MovieChat Forums > Marty (1955) Discussion > Betsy Blair's too good looking

Betsy Blair's too good looking

posted 14 years ago by tgemberl
51 replies | jump to latest

I think this is a nice movie with a good message. But having been something of a Marty myself over my life, I thought Betsy Blair was a bit too good looking for the role. I suppose she had to be: Hollywood wouldn't tolerate a really plain-looking woman in such a leading role. It would take a John Waters film of the 70's and 80's for that (say, Polyester).

When Marty says to her "you're not such a dog," I half expected her to say, "But you are." That's probably the reality for most men like Marty in this world.

It's wonderful that he got a break and met a wonderful person like her, by being kind and decent. But you can't count on that.

"Extremism in the pursuit of moderation is no vice."

[–] LukeLovesFilm28 11 years ago

I thought Ernest and Betsy were wonderful together. It was so great to see a good, if heavyset guy like Marty, finally get a break.

By the way, beauty can come in the way you present yourself as much as some unrealistic model image. If Betsy felt like a dog, thought she was a dog, she could project that.

[–] DarthBill 10 years ago

I thought Betsy Blair gave a good performance and felt the film was good overall, but it was hard not to roll my eyes every time someone called her a "dog" or some variation thereof.

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] vincentripol 10 years ago

Betsy Blair's character definitely was not a "dog" like the callow guys in "Marty" kept describing her; she just wasn't drop-dead gorgeous. Although not ugly, she wasn't flashy, and didn't wear a lot of makeup or flamboyant attire. Physically, she wasn't voluptuous or sexy in an obvious way (again, this merely was the preference of the guys like Marty's friends).

And it wasn't just her looks that disinterested Marty's friends and made the character believable as a wallflower. She was a "college girl", which meant something less flattering back then (a bookworm, librarian, prude etc.) She also didn't have an exciting job or family history or high-society status, and she wasn't very socially exciting, preferring to sit back silently and watch others converse, while keeping her own responses brief and bland when directly addressed. Again, some guys might like that submissive, silent type, but in the movie, Marty's friends obviously wanted him to hook up with a flashy dame full of witty comebacks and come-ons, and Betsy Blair's character was the opposite - "boring" to Marty's friends, but a comfort to him.

[–] dini0519 10 years ago

She was what might be called plain. Not pretty or ugly either. I thought she had a sweet and warm personality and love the fact that her and Marty could get beyond their looks and really try to get to know each other. This movie has remained on my top ten list for many years.

Dini

[–] frank-grimey-grimes 10 years ago

yeah i think she just had a bad haircut, that's all.

and gave her an awful haircut

Nope, that WAS Betsy Blair's haircut. Google images of her with Gene Kelly; this was actually a good 'do for Betsy.

[–] Qanqor 10 years ago

Normally I'd agree with you about this kind of thing, but in this case I think you're wrong. I think they nailed her just right. She's not gorgeous, but she's no dog. She's a little plain but basically nice looking. Nice enough looking that Marty *ought* to realize that she'd be a good catch for him. She *oughtn't* be played by a true ugly, because part of the point is that Marty's friends, in calling her a dog, are showing that they have ludicrously unrealistic standards. Which is what a lot of guys do.

[–] Ken1260 9 years ago

I think she looked plain and she didn't have a great personality to get noticed for anything but her looks and most guys won't take the time to try and see the real person behind the face and clothes.

[–] topsail33-1 9 years ago

I thought she was very pretty. I thought the guys were total losers. Even Marty went along with his friends mentality about dogs, up until he phones her 6 hours late. Seriously, this could have been an adolescent conversation among 8th grade boys. I don't know whether to think this was poorly written, or that Italians in the 50's were really that stupid. They all held up the stereotype of New Yorkers being rude.

[–] ElMaruecan82 9 years ago

I thought she was perfect for the role. We just have to take the word 'dog' or 'ugly' in a broader sense, from the perspective of guys who's looking for the Marylin Monroe-type or the 'broad', the cheap girl from whom you might get something (wink wink). That's all, girls were either judged from their attractiveness or their willingness to have fun with other guys.

Well, a quick look at Clara and anyone would guess that she wasn't this type of girl, as a matter of fact, she had nothing to do with a place like the 'Stardust'. She was a serious girl, plain but not dull, softspoken and shy, there was no need to make her character 'uglier' than that, by giving her a sort of nerdy look à la Adrian Balboa. That's what today's movies do and "Marty" is beyond these cheap tricks.

By the way, although I hate that bulls**** about inner beauty, I think that there are 2,5% of people who are objectively beautiful, and 2,5% who are objectively ugly. But the vast majority of us can be seen as beautiful by some people and ugly by others, just a matter of taste. People like Marty and Clara are part of the majority. Sure, they're closer to average but you wouldn't label them as ugly, they were just social outcasts in the first place... and their looks didn"t help.

Darth Vader is scary and I  The Godfather

[–] liscarkat (16652) 7 years ago

Blair was perfect in the role. She wasn't ugly, but she is rather plain, especially in the clothes and unflattering hairdo they gave her. Put her in a glamorous dress, makeup, and better hair, and she'd probably look decent, but no beauty. But her appearance and personality suited the part and were much more convincing than those movies where the "ugly" girl takes off her glasses in the end and "oh, look! It's Rita Hayworth!"