Woman's World (film)

Woman's World

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Jean Negulesco
Produced by Charles Brackett
Written by Claude Binyon
Russel Crouse
Howard Lindsay
Mary Loos
Richard Sale
Mona Williams (story)
Starring Clifton Webb
June Allyson
Van Heflin
Lauren Bacall
Fred MacMurray
Arlene Dahl
Cornel Wilde
Music by Cyril J. Mockridge
Cinematography Joseph MacDonald
Edited by Louis R. Loeffler
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release dates
  • September 30, 1954 (1954-09-30)
Running time
 94 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $2,010,000[1]
Box office $3 million (US rentals)[2][3]

Woman's World, also known as A Woman's World, is a 1954 Technicolor drama film about corporate America. Three men compete for the top job at a large company.

Plot

When the general manager of Gifford Motors dies, company owner Ernest Gifford (Clifton Webb) invites the three candidates for the position to New York City so he can personally evaluate them and their wives. Bill and Katie Baxter (Cornel Wilde and June Allyson) are a loving couple from Kansas City. Elizabeth Burns (Lauren Bacall) is becoming estranged from her driven husband Sidney (Fred MacMurray) because his work is consuming him and undermining his health; she fears a promotion would eventually kill him. Jerry Talbot (Van Heflin), who has a sexy, ambitious wife, Carol (Arlene Dahl), rounds out the trio.

As time goes by, Katie is shown to be a bit of a klutz, both physically and socially. On the other hand, Elizabeth is both poised and gracious. Despite their differences, she and Katie get along well. When the couples are unexpectedly invited to spend the weekend at the estate of Gifford's sister Evelyn Andrews, (Margalo Gillmore), Elizabeth generously helps Katie buy appropriate clothing on a limited budget.

Meanwhile, Carol does her best to "help" her husband by playing up to a seemingly appreciative Gifford at every opportunity, despite Jerry's demands that she stop interfering. It becomes clear to Gifford that the best candidate and the most suitable wife are unfortunately not married to each other. He announces that he will reveal his decision after dinner. Carol makes one last brazen attempt to influence his choice and is surprised to learn that, while Jerry is Gifford's favorite, he will not get the job because of a fatal handicap. When she informs her husband and also how she helped him in the past, Jerry proves that he got at least one big promotion on his own merits, not because of her charms. He then tells her that they are through and orders her to pack and leave. When Gifford finds out, he is pleased. He had hoped that Jerry would see his wife for what she was. Gifford congratulates his new general manager for passing the test. The other two couples are relieved.

Cast

See also

References

  1. ↑ Aubrey Solomon, Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History, Scarecrow Press, 1989 p249
  2. ↑ Aubrey Solomon, Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History, Scarecrow Press, 1989 p225
  3. ↑ 'The Top Box-Office Hits of 1954', Variety Weekly, January 5, 1955
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