Haywire over Hayward.

[lydecker]

A big shout out to one of my favorite (character or otherwise) actresses, Thelma Ritter, for her great (does she ever give any other kind?) performance in With A Song In My Heart.

[LornaHansonForbes]

I suppose I should start by saying that I went in to I CAN GET IT FOR YOU WHOLESALE with the utterly mistaken impression (in part because of the presence of Dan Dailey and also because of the rather whimsical title, which seems to me to suggest more of a comic take on things than the intense drama that I found) that it was a musical/comedy.

 

Hoo-boy, was I off.

 

I have to say, I side with those who were underwhelmed by the film- apparently Screenwriter Abraham Polonsky (sp?) who was blacklisted soon after seems to think the ins and outs of the ready-to-wear dress manufacturing business are utterly fascinating, and the director of the picture seems to agree with him. They devote too much time to the ins and outs of contracts, business dealings and some of the (clearly meticulously researched) stresses of being in the "rag trade," and as a result- we have an underdeveloped romance at the center of the film, and performances by Sam Jaffe and Hayward wherein they are clearly fighting to be noticed over the slavish, almost single-minded devotion the film has to exploring the elements of business, commerce and capitalism. And poor George Sanders- who had just won the best supporting actor Oscar over Jaffe- is given the most thankless throwaway, third wheel role he was maybe asked to ever play (1/3 of his performance is in the form of a dull speech at a dressmaker's convention.)

 

I wonder if part of the motivation for taking Polonsky down a peg with the HUAC was the fact that he clearly won the battle to turn WHOLESALE into a rather politcal film as opposed to a straight romance/drama.

 

WHOLESALE would have greatly benefited from some visual flair somewhere...I mean, I hate to sound like Drew Barrymore here, but you have a film about FASHION wherein we don't see a lot of fashion, it's in black-and-white and the costumes are- for the most part- nothing extraordinary.

[Hibi]

I suppose I should start by saying that I went in to I CAN GET IT FOR YOU WHOLESALE with the utterly mistaken impression (in part because of the presence of Dan Dailey and also because of the rather whimsical title, which seems to me to suggest more of a comic take on things than the intense drama that I found) that it was a musical/comedy.

 

Hoo-boy, was I off.

 

 

LOL. There was a musical version in the early 60s which had a very young Barbra Streisand in a small role..................

[LornaHansonForbes]

. ..As for Dan Dailey, can't say I'm a big fan.

 

Wendell Corey + some singing ability = Dan Dailey

[LornaHansonForbes]

LOL. There was a musical version in the early 60s which had a very young Barbra Streisand in a small role..................

 

Okay, thanks, THAT EXPLAINS why I totally thought it was a musical.

[Hibi]

OMG! Check out the movie poster on Wiki. Talk about FALSE advertising. LMREO.

[Hibi]

Wendell Corey + some singing ability = Dan Dailey

 

 

LOL.. He could dance too....

[LornaHansonForbes]

LOL.. He could dance too....

 

I amend the equation:

 

Wendell Corey + some singing ability + 1 year of soft-shoe training = Dan Dailey.

[Hibi]

The movie seems to have been a very loose adaptation of the novel. For one thing Susan's character was a MAN. The musical doesn't sound anything like the movie either............

[Hibi]

I amend the equation:

 

Wendell Corey + some singing ability + 1 year of soft-shoe training = Dan Dailey.

 

I amend the equation:

 

Wendell Corey + some singing ability + 1 year of soft-shoe training = Dan Dailey.

 

 

OK!

[LornaHansonForbes]

OMG! Check out the movie poster on Wiki. Talk about FALSE advertising. LMREO.

 

this isn't the exact poster to which you refer, but just had to post this:

 

 

Oh IF ONLY the movie had been 1/2 as good as this poster.

[jamesjazzguitar]

I suppose I should start by saying that I went in to I CAN GET IT FOR YOU WHOLESALE with the utterly mistaken impression (in part because of the presence of Dan Dailey and also because of the rather whimsical title, which seems to me to suggest more of a comic take on things than the intense drama that I found) that it was a musical/comedy.

 

Hoo-boy, was I off.

 

I have to say, I side with those who were underwhelmed by the film- apparently Screenwriter Abraham Polonsky (sp?) who was blacklisted soon after seems to think the ins and outs of the ready-to-wear dress manufacturing business are utterly fascinating, and the director of the picture seems to agree with him. They devote too much time to the ins and outs of contracts, business dealings and some of the (clearly meticulously researched) stresses of being in the "rag trade," and as a result- we have an underdeveloped romance at the center of the film, and performances by Sam Jaffe and Hayward wherein they are clearly fighting to be noticed over the slavish, almost single-minded devotion the film has to exploring the elements of business, commerce and capitalism. And poor George Sanders- who had just won the best supporting actor Oscar over Jaffe- is given the most thankless throwaway, third wheel role he was maybe asked to ever play (1/3 of his performance is in the form of a dull speech at a dressmaker's convention.)

