Marjorie Morningstar ** (1958, Natalie Wood, Gene Kelly, Claire Trevor, Everett Sloane, Martin Milner, Carolyn Jones, Martin Balsam, Edd Byrnes, George Tobias, Jesse White, Paul Picerni, Ruta Lee, Shelley Fabares) – Classic Movie Review 6317

Director Irving Rapper’s intriguing and glossy but uncomfortable 1958 romantic drama film adaptation of The Winds of War writer Herman Wouk’s sincere novel – surprisingly at the time the most-read book since Gone with the Wind – looks at the troubled coming of age struggle of an upwardly mobile Jewish girl as an ambitious theatrical artiste in the Thirties.

Former child star Wood takes on an early adult role, the title part of Marjorie Morgenstern, a Jewish teenager who rebels against her orthodox background and is captivated by the world of acting, and by older entertainer Noel Airman (Gene Kelly).

While a college student, Marjorie is engaged as a counsellor at a summer camp, where she falls for the 32-year-old would-be dramatist Airman, who is working at a summer theatre near by.

Wood and Kelly as her theatrical passion seem well cast but are surprisingly unconvincing, though the supporting performances are fine, particularly Ed Wynn as dotty uncle Samson, Trevor as Wood’s momma, Rose, Everett Sloane as her dad Arnold and Carolyn Jones as Marsha Zelenko, who won the Golden Globe as Most Promising Newcomer – Female. But Rapper fails to steer and control the actors or the admittedly difficult material strongly or commandingly enough, though he does bring on the old-style Hollywood professionalism in a dated film that is very much of its time.

There is an Oscar nomination as Best Original Song for the Sammy Fain (music) /Paul Francis Webster (lyrics) song ‘A Very Precious Love’.

Edd Byrnes (Kookie in TV’s 77 Sunset Strip).

Also in the cast are  Martin [Marty] Milner as Wally Wronkin, Carolyn Jones, George Tobias, Jesse White, Martin Balsam, Edd Byrnes (Kookie in TV’s 77 Sunset Strip), Paul Picerni, Alan Reed, Ruta Lee, Edward Foster, Patricia Denise, Howard Best, Lester Dorr, Carl Sklover, Jean Vachon, Elizabeth Harrower, Guy Raymond, Leslie Bradley, Maida Severn, Fay Nuell, Fred Rapport, Harry Seymour, Shelley Fabares, Walter Clinton, Pierre Watkin, Reginald Sheffield, Stanley Livingston, Peter Brown (Deputy Johnny McKay in TV’s Lawman, 1958-1962), Gail Ganley, Russell Ash, Lana Wood and Rad Fulton.

It is written by Everett Freeman, shot in WarnerColor by Harry Stradling Sr, produced by Milton Sperling, scored by Max Steiner and Ray Heindorf, and designed by Malcolm Bert.

Peter Brown (Deputy Johnny McKay in TV’s Lawman, 1958-1962).

RIP Peter Brown (1935–2016).

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6317

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