I loved this film. It was a pure delight from beginning to end, which was not that long given that the film is the shortest one to win Best Picture (It is 91 minutes of unabashed charm!). The 1955 Oscar-winning Best Picture is Marty.
Earnest Borgnine's portrayal was perfection, as was Betsy Blair's. Both were nominated for acting nods... only Borgnine was a winner. This marked Blair's return to movies after several years of being black listed in the ridiculous House Un-American Activities Committee persecution of the era.
The story revolves around a plain, unassuming, and gentle man who discovers that seeking women based solely on their appearance is not all that rewarding. This revelation comes after he encounters a plain woman (they actually refer to each other as “dog ugly”… yikes!) with whom he forms a connection that lifts them both to become better and more accepting people. While in this story, it is their physical appearance that makes them "outsiders" in their social worlds, the story rings true for anything that would make one feel like an "outsider". And really, doesn't almost everyone feel like an outsider at one point or another? This beautiful story unveils that moment in time when one discerns that they could be better off continuing to travel life's journey with someone, rather than on their own.
The subplots involving extended families, aging, and loss only enhanced the experience.
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