MovieChat Forums > Margie Discussion > this movie surprised me

this movie surprised me

posted 13 years ago by crispy_comments
12 replies | jump to latest

I watch a lot of older movies, and I was looking forward to this one, expecting to enjoy it... but I didn't expect to get *so* emotionally invested in rooting for Margie... to the point where I started hating that librarian (Margie's rival for the French teacher's affection), even though the script didn't resort to demonizing her as an obvious Bad Romantic Choice...but she still seemed a bit smug and condescending towards Margie in their few interactions, and I didn't like her.

I even got angry at Margie's well-meaning grandma, for being tactless and insensitive to her grandaughter's feelings ... for instance, during the debate when she told the teacher about Margie's "schoolgirl crush" on him, etc.

I guess the movie (and Jeanne Crain) just did a really good job of portraying Margie's feelings of embarrassment and that hyper-sensitive time of adolescence when every little thing feels intensified and end-of-the-world-ish.

Sure is refreshing to watch a movie where you get invested in the main character like that. Likeable and compelling characters to root for... that's something I don't often find in movies or tv shows today.

ETA: Fixed silly typo :)

[–] prjdean 13 years ago

It is a wonderful film - well directed by Henry King who always had a knack at this type film - shot partially on location in an actual small town - and so well cast and acted .

Everyone does a great job from Conrad Janis and Barbara Lawrence as the flashy jazz babies Johnny and Marybelle to Alan Young as Margie's naive boyfriend Roy - somehow sympathetic despite his nerdy behaviour --- to Glenn Langen as the handsome Mr Fontayne and Lynn Bari as the librarian Isabel Palmer who has obviously had more than a friendship with him -- but it is Jeanne Crain who makes the movie work so well with her sweet performance - my Favorite JC role.

I am so glad that you loved the movie too , crispy.

[–] crispy_comments 13 years ago

I should add that I was also surprised by the ending. They did a good job making Margie's love interests layered enough so that it wasn't totally obvious who she'd end up with. Movies today would've made the characters more one-dimensional and cliched.

prjdean - Yes, you're right about Alan Young's character being sympathetic. In his awkward way, he tries to comfort Margie (over her father), and since he's the first guy to appreciate her, you kind of root for him... but at the same time, it's balanced, and they show you why Margie might not be attracted to him... instead of heavy-handed writing favoring him (or her other love interests). That's just the sort of thing that makes the ending less predictable and the movie more enjoyable than your standard romance of today. :)

[–] prjdean 13 years ago

The romance between Margie and her teacher may be the reason this film has never been released commercially - no longer a PC subject.

Yes Roy is not a cliche thanks to the writing and Alan Young's performance. In one of the radio play versions of MARGIE(there are two online) , it is mentioned at the end that Roy is the owner of a big business and one of his employees is Johnnykins - a nice touch I thought.

[–] crispy_comments 13 years ago

Oh, is that the reason? I think it's pretty ridiculous, considering how innocent the movie is compared to newer movies and tv shows that are widely available. I remember the script made a point of having Margie's grandma mention how young the teacher was for his job. He's not really much older than Margie, and she'll be graduating soon... and okay, sometimes a person in a position of authority, like a teacher, abuses their power and preys on a less experienced kid. But that's not what happened here with these characters. If that's why there's no DVD... Arrghh.

I'll have to look for those radio plays online. Thanks for letting me know. :)

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Owlnut73 9 years ago

But we don't actually see the relationship part. And she was almost 18. Until the ending, when he comes home we don't even see him kiss her. It is very innocent. So, I don't know what the big deal is about releasing it. I DVRd it last time it was on. It is one of my favorite movies.

[–] ducdebrabant 12 years ago

but I didn't expect to get *so* emotionally invested in rooting for Margie... to the point where I started hating that librarian (Margie's rival for the French teacher's affection), even though the script didn't resort to demonizing her as an obvious Bad Romantic Choice...but she still seemed a bit smug and condescending towards Margie in their few interactions, and I didn't like her.

I think Lynn Bari had played "the other woman" or the not-as-nice-as-she-ought-to-be woman so many times by then that she couldn't play nice anymore. Or perhaps she played that woman so many times because she always came off that way anyway.

The Republican Plan: repeal all reform; collect payoffs; go yachting (but not in the Gulf).

[–] PopperTheKungFu-Dragon 9 years ago

I was rather disappointed with the ending. I loved the movie until the end because I really wanted her to end up with Roy rather than with someone who, after all, was just a schoolgirl crush.

The movie was wonderful until the end.

Very good. But brick not hit back!

[–] Owlnut73 9 years ago

Mr. Fontayne may have been a school-girl crush, but it was obvious he liked her from the beginning. Why else would he go to her debate and the skating rink to watch her skate? Not to mention, stopping by her house on more than one occassion.

[–] twhiteson 8 years ago

I too was hoping for Roy, but he needed to grow-up a bit. So, no surprise he didn't land Margie.

Johnny was a lightweight- getting by on his looks and Big Man on Campus rep. So, Johnny wasn't getting anywhere. (Yep, once upon a time Conrad Janis could actually play a character who got by on his looks. Until I looked up his acting bio, I was not aware that "Johnny" was played by same actor who was Pam Dawber's chrome-domed dad on "Mork & Mindy.")

Thus, it's not a shock that she ends up Prof. Ralph Fontayne- her high school French teacher. He's the handsome and sophisticated adult who is portrayed as the prize "catch" for her classmates. It's pretty much a no-brainer ending. However, I felt unsatisfied with it.

Maybe it's my late 20th century upbringing which finds the idea of a high school teacher hooking up with one of his students to be both completely unethical and morally repugnant. I found nothing "romantic" about this relationship. In fact, I was a bit skeezed out by it. Also, Glen Langan, who played Prof. Fontayne, was a complete stiff. At least, Roy and Johnny had some personality.

Also, Margie is a bright, talented, and extremely pretty girl. She could have done so much better than hooking her wagon to some pervy high school teacher who thinks his classroom is a place to cruise for dates. She sells herself short becoming a housewife to such a lech. Yet, this film wants us to celebrate it. Times certainly have changed.

Prof. Fontayne needed to have a sit down with Chris Hansen not be rewarded for his lecherousness by being able to go home every night to a wife that looks like Jeanne Crain.

[–] Owlnut73 7 years ago

We never saw the romance part of the relationship. He was only about 8 years older, as pointed out by the grandma. Also, she was about 18. Legal. We never even saw them kiss until that last scene, in the attic with their daughter.

He didn't use his classroom for dates. It wasn't his fault the entire female student body had a crush on him. He only liked Margie. I think the librarian liked him more then he liked her.

[–] marktayloruk (2374) 3 years ago

If they fancied each other it was nobody else's business.