The Model and the Marriage Broker (1951)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

George Cukor

Writers:

Charles Brackett (writer)
Richard L. Breen (writer)

Release Date:

November 1951 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Marriage broker Mae Swasey, who somewhat cynically arranges her loser clients' affairs, meets model...

Plot Keywords:

Marriage Broker | Model | Marriage Agency | Beautiful Woman | Grand Central Station New York

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Jeanne Crain	...	Kitty Bennett
Scott Brady	...	Matt Hornbeck
Thelma Ritter	...	Mae Swasey
Zero Mostel	...	George Wixted
Michael O'Shea	...	Doberman
Helen Ford	...	Emmy Swasey
Frank Fontaine	...	Mr. Hjalmer Johannson
Dennie Moore	...	Mrs. Bea Gingras
John Alexander	...	Mr. Perry
Jay C. Flippen	...	Dan Chancellor

Also Known As:

The Marriage Broker (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:S | Sweden:Btl

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

In the original script, the model's name was Christina Brady. It was changed to Kitty Bennett for the movie. Then, when this movie was adapted for the "20th Century Fox Hour of Stars" presentation in June 1957, the character's name was changed back to Christina Brady.

Quotes:

Dan Chancellor: Beautiful up here, isn't it? Those trees. I've always liked that poem that said, "Only God can make a tree."
Mae Swasey: Yeah, but on the other hand, you gotta figure, who else would take the time?

a love song to thelma

Thelma Ritter was a national treasure. She could combine humor and pathos, and the warmth beneath the crusty exterior was always in evidence. Her presence in any film was always one of the high points, but this one is totally hers; she probably has in it the most screen time of any film she was in and, but for the vagaries of Hollywood, should have been first-billed in the credits. She brings great compassion to the character of Mae, who has endured a great loss and as a result has found herself in a business whose goal is to help others.

Under Cukor's sensitive direction, a wonderful script is brought to life (and, in view of his purported concerns about his physical appearance, one wonders if the script's allusions to the lonely and less-than-beautiful people of the world had a particular resonance for him). Dennie Moore, who had played the saucy maid in Cukor's "Sylvia Scarlett" 16 years earlier, shows up and is again a delight.