Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
47 of 48 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Business vs. Family, June 3, 2001
Gregory Peck stars as a Madison Avenue executive whose life reaches several crises at once. His wife, Jennifer Jones, is pushing him to make more money and to be more successful, but without losing his ideals or honesty in a business that values neither one of those. His experiences in World War II are coming back to haunt him, and his ownership of his grandmother's house is being challenged by her former servant. Fredric March co-stars as his new boss, a man who put his business before his family, a decision whose consequences he must now live with. There are a lot of lofty ideas being bounced around in this story, and they tend to center around the importance of family and being true to one's self and ideals. Peck is his usual solid self, probably the perfect choice for this kind of role. Jones gets the big emotional scene in the film, and she plays it to the hilt. March gives a very moving, sympathetic performance, while Ann Harding as his distant wife has a couple of good scenes. Although this is very much a film of the Fifties, the basic message of the movie still has its impact today. It's honestly presented, well acted and written, and well worth watching.
|
|
|
53 of 55 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Whiter Shade of Grey, March 16, 2005
Catch the anonymous face in the crowd and consider the bright lights and dark shadows of that fellow's existence. This is Peck's performance in The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit and he is brilliant. Several reviewers have noted "the Look" of the film and its quintessential Fifties style. This is true, I felt I was gaining a peak at a long lost world: Post-war America, advancing economically, but struggling morally. The flashbacks make this half a War movie and give it a shared history with its adult intended audience. This was a time when adult movies did not mean pornography, but dealt with mature themes such as honesty in relationships and integrity in your profession.
Gregory Peck has some great scenes, many in which he doesn't seem to do much. The look on his face on the train when the man in the coat in front of him triggers a repulsive memory from the war is worth pages of dialogue. The uncomprehending shock from when he accidentally kills his best friend is a real tearjerker. I don't know what other American actor at this time could be so effective.
The plot was a surprise to me, I really had no idea this was such an engaging story. The title implies a dull, plodding story, and I have to admit little prior knowledge about this movie except its one of those I'd always heard about. This has got to be one of the best movies out of the Fifties and that is saying a lot. There is poignancy, humor (the kids always glued to the TV and oblivious to the real drama around them), and above all, a slice of life that is absorbing and realistic. This is definitely an overlooked gem needing full DVD glory. Have the popcorn ready, once you start it, you won't want to get off the couch.
|
|
|
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the very best, April 25, 2003
This movie showcases great acting, great writing, and a serious, yet entertaining theme. It grapples with serious issues of family,business,ethics,past mistakes, and painful memories in a truly engaging manner. Though it is deeply rooted in the post-WWII fifties, the ideas are timeless. It is at once realistic and redemptive. Watch it with someone you love-it will be a movie you'll both enjoy.
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
DVD ~ Gregory Peck
DVD ~ Gregory Peck
DVD ~ Gregory Peck
DVD ~ Gregory Peck
DVD ~ William Holden
