Man In The Gray Flannel Suit (1956)

[precoder]

"The Man In The Gray Flannel Suit" (20th Century Fox 1956) is an all too real domestic melodrama about the day-to-day struggles of the modern madison avenue nine-to-fiver, trying to provide for his family as honestly as he can without totally losing his composure. Adapted from a novel by Sloan Wilson and directed by Nunnally Johnson ...

Gregory Peck is Tom Rath, a dedicated family man with three children and a lot on his mind. A whole lot. He's burdened with war memories and his wife Betsy (Jennifer Jones) can be very demanding of him and isn't shy about articulating her dissatifactions. She wants a bigger house, or a less dreary one, more money, and thinks her husband should do more in the corporate world to achieve this. He has a number of wartime flashbacks including his love affair with a poor italian girl Maria (Marisa Pavan) and later some horrific combat recollections on a pacific island where he witnesses the unfortunate death of a buddy that effects him so emotionally, that he carries the body himself all the way back down to the beach looking for a medic ...

Eventually, Tom lands a position with a large network corporation and is assigned to write some sort of mental health speech for it's chief executive Ralph Hopkins (Fredric March) who has difficult family pressures of his own. His ex-wife Helen (Ann Harding) gives him an ultimatum to rescue their wild daughter Susan (Gigi Perreau) from running around with artists three times her own age, or forfeit any chance of future reconciliation. Tom is caught between playing corporate politics and appeasing his tempermental wife who goes and sells their house without his knowing and arranges to move into an inherited one nearby. Of course some old senile caretaker named Edward (Joseph Sweeney) insists the house is actually his now and threatens the married couple with a lawsuit. Yes, the troubles are plenty. Soon, Tom learns that Maria has had his son and again he must tackle the situation with an honesty that Betsy advises is always the best course. This time however, she is distraut over the truth of his infidelity and runs outside crying. Then she takes the car and recklessly drives off into the night until there is no gas left to go any further. Tom brings her home and then tells his boss (March) not to expect him for a business trip because his family is just more important right now ...

Interesting film. At 152 minutes it's a bit overlong, soapy and gets complacent with so many subplots interwoven, but it's main premise bears semblence to today's workaholic corporate climate. There is a forboding tension that runs throughout and one is ultimately left feeling it's ending is less than convincing. Good performancs though by the stars. Gregory Peck is assuring, formidable and has an empowering presence on screen. Jennifer Jones was a fine actress though her character seems overly-stereotyped as the fifties housewife, seemingly disgruntled by having to accept her place in suburban society. Also with Keenan Wynn, Lee J. Cobb, Gene Lockhart, Arthur O'Connell, Henry Daniell and Connie Gilchrist as the loud-mouthed maid; the only one the children obey ...

I'm wondering who else has seen this ...

[feaito]

I have seen it precoder, twice and I liked very much, in spite of its length.

Jennifer Jones and Gregory Peck are favorites of mine and so are Fredric March and Ann Harding; it was nice of watching the former together for the first time, 10 years after their pairing in "Duel in the Sun", in radically different roles. The same goes for Mr. March and Ms. Harding, watching them together for the first time, 27 years after their first pairing in "Paris Bound" (1929).

I have this one taped and I'm making up my mind if I should buy the DVD or not.

[mrsl]

I recall seeing this one on the movie screen but was only a child so the first time was lost on me. Later however, I realized it's one of the better movies involved in 'ethics over paycheck'. Not only does he not want to lie to his wife and family, he doesn't want to write speeches that contain untruths for someone else to give.

Greg Peck was definitely one of our finest actors. He was believable in any part he played from King David to General Savage in 12 o'clock High.

Anne

[precoder]

The reviews posted at IMDb are a fascinating read. Many loved it giving it maximum accolades with nine and ten stars and others simply hated it assigning just one star and calling it the most boring film they'd ever seen ... How interesting ...

I too first saw this movie as a youngster on television and remember asking myself why did they even make movies about this sort of stuff back then? Has that much changed regarding what audiences find appealing? But I think all the subplots are intended to represent the seemingly endless barrage of life-challenges one in such circumstances realistically faces in the day-to-day rat-race. I found Gregory Peck's projected self-control balanced by an equally characterized aura of impending madness; as if his character were on the verge of completely losing it ... But instead his wife does ...

The Fredric March character is already past that stage; alcoholic, in poor health due to corporate stress, and guilt-ridden and broken-hearted for trading his family's needs for empire building; an endeavor he regrets ...

