6. The Tender Trap
Frank Sinatra plays Charlie, a swingin' bachelor in New York City as he learns about The Tender Trap of love. Charlie is originally from Indiana, and his best friend Joe (David Wayne) comes to stay with him for a few weeks to take a vacation from his wife.
Joe and Charlie have a definite case of "the grass is greener" and believes that the other's lifestyle is better. Charlie says that he wants to settle down, but despite having a plethora of girls on a string, he hasn't met the right one yet. Sylvia (Celeste Holm) is one that is still looking for love, and Joe becomes infatuated with her, creating a cute second couple for the film. But Julie (Debbie Reynolds), a young and very naive girl who is determined to get married, is the girl for Charlie. She's an ingenue actress who his agency is representing, and he wines and dines her.
I don't understand her appeal at all to Charlie -- she's incredibly naive about getting married and believes that if you create a plan, it will come true. Perhaps that is what he likes about her -- she's difficult and different than all the other girls who give him rare Wisconsin cheese, walk his dog, and offer to clean his apartment.
Eventually, Charlie proposes to Sylvia, mostly to keep her away from Joe. Then Charlie runs into Julie, who he realizes that he really loves, and they get engaged too. Charlie sends Julie home and has a big party celebrating his engagement to Sylvia. The next morning, everyone finds out, and Joe ends up proposing to Sylvia, despite the fact that he's married with three kids. Sylvia turns him down, saying that she likes him, but no. It's a very touching moment, one of few in the film.
Flash forward a year, and Sylvia is getting married -- she met a guy in the elevator in Charlie's building. Guess who happens to be at the wedding too? It's Julie, and Charlie and her get back together. (Say it with me: Awwww.)
The Tender Trap is definitely evocative of the 1950s -- not surprising because it's from 1955. Again, the appeal of Frank Sinatra escapes me, though I admit he has a spectacular voice, he's just so skinny! Julie -- well, let's not get into Julie's character. She is not someone I would want to know. But I did really enjoy the second-lead's romance - Sylvia and Joe were definitely more real, and they didn't end up together.
Oh, and the song "The Tender Trap" is pretty good. They sing it four times throughout the course of the film, so you can't miss it. Good ole Frank!
Joe and Charlie have a definite case of "the grass is greener" and believes that the other's lifestyle is better. Charlie says that he wants to settle down, but despite having a plethora of girls on a string, he hasn't met the right one yet. Sylvia (Celeste Holm) is one that is still looking for love, and Joe becomes infatuated with her, creating a cute second couple for the film. But Julie (Debbie Reynolds), a young and very naive girl who is determined to get married, is the girl for Charlie. She's an ingenue actress who his agency is representing, and he wines and dines her.
I don't understand her appeal at all to Charlie -- she's incredibly naive about getting married and believes that if you create a plan, it will come true. Perhaps that is what he likes about her -- she's difficult and different than all the other girls who give him rare Wisconsin cheese, walk his dog, and offer to clean his apartment.
Eventually, Charlie proposes to Sylvia, mostly to keep her away from Joe. Then Charlie runs into Julie, who he realizes that he really loves, and they get engaged too. Charlie sends Julie home and has a big party celebrating his engagement to Sylvia. The next morning, everyone finds out, and Joe ends up proposing to Sylvia, despite the fact that he's married with three kids. Sylvia turns him down, saying that she likes him, but no. It's a very touching moment, one of few in the film.
Flash forward a year, and Sylvia is getting married -- she met a guy in the elevator in Charlie's building. Guess who happens to be at the wedding too? It's Julie, and Charlie and her get back together. (Say it with me: Awwww.)
The Tender Trap is definitely evocative of the 1950s -- not surprising because it's from 1955. Again, the appeal of Frank Sinatra escapes me, though I admit he has a spectacular voice, he's just so skinny! Julie -- well, let's not get into Julie's character. She is not someone I would want to know. But I did really enjoy the second-lead's romance - Sylvia and Joe were definitely more real, and they didn't end up together.
Oh, and the song "The Tender Trap" is pretty good. They sing it four times throughout the course of the film, so you can't miss it. Good ole Frank!
posted by Rebecca at 2:26 PM
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