The Tender Trap (1955)

Director:

Charles Walters

Writers:

Julius J. Epstein (screenplay)
Max Shulman (play) ...
(more)

Release Date:

4 November 1955 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Tagline:

Add SPICE to your life!

Plot:

Charlie Reader is a successful theater agent. He is also successful with young ladies. One day he is visited by his old friend Joe...

Plot Keywords:

Agent | Love | Theater | Bachelor | Womanizer

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Frank Sinatra	...	Charlie Y. Reader
Debbie Reynolds	...	Julie Gillis
David Wayne	...	Joe McCall
Celeste Holm	...	Sylvia Crewes
Jarma Lewis	...	Jessica Collins
Lola Albright	...	Poppy Masters
Carolyn Jones	...	Helen
Howard St. John	...	Mr. Sayers
Joey Faye	...	Sol Z. Steiner
Tom Helmore	...	Mr. Loughran
Willard Sage	...	Director
Marc Wilder	...	Ballet-Actor
Jack Boyle	...	Audition Dancer
James Drury	...	Eddie
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bette Arlen	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Bill Baldwin	...	TV Host (uncredited) (voice)
Madge Blake	...	Society Reporter (uncredited)
Leonard Bremen	...	Cab Driver (uncredited)
John Bromfield	...	Actor in Film on TV (clip from 'Easy to Love') (uncredited) (archive footage)
Herbert Butterfield	...	Minister (voice) (uncredited)
Hal Floyd	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Hugo Haas	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Gil Harman	...	TV Announcer (uncredited)
Sam Harris	...	Extra at Home Show (uncredited)
Stuart Holmes	...	Nightclub Table Extra (uncredited)
Michael Kostrick	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Gustave Lax	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Don Lynch	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
George Peters	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Max Power	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Dan Quigg	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Gordon Richards	...	Doorman (uncredited)
Benny Rubin	...	Mr. Wilson (uncredited)
Erin Selwyn	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Reginald Simpson	...	Stage Manager (uncredited)
Frank Sully	...	Doorman (uncredited)
Hal Taggart	...	Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Phil Tead	...	Wendell (voice) (uncredited)
Dave White	...	Cab Driver (uncredited)
Esther Williams	...	Actress in Film on TV (clip from 'Easy to Love') (uncredited) (archive footage)
Wilson Wood	...	George, Elevator Boy (uncredited)

Directed by
Charles Walters

Writing credits
Julius J. Epstein		(screenplay) (as Julius Epstein)
Max Shulman		(play) and
Robert Paul Smith		(play)

Produced by
Lawrence Weingarten	....	producer

Original Music by
Jeff Alexander

Cinematography by
Paul Vogel		(director of photography) (as Paul C. Vogel)

Film Editing by
John D. Dunning		(as John Dunning)

Art Direction by
Cedric Gibbons
Arthur Lonergan

Set Decoration by
Jack D. Moore
Edwin B. Willis

Costume Design by
Helen Rose

Makeup Department
Sydney Guilaroff	....	hair stylist
William Tuttle	....	makeup designer

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joel Freeman	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Wesley C. Miller	....	recording supervisor (as Dr. Wesley C. Miller)

Editorial Department
Charles K. Hagedon	....	color consultant

Music Department
Jeff Alexander	....	conductor
Will Beitel	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Clinton Wilder	....	stage presenter

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1955) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1980) (USA) (TV) (network premiere) (pan/scan)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System) | 4-Track Stereo

Certification:

Australia:G (TV rating) | Australia:PG | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (certificate #17672)

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The original Broadway production of "The Tender Trap" by Max Shulman and Robert Paul Smith opened at the Longacre Theater on October 13, 1954 and ran for 102 performances. The original cast included Robert Preston and Kim Hunter.

Quotes:

Joe McCall: Go ahead, punch me in the nose!...
Charlie Reader: Why should I? You'd punch back!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Saturday Night Live: The Best of Molly Shannon (2001) (V)

Soundtrack:

(Love Is) The Tender Trap

A wonderful comedy of the mid-'50's

I love this film because it is so reflective of the mid-50's sensibility and the glamour of New York at that time. All of the actors have wonderful chemistry, and Celeste Holm is a stand out as Sinatra's "fiancee" Debbie Reynolds is adorable as a 22 year old ingenue who wants a career in the theatre, but only for a brief time. She has a plan to get married, have three children and live in Scarsdale, which everyone knows has the best school system in the country. Sinatra and David Wayne are old friends and the married Wayne comes to New York to take a vacation from his wife. He becomes interested in Holm and falls in love with her. Sinatra falls in love with Debbie Reynolds and their scenes are just lovely. Complications ensue, but in the end, it all shakes out. This is one of the best adaptations of a 1950's stage comedy and it is most enjoyable and certainly worthwhile.