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The Best of Everything (1959) video

The Best Of Everything (1959) Tribute

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Added by Noirdame
9 years ago on 16 July 2014 22:03

Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for fair use for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

Based on Rona Jaffe's bestselling novel about the highs and lows of career girls in New York City in the 1950s, this production was beautifully filmed in Cinemascope and the colors, sets, and costumes are dazzling. Many have viewed this as "Peyton Place" in the big city or the forerunner of "Valley Of The Dolls". The delicate blonde beauty Caroline Bender (Hope Lange) goes to work at Fabian Publishing Company hoping to eventually become an editor but still harbors dreams of marrying her childhood sweetheart Eddie Harris (Brett Halsey). Caroline catches the eye of Mike Rice (Stephen Boyd) who feels that Caroline is better suited elsewhere. The two play a see-sawing game between attraction and conflict (and it should be noted that even though Mike is a drunk, he's actually one of the few gentlemen in the entire film!). Naive, baby-faced brunette April Morrison (Diane Baker) fresh from Colorado, in her innocence is ripe for exploitation, first by lecherous Fabian editor Fred Shalimar (Brian Aherne) and later, slimy playboy Dexter Key (future producer Robert Evans), leading to heartbreak. And gorgeous redhead Gregg Adams (Suzy Parker) an aspiring stage actress, falls into an affair with womanizing director David Savage (Louis Jourdan), and suffers a breakdown after he drops her, which ends in tragedy. Also starring Joan Crawford as bitter editor Amanda Farrow, who behind her cold exterior secretly regrets the love and family that she feels she missed out on. Martha Hyer plays single mother Barbara Lamont, who tries to fight her attraction and reciprocated love for Sidney Carter (Donald Harron). While many of the themes and attitudes seem dated, there's something irresistibly romantic and appealing about this movie. Johnny Mathis's vocals add to this nostalgic feel of New York in the 1950s. No doubt the creators of "Mad Men" were inspired by Jean Negulesco's film.

Music and Lyrics by Sammy Cahn and Alfred Newman

Enjoy!