Those who found it overly maudlin and boring, can probably look to their own lives and find similar self-unfulfillment in the daily routine of chasing money only to discover it's out-run them. Dreams cannot always come true ... This movie tries to be about some of those that don't ... In that respect, I thought it succeeded ...

I'm new here, so I appreciate the replies ... Thank you ...

[mrsl]

Precoder:

Welcome, by the way. I don't think Greg's character was that close to losing it, more a case of being sick and tired of being used by everyone in his life from his whiny wife, to his boss. The wife character makes me want to kick her. They seemed to live in a perfectly nice house and the kids seemed well dressed, plus the lazy so and so had a maid/nanny. What more would she want. I can only surmise it was a case of trying to keep up with, or better than the Joneses. (No pun intended).

Then his boss offers him a promotion because he likes Gregs' forth-rightness and the first thing Gregs' asked to do is mask his thoughts and work with all the a--kissers - the boss knew who they were, why would he make a choice like that?

This is a movie that is totally lost on kids which is why I'm stymied as to why I saw it on the big screen. All I can figure is it was probably the second feature at the drive-in, and my folks thought I'd be sleeping by the time it came on. Non of the sub-plots would appeal to kids even today. IN fact this movie would most likely come and go with little or no attention given it at all today.

Anne

[precoder]

This is a movie that is totally lost on kids. None of the sub-plots would appeal to kids even today. IN fact this movie would most likely come and go with little or no attention given it at all today.

Did you notice the brain-numbing effect that television had on his kids? WoW. In the Neil Postman book, "Amusing Ourselves To Death" he reminds us:

"Television does not ban books, it simply displaces them. Not with Orwell, but with Huxleyism. It does all possible to encourage us to watch continuously, poisoning the masses with amusements as a means of pacifying our discontent" ...

Thanx for the welcome Anna ... I see pktrekgirl has been busy with the avatars ... Very nice ...

[MissGoddess]

While, like Ann, I found myself wanting to give a boot to the wife played by Jennifer Jones, I do think this movie is very resonant today. Many people in various professions will eventually come against situations that challenge their values, especially if they are ambitious (or have ambitious spouses). Gregory Peck always makes me feel as if it will all come out right in the end.

As I said, my only qualm was with his wife, I really wanted him to stay with the Italian girl.

[mrsl]

Hi All:

I didn't mean to imply that this was not a good movie - just that it wouldn't go over today because it's a 'story movie with a plot'. It has no aliens, no horrific murders, no blatant sex, etc. It's strictly a good movie meant to entertain for a couple of hours. It would go the way of Far From Heaven, Hope Floats, and Mona Lisa Smile. No matter how much advertising they get, because there are no young celebrity types, or any of the other items I mentioned, people wouldn't go to see it.

I've discovered a lot of good movies lately on the Encore stations because they are the last hue and cry before going into network and cable commercial TV. Kind of like the $1.00 movie theaters. Unfortunately, these movies are advertised, but don't make the crowds and lines, so they disappear from the theaters, and end up on cable, sometimes directly to the lesser channels and bypassing HBO and MAX, or even straight to DVD. So all of my complaining about bad writing is hedged now by realizing that if the kids don't like it . . . forget it! A movie made with adult audiences in mind hasn't got a chance (and I don't mean sexual movies, just things mature people are interested in.)

Anne

[Ayres]

The sexism in the movie is fascinating; startling for the modern viewer, but the movie is a realistic depiction of women in the 1950s, right down to the praise Jennifer Jones receives at the end for accepting what happened when her husband was overseas. I don't say she should not have accepted it, but that little speech Lee J. Cobb makes about her at the end has always irked me.

[mrsl]

Its odd how something you've lived with all your life makes you quizzical about things that pre-date it. Many people can't conceive of a cigarette commercial, or not Having to buckle up in the car. I too get irritated at Cobb's little speech, but it was evocative of the time. Good little wives had dinner ready when hubby came home at night, never complained if he had a little drink with 'the boys', and asked if she could put a color rinse on her hair.

The original poster wondered why a movie would be made about this stuff, and the reason is simply that it was life experience at the time. A man would never question his boss regarding his intentions, any more than a man would voluntarily admit to a screw-up like his, but most wives were not like his, and he could normally have just sent a check each month with wifey never knowing a thing, because the man handled the money. Their equal knowledge was pretty rare at the time.

Anne