Designing Woman (1957)

Too much of everything

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

This is a very funny movie starring Gregory Peck and Lauren Bacall in a film with a set-up similar to the Hepburn-Tracy classic Woman of the Year (1942). It deservedly won George Wells his only Oscar (on his only nomination) for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay - Written Directly for the Screen, and was directed by Vincente Minnelli.Peck is a New York sportswriter who's on the West Coast on assignment, doing a story about a horse race. He wakes up from a drinking binge during which he had met New York fashion designer Bacall, though he doesn't recall it. While he struggles to recover from his hangover, she relates the events of the previous evening which included filling his latest story. He notices how beautiful she is, and they begin a brief torrid affair which leads to a hasty marriage. Of course, each is a "fish out of water" in the other's world, which they begin to discover when they return to New York. Since his apartment is a typically small, messy male abode, they decide to live in her fancy, pastel colored place. This leads to some amusing scenes when he holds his regular card game, with his beer drinking-cigar smoking buddies, in their new home, especially those which involve a punchy ex-boxer Maxie Stultz (Mickey Shaughnessy).Before his West Coast trip, apparently Peck was dating a leggy actress (Dolores Gray), who's a bit surprised, and none to happy, to find out that he's gotten himself married. Bacall knows nothing about this, though she does find pieces of a torn up picture, the actress's legs, while cleaning out his old apartment. Bacall's then hired to work on a film whose star is, of course, the ex-girlfriend. Though the three of them dine together, Peck pretends not to know Gray. One of the film's most hilarious scenes occurs when Bacall's theatrical crowd attempts to do their creative work (including "dancing" by Tom Helmore) for the film at the same time that Peck's macho friends are having their regular card game at the apartment.Besides failing to reveal his relationship with the actress to his new wife, Peck's character has also kept secret the fact that his life is in danger, because he has been writing a series of expose columns about a gangster (Chuck Connors), who's been corrupting sport. When his editor (Sam Levene) decides that Peck should "disappear"for a while in order to finish the series, Bacall finally makes the connection between the legs in the torn photograph and those of her film's leading lady, and assumes the worst.Without revealing too much more, I wanted to make sure to mention the funny scenes which involve Shaughnessy's character, who accompanies Peck for protection when he goes undercover. Though the two never leave New York, Peck is able to convince his punchy bodyguard that they're in a new city every time they change hotels. And, when he hears a bell ring, the ex-boxer thinks he's just been called to begin another round in a fight. Lastly, Jesse White plays the character that helps gangster Connors locate Peck, who will learn to respect Helmore's dancing ability.

At the mention of Gregory Peck's name, any number of great films might come to mind. "The Keys of the Kingdom" of 1944 had four Oscar nominations. "Gentlemen's Agreement" of 1947 won three Academy Awards, including best picture. "Twelve O'clock High" of 1949 won two Oscars. "Moby Dick" of 1956 won international awards. "To Kill a Mockingbird" of 1962 won three Oscars including Peck's Oscar and a Golden Globe as best actor. These are among many superb roles Gregory Peck had in dramas, war films and Westerns. One doesn't readily think of Peck in comedies, and yet he did make a few comedy romances. The best known of those would be "Roman Holiday" of 1953, which was a big hit mostly for the role of the relative newcomer to film, Audrey Hepburn. But, Peck had two genuine comedies around this time. "Man With a Million" was a 1954 British film that showed Peck with some talent for comedy. I think his best genuine comedy is this 1957 film, "Designing Woman." Make no bones about it, Gregory Peck is not a comedian. He doesn't deliver snappy, witty lines, or give dialog that evokes laughter. But he can play a straight face with comedy situations that are very funny. And, he can act a frazzled part that leads to laughs. Those are what he does mostly in this film with co-star Lauren Bacall. The story is a good one and won an Oscar for George Wells. Peck is a New York newspaper sports writer, Mike Hagen. Bacall is a fashion designer, Marilla Brown. No two more opposites would be likely to hit it off. But they do, and their opposites in almost everything lead to some very funny situations. The film gets a further boost out of a supporting cast that has some very good performances. Bacall is very good in her role and it was good to see her back in films after the January death of husband Humphrey Bogart. Considering this film's success, one wonders how Peck and Bacall might have fared in further pairings, comedic or otherwise. This film is a good watch for the whole family. The kids may especially like the antics of a dog.

The best thing about this film may very well be the performance of Gregory Peck...because it is so unlike the typical Gregory Peck role or performance. While watching the film I kept seeing Cary Grant in the role, only to find out that Grant had turned down the role (as had Jimmy Stewart).I wondered why I had always unconsciously avoided this film...probably because I'm not a particular fan of Lauren Bacall...at least in her post-1940s films. But I must say that Bacall is wonderful in the role.So you have two wonderful star performances, not to mention a top-notch script. What could wrong. Pretty much nothing. I did find the film just a tad bit slow early on, but it built nicely.The supporting cast does nicely here, as well. It's not that anyone stands out, but they all do their jobs well. I was not familiar with Dolores Gray, here as the "other woman"; great for this part; not sure how she would fare generally...and she had a pretty sparse career in front of the camera (she did sing Marilyn Monroe's part in "There's No Business Like Show Business"). Sam Levene may be just a tad over-the-top as Peck's editor, but it's funny. I always enjoy seeing Tom Helmore, here as the "other man"; he does well with his suave manner. Mickey Shaughnessy is priceless as a punch-drunk ex-boxer friend of Peck's. Jesse White as a squealer is pretty good. Edward Platt (later the Chief in "Get Smart" does fine as a crooked boxing promoter. Chuck Connors...well, thankfully it was a small role. Interestingly, 3 actors were uncredited -- Richard Deacon, Dean Jones, and Sid Melton.This climax is unique...and funny...and finally explains why Jack Cole's role as a choreographer (which he really was) is so key to the script.This is a top-notch comedy, and a real treat for Gregory Peck fans. Give it a watch! Highly recommended.

Conceived as an urbane, lifestyle-envy vehicle for wide screens, it's not much more. But it's a handsome production made with more care than it might have been. It's surprisingly modern despite the curious narration device. Minelli mines some of his favorite elements from previous work. The behind-the-scenes soundstages and equipment from The Bad and the Beautiful, become a Dolores Gray TV production here. Revealing the machinery is a much more modern & compelling technique, than filming it straight. I have never understood the appeal of Gregory Peck at all. But here he's in his prime and he's a good clothes horse. His hungover point-of-view shot of the sky over Beverly Hills made me laugh out loud. A scene in which he's somewhere he shouldn't be, and an awful pet dog refuses to comply is pretty funny. Bacall playing 'girly' as the fifties demanded is a stretch, but she's better here than in the laugh-free 'How to Marry a Millionaire' which can't spare her even a second to be human. A punch-drunk lout named Maxie who sleeps with his eyes open, reminds me of several other lunkhead roles (Aldo Ray in Pat and Mike) but mostly of Spinner in 'Death to Smoochy.'The opening narration which structures the rather formless movie, and sets up the brouhaha over a notorious incident in Boston, is not matched by the actual incident when it arrives (it's pretty trivial). The theme music wears out it's welcome at about the half hour mark. Around chapter 29 I was ready for things to conclude but there were still ten chapters to go. (!!!!) I get more enjoyment from a second tier Minelli movie than his big hits (An American in Paris, Gigi). D.W. a virtual carbon copy of the Brittany Murphy/Ashton Kutcher vehicle 'Just Married' where a sports schmo marries better than expected. And I prefer it to the similar Tracy/Hepburn vehicle 'Woman of the Year.' Bogart must have been dying as Bacall worked on this.