 

I wonder if part of the motivation for taking Polonsky down a peg with the HUAC was the fact that he clearly won the battle to turn WHOLESALE into a rather politcal film as opposed to a straight romance/drama.

 

WHOLESALE would have greatly benefited from some visual flair somewhere...I mean, I hate to sound like Drew Barrymore here, but you have a film about FASHION wherein we don't see a lot of fashion, it's in black-and-white and the costumes are- for the most part- nothing extraordinary.

 

I agree with you and I felt the film was only so-so, but I had to watch it after seeing Ben's glowing intro.    I also found the Hayward character to be unlikeable and Dan Dailey doesn't light up the screen.   

[Hibi]

this isn't the exact poster to which you refer, but just had to post this:

 

 

Oh IF ONLY the movie had been 1/2 as good as this poster.

 

 

LOL. Looks like the same gown. Love the tag line. NEVER PROMISE WHAT YOU CANT DELIVER!  Whoever came up with that must've had tongue firmly planted in cheek, as the poster does JUST THAT! LMREO!!!

[DownGoesFrazier]

I suppose I should start by saying that I went in to I CAN GET IT FOR YOU WHOLESALE with the utterly mistaken impression (in part because of the presence of Dan Dailey and also because of the rather whimsical title, which seems to me to suggest more of a comic take on things than the intense drama that I found) that it was a musical/comedy.

 

Hoo-boy, was I off.

 

I have to say, I side with those who were underwhelmed by the film- apparently Screenwriter Abraham Polonsky (sp?) who was blacklisted soon after seems to think the ins and outs of the ready-to-wear dress manufacturing business are utterly fascinating, and the director of the picture seems to agree with him. They devote too much time to the ins and outs of contracts, business dealings and some of the (clearly meticulously researched) stresses of being in the "rag trade," and as a result- we have an underdeveloped romance at the center of the film, and performances by Sam Jaffe and Hayward wherein they are clearly fighting to be noticed over the slavish, almost single-minded devotion the film has to exploring the elements of business, commerce and capitalism. And poor George Sanders- who had just won the best supporting actor Oscar over Jaffe- is given the most thankless throwaway, third wheel role he was maybe asked to ever play (1/3 of his performance is in the form of a dull speech at a dressmaker's convention.)

 

I wonder if part of the motivation for taking Polonsky down a peg with the HUAC was the fact that he clearly won the battle to turn WHOLESALE into a rather politcal film as opposed to a straight romance/drama.

 

WHOLESALE would have greatly benefited from some visual flair somewhere...I mean, I hate to sound like Drew Barrymore here, but you have a film about FASHION wherein we don't see a lot of fashion, it's in black-and-white and the costumes are- for the most part- nothing extraordinary.

I find the inner workings of the garment industry about as fascinating as the inner workings of the produce hauling industry (THIEVES' HIGHWAY). And my grandmother was a card-carrying member of ILGWU.

[misswonderly3]

 

 ....I wonder if part of the motivation for taking Polonsky down a peg with the HUAC was the fact that he clearly won the battle to turn WHOLESALE into a rather politcal film as opposed to a straight romance/drama.....

 

 

One could almost imagine it had been co-written with Clifford Odets.  Yikes !

[DownGoesFrazier]

One could almost imagine it had been co-written with Clifford Odets.  Yikes !

The Broadway show of the same name that brought Streisand to the attention of theatregoers couldn't have been as heavy as this film, no?

[Hibi]

I find the inner workings of the garment industry about as fascinating as the inner workings of the produce hauling industry (THIEVES' HIGHWAY). And my grandmother was a card-carrying member of ILGWU.

 

LOL. I didn't find the film that technical. I liked the background info. I didn't find it obtrusive.

[Hibi]

The Broadway show of the same name that brought Streisand to the attention of theatregoers couldn't have been as heavy as this film, no?

 

The Broadway show of the same name that brought Streisand to the attention of theatregoers couldn't have been as heavy as this film, no?

 

 

I'm not very familiar with the musical version, but it was set in the 30s and Hayward's character was a MAN (as was in the novel) and the characters were Jewish, which was dropped from the film. I think it was a fairly serious story (not Streisand's character though...)

