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Summary

Tom Rath is a suburban father and husband haunted by his memories of World War II, including a wartime romance with Italian village girl Maria, which resulted in an illegitimate son he's never seen. Pressed by his unhappy wife to get a higher-paying job, Rath goes to work as a public relations man for television network president Ralph Hopkins. Drawn into poisonous office politics, Tom finds he must choose his career or his family.

Cast

Gregory Peck

Tom Rath

Jennifer Jones

Betsy Rath

Fredric March

Ralph Hopkins

Marisa Pavan

Maria Montagne

Lee J. Cobb

Judge Bernstein

Ann Harding

Helen Hopkins

Keenan Wynn

Sgt. Caesar Gardella

Gene Lockhart

Bill Hawthorne

Gigi Perreau

Susan Hopkins

Portland Mason

Janey Rath

Arthur O'Connell

Gordon Walker

Henry Daniell

Bill Ogden

Tris Coffin

Byron

Joy Harmon

Dorothy Phillips

Mr. Hopkins' Maid

Nan Martin

Polly Lawrence

Joseph Sweeney

Edward M. Schultz

Robert Boon

German Soldier

Lomax Study

Elevator-Starter (uncredited)

Alfred Caiazza

Italian Boy (uncredited)

DeForest Kelley

Medic (uncredited)

Crew

Director, Screenplay

Nunnally Johnson

Novel

Sloan Wilson

Reviews

barrymost

January 19, 2020

9

Oh, business woes.

Plot in a nutshell: Character study of a WWII veteran trying to make it in the business world of post-war America, and contend with his domestic problems.

Comments: Great cast of veteran actors really makes this work. Gregory Peck is a very mature actor by this point, and Jennifer Jones is very convincing as the wise but harried housewife. Fredric March plays a nice corporate boss, and comes across as a bit odd; maybe that's just Fredric March.

This film isn't just any old "escapist fare" - actually about as far from that as you can get. It's very long, dark, and intelligent.

"Without men like me there wouldn't be big and successful businesses. My mistake was in being one of those men." ~Ralph Hopkins (Fredric March)