The Country Girl (1954)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

George Seaton

Writers:

Clifford Odets (play)
George Seaton (screenplay)

Release Date:

17 May 1955 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

How far should a woman go...to redeem the man she loves?

Plot:

A director hires an alcoholic has-been and strikes up a stormy relationship with the actor's wife, whom he believes is the cause of all the man's problems.

Plot Keywords:

Director | Alcoholic | Actor | Alley | Guilt

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Bing Crosby	...	Frank Elgin
Grace Kelly	...	Georgie Elgin
William Holden	...	Bernie Dodd
Anthony Ross	...	Philip Cook
Gene Reynolds	...	Larry
Jacqueline Fontaine	...	Lounge singer
Eddie Ryder	...	Ed
Robert Kent	...	Paul Unger
John W. Reynolds	...	Henry Johnson

Also Known As:

Country Girl (Australia) (TV title)

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:S | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #17063, General Audience) | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (2004) | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

During filming Grace Kelly managed to have affairs with Bing Crosby, Clark Gable and William Holden

Quotes:

Georgie Elgin: Let's say I try my small way to help
Bernie Dodd: That's what my ex-wife used to keep me reminding of, cheerfully. She had a theory that behind every great man there was a great woman. She also was thoroughly convinced that she was great and all I needed to qualify was guidance on her part.
Georgie Elgin: Still does not prove that the theory is completely wrong. I imagine one can go through history and find a few good examples.
Bernie Dodd: It's a pity that Leonardo da Vinci never had a wife to guide him, he might have really gotten somewhere.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "I Love Lucy: Hollywood at Last (#4.16)" (1955)

Soundtrack:

The Land Around Us

Surprisingly superb performances

I accidentally came across this movie on a classic movie channel and decided to watch. I have never considered Bing Crosby or Grace Kelly to be academy award winning actors, and I knew little of William Holden's acting abilities. I was both surprised and moved to tears in watching the compelling performances of these actors. I forgot that they were the "stars" and only saw them as the desperate individuals that they portrayed. I also realized that scripts like those no longer appear in contemporary films. Each word chosen for it's precision, poignancy and heart. Also surprising is how well the disease of alcoholism was understood even at that time, although there are sadly still many in society today who lack that level of sophistication to fully comprehend the agonizing aspects of alcoholism both to the individual addict and his family. Brilliantly performed by all! Thank you.