“At this moment [United States] stands at the summit of the world,” quoted by Winston Churchill, it was not hard to decipher what he was trying to convey. America was booming and at this point, making great strides; its economy was back on track and it was flexing its muscles as a world power. Movies during the 50’s were also doing very well, they were making hit after hit and pushing the boundaries in cinematography. However, this was still during the time at which the Hayes Commission was in business, so while the movies pushed on there was still the looming guidance of this review board. Regardless there were still movies that came around that would pass the Commission, one such movie was The Tender Trap.
To better understand the culture and motivation behind this eye-catching movie, there must first be an understanding of the era it was filmed in. Relatively speaking World War II had just ended and people from all over the world were flocking back to the states. This large influx of people had great effects on the nation, exemplified by an increase in the GDP between 1945 and 1960, the economy doubled between those years (insert history citation here). There was also the communally held idea that there was nothing ahead but peace and prosperity, much like the roaring 20’s. This same idea was also supported by the idea that average family income tripled during the fifties, in fact this euphoric sensation of a growing nation was so palpable many said it was an “economic miracle” and that [the United States] …is crossing into a new divide in the history of humanity (Gilder Lehrman citation here).
Around this time many US citizens were moving to the suburbs for the first time as a result in this new-found wealth. People began to buy more and more land because of the G.I. Bill which helped returning soldiers buy these homes in the suburbs that were for the most part cheaper than what was in the city due to the govt. subsidizing the cost. During this time, the civil rights movement was gaining large amount of traction all over from the Brown V. board of Education case to a Montgomery activist by the name of Rosa Parks. One last major climate shaping factor of the 1950’s was the Cold war. This was the name given to the tension between the United States and the Soviet Union. According to History.com between the years 1945 and 1952 Congress held 84 hearings in an attempt to dispel any “un-American activities” in the federal government, in universities, in public schools, and even in Hollywood. The creation of this critically acclaimed film was prompted by many of these above-mentioned issues influencing and molding the fifties. However, I believe that it was the move to suburbia and the citizens of the United States new found wealth. These ideas make sense because The Tender Trap was a movie about finding love and doing everything you can to live the American dream. However, from other characters perspectives it was about the allure that the city provided whether it be from a new love or a fast lifestyle. These were all ideas that people moving to suburbia or already living there wanted to see, people wanted to see what life was like on the “other side” or they wanted to relive the glory days from when they lived in the city and could move from girl to girl just like Sinatra. The creation of this movie was also prompted by the increased wealth of people because the movie showed Sinatra going out often and indulging in a lavish lifestyle from his big apartment to his fancy dinners. Although nothing in the movie was too lavish and this was done because the director of this movie wanted Sinatra’s lifestyle to seem just within grasp to play more on people’s emotions. For example, if this movie was about a wealthy aristocrat living fast and fancy in NYC then I don’t believe that the movie would’ve done as well because the people going to see it would’ve felt too removed and disinvested in the film.
The Tender Trap was one of many great successes by the Director Charles Walters. Before he became the hit director he is know well known for he was employed by MGM as the lead dance director, working with stars like Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, and Gene Kelly. After that he decided to try his luck at feature films. He was also known for movies such as Annie Get Your Gun, High Society, and Please Don’t Eat the Daisies. Charles Wrote this movie because he wanted to highlight the times in which this movie was made. He wanted to show the contrast between what people thought about city life and suburbia and how the occupants of each can become infatuated with the other. So, in that regard it’s also a commentary on the perceived needs and wants of a society with the main idea being the grass is greener on the other side. As for finances the movie it was financed by MGM with a budget of $1,274,000 and a box office success of $4,495,000. This was Sinatra’s big triumphant comeback after his earlier film From Here to Eternity. So of course, MGM was happy to fund the movie, with a top billed cast list and an accredited Director MGM was happy to oblige (Find a citation for here maybe TCM). The actors themselves generally helped promote the movie but since all of the were quite famous and adored there wasn’t much extra promotion needed.