[DownGoesFrazier]

I'm not very familiar with the musical version, but it was set in the 30s and Hayward's character was a MAN (as was in the novel) and the characters were Jewish, which was dropped from the film. I think it was a fairly serious story (not Streisand's character though...)

Did Streisand sing?

[film lover 293]

DownGoesFrazier--Yes, the Broadway musical was more faithful to the 1937 book & was darker than the film--no happy ending.  Barbra Streisand was outstanding as the comedy relief & got the rave reviews & a Tony nomination--the show lost money because it was too downbeat.

 

Edit: Yes, Streisand sang one solo "Miss Marmelstein & was in two numbers that featured the whole cast.

 

Edit 2:--Streisand was in a duet with her boss, "I'm Not a Well Man".

[DownGoesFrazier]

DownGoesFrazier--Yes, the Broadway musical was more faithful to the 1937 book & was darker than the film--no happy ending.  Barbra Streisand was outstanding as the comedy relief & got the rave reviews & a Tony nomination--the show lost money because it was too downbeat.

A very dark, downbeat production with one performer as "comic relief"?  I can't think of any film like that

[film lover 293]

Both the 1951 film and 1962 Broadway musical were based on the same 1937 book.

[DownGoesFrazier]

I find the inner workings of the garment industry about as fascinating as the inner workings of the produce hauling industry (THIEVES' HIGHWAY). And my grandmother was a card-carrying member of ILGWU.

Can anyone think of another film that has a title that makes it sound like a comedy, but is actually a serious drama?

[AndyM108]

I suppose I should start by saying that I went in to I CAN GET IT FOR YOU WHOLESALE with the utterly mistaken impression (in part because of the presence of Dan Dailey and also because of the rather whimsical title, which seems to me to suggest more of a comic take on things than the intense drama that I found) that it was a musical/comedy.

 

Hoo-boy, was I off.

 

I have to say, I side with those who were underwhelmed by the film- apparently Screenwriter Abraham Polonsky (sp?) who was blacklisted soon after seems to think the ins and outs of the ready-to-wear dress manufacturing business are utterly fascinating, and the director of the picture seems to agree with him. They devote too much time to the ins and outs of contracts, business dealings and some of the (clearly meticulously researched) stresses of being in the "rag trade," and as a result- we have an underdeveloped romance at the center of the film, and performances by Sam Jaffe and Hayward wherein they are clearly fighting to be noticed over the slavish, almost single-minded devotion the film has to exploring the elements of business, commerce and capitalism. And poor George Sanders- who had just won the best supporting actor Oscar over Jaffe- is given the most thankless throwaway, third wheel role he was maybe asked to ever play (1/3 of his performance is in the form of a dull speech at a dressmaker's convention.)

 

I wonder if part of the motivation for taking Polonsky down a peg with the HUAC was the fact that he clearly won the battle to turn WHOLESALE into a rather politcal film as opposed to a straight romance/drama.

 

WHOLESALE would have greatly benefited from some visual flair somewhere...I mean, I hate to sound like Drew Barrymore here, but you have a film about FASHION wherein we don't see a lot of fashion, it's in black-and-white and the costumes are- for the most part- nothing extraordinary.

 

Personally I'm glad that I Can Get It For You Wholesale didn't feel the need to include fashion shows in order to advance the plot.  We've got Fred and Ginger and hundreds of mindless musicals if we want to ogle the many incarnations of Oleg Cassini.  I saw I Can Get It For You Wholesale along the lines of Executive Suite, a corporate drama with a political undertone that's realistically unavoidable when you consider the dog eat dog nature of corporate life. 

 

I also think that the movie did a rather splendid job of portraying the inevitable conflicts between a wish for a normal life and the insane pressures of running a business in a cutthroat industry like fashion.   I agree that Sanders' final concession made for a bit too pat an ending, but then it wasn't as if he wasn't being consistent with the way he'd presented himself to Hayward from the first time he'd met her.

 

And Hayward obviously was torn between her inner Sammy Glick and her carefully suppressed need for love.  Many millions of people, men and women,  feel such conflicts every day, and I thought that Hayward did a very good job of portraying a woman in such a situation.

[DownGoesFrazier]

I find the inner workings of the garment industry about as fascinating as the inner workings of the produce hauling industry (THIEVES' HIGHWAY). And my grandmother was a card-carrying member of ILGWU.

The "visual flair" of fashion would have made it into a glamorous film like FUNNY FACE, not the gritty film it was supposed to be. (This is a response to Lorna's post, not my own.)