one of the neighbours puts it "only feels like a man when he has a uniform on". When his application to join the police force is turned down it precipitates a crisis that catches the viewer completely unaware. Even the newly weds have their problems - David (Jeffrey Hunter) is happy to be a hands on engineer but Jean wants him to be somebody she can be proud of - in other words an executive. As someone commented their newness and stiffness works to their advantage - especially Patricia Owen's slightly prissy demeanor. This is a movie I would have no hesitation in recommending to everyone.
Highly, Highly Recommended.