New York theatrical agent Charlie Y. Reader, a confirmed bachelor and all-around cad, is paid an unexpected visit one day by Joe McCall, his boyhood friend who now lives in Indianapolis. Joe, who has decided to take a "vacation" from Ethel, his wife of eleven years, and their three children, is impressed by the attractive women constantly parading through Charlie's apartment. After Poppy Masters promises to prepare a special whitefish for Charlie, she leaves the apartment, only to be succeeded by Jessica Collins who has come to deliver a prized cheese she has bought for Charlie. As Charlie awaits the arrival of his date for that evening, concert violinist Sylvia Crewes, his neighbor Helen strolls in to take Charlie's dog for a walk. At an audition the following day, Charlie is intrigued by the talented Julie Gillis, a neophyte in the theatrical world, and invites her to join him for coffee along with Joe and Sylvia. At a café, Julie single-mindedly asserts that marriage, and not a career, is her goal in life and outlines her plan for obtaining a husband, three children and a house in Scarsdale. When Charlie invites Julie to dinner, she declines, stating that he does not fit into her "marriage plan" because there is no chemistry between them. The next day, Julie refuses to sign a contract for the run of the play, insisting that she can commit herself beyond March 12th, the day she plans to be married, even though she has not yet found a suitable candidate for the groom. Meanwhile, Joe spends his day answering Charlie's telephone, fielding messages from women trying to curry Charlie's favor. One day, when Julie has failed to appear for rehearsal, Joe and Charlie switch on the television and see her in the audience of a homemaking show, scrutinizing furniture arrangements for her future house. Charlie hurries to the television studio to see Julie, standing up Sylvia in the process. Later, at rehearsal, Charlie, unimpressed by Julie's rendition of a song, demonstrates how it should be sung. Charlie's performance makes an impression on Julie, and she accepts his invitation to dinner. While Charlie dines with Julie, Joe begins to spend time with Sylvia. One night, when Charlie discovers that Julie's parents are out of town, he takes her home early to "neck." Although Julie tries to divert him with art books, her battle is nearly lost when Charlie passionately embraces her. Encircling him with her arms, Julie feels a bulge in his coat pocket and pulls out a wad of phone messages from his many girl friends. After ordering Charlie to stop seeing other women, Julie declares she has fallen in love with him, even though he is "too selfish, arrogant and old." When she mentions marriage, he disabuses her of the notion of matrimony and she throws him out. After Charlie returns home, Helen comes to walk his dog, and when he invites her to dinner on the rebound, she informs him that she has just become engaged and will no longer be available to walk his dog. Poppy next comes to Charlie's door, and after handing him a whitefish, calls him a "stinker" and notifies him that she is now dating a "considerate man." Amused by Charlie's sudden comeuppance, Joe labels him a "louse." They then argue over Charlie's callous treatment of Sylvia. Later, when Sylvia comes to the apartment, Joe asks her why she endures Charlie's mistreatment. She replies that there are few single men available for women of her age, and concludes that although she does not love Charlie, she still wants to marry him. Charlie then emerges from the bedroom and stutters a proposal to Sylvia. She accepts, then breaks into tears, after which they all pour themselves stiff drinks. To break the air of impending disaster, Charlie decides to throw a party to celebrate his engagement and invites a number of friends to attend. After Sylvia leaves to buy food for their soon-to-arrive guests, Charlie realizes he has made a grave mistake and runs outside to hail a cab to drive him to Julie's. Just then, a cab bearing the contrite Julie pulls up outside Charlie's building. As Charlie jumps inside to embrace Julie, his guests begin to arrive, prompting Charlie to make up a story about an early rehearsal and send Julie home. The next morning, Joe awakens with an excruciating hangover and finds the apartment in disarray. Just as Julie arrives and demands an explanation for the mess, Sylvia comes in and hugs Charlie. When Julie announces that she and Charlie are engaged, Joe tells her that Charlie is engaged to Sylvia, too. After Julie storms out in indignation, Joe admits to Sylvia that he has fallen in love with her and proposes. Sylvia replies that she wants to be a wife, just like Joe's wife Ethel, and tells Joe that what he really wants is a "girl," not a wife. Sylvia then resolves to stop settling for second best and find "an honest to goodness guy." At the elevator, Sylvia meets Mr. Loughran, Charlie's handsome, eligible neighbor, who recognizes her from her television concert and invites her to dinner. As Joe packs his suitcase to return home to Ethel, an abject and lonely Charlie begins to envy Joe's life as a married man. Charlie then goes to Europe for a year to set up talent agencies, returning home just in time to attend Sylvia's wedding to Loughran. At the ceremony, Sylvia tosses Charlie her bouquet. After most of the guests depart, Charlie spots Julie, throws her the flowers and proposes.