The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit **** (1956, Gregory Peck, Fredric March, Jennifer Jones, Marisa Pavan, Lee J Cobb, Keenan Wynn, Gene Lockhart, Gigi Perreau) – Classic Movie Review 5207

Writer-director Nunnally Johnson’s thoughtful 1956 drama stars Gregory Peck as Tom Rath, who lives in Connecticut but commutes to work in Manhattan. He gets a higher paid, higher stress job with a big TV network and writes speeches for sympathetic New York broadcasting corporation boss Ralph Hopkins (Fredric March), who tells him that his private life is being harmed by single-mindedly following the path to money and success.

Rath is an ex-soldier still haunted by various ethical questions about killing in the war, and he recalls Maria (Marisa Pavan), the young Italian woman he had an affair with when he was stationed in Rome. Now he discovers that she gave birth to his son after he quit Italy.

[Spoiler alert] So, eventually, Rath decides to tell all to his wife, make sure his son is cared for, and turn down a promotion for the sake of his family of a loving wife and three children.

This is a complex, incisively sharp, entertaining and satisfying look at US business life, with polished, intelligent work from writer-director Johnson and admirable work from the stars, with a perfectly cast Peck giving one of his most notable performances in one of his classic films.

Jennifer Jones also stars as his wife, Betsy Rath. There is also a fine roster of co-starring support players to note, especially Lee J Cobb, Keenan Wynn, Gene Lockhart, Gigi Perreau, Portland Mason, Connie Gilchrist, Ann Harding, Arthur O’Connell and Henry Daniell.

Johnson’s screenplay is based on the novel by Sloan Wilson.

Also in the cast are Joseph Sweeney, Sandy Descher, Mickey Maga and Kenneth Tobey.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5207

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