Heck, people, he had won a contest, he was on a honeymoon he and his wife hadn't gotten to have in the first place, and he was meeting his boss there! For a salesman, especially in the Fifties, of course he was laughing and joking a lot! Remember his boss?! I would expect someone that jovial would want his employees to be somewhat like that. Anyway, most of the salesmen I've met have tended to be like him, smiling, making a joke when necessary, and shaking hands, usually briskly. Casey/Max is PERFECT in that role!
He is NOT saying that his wife should be like Rose, someone he obviously doesn't care for after knowing her and her husband for a while! He obviously thinks she's beautiful as she is, and likely as curvy, even though she denies it. He thinks she would look great in a red dress like Rose's, and he tries to tease her into posing provocatively because he's proud of her! Do you see him trying to sneak a picture of Rose? No! He's a "regular Joe", a guy who was a soldier at one point, returning to civilian life to land a nice job in a "big name" company; we know he is doing well, climbing the ladder of success, as is said. His boss likes him, and they're even introduced to his wife, who also is full of smiles and laughter. Hey! I've worked at places that expected everyone to have that sort of attitude. Today's glum slackers wouldn't have lasted five minutes at these jobs in the Fifties, Sixties and even Seventies.
So, leave the guy alone! He's as all-American as you could get at that time, but he has his moments where he does get a tad irritated, remember? Max/Casey is my favorite character next to Marilyn's Rose. Jean Peters could have been played by anyone to me, and Joseph Cotten is in his troubled mode (I like him in other roles much better).
By the way: Remember the guy in the "Twilight Zone" episode "It's a Good Life"~the one who plays the piano at the birthday party? That's Max/Casey! Another role of his I like is as the man who tries to act happy that his girl has broken off the engagement in "How to Murder Your Wife". If I recall correctly, he plays the piano then, too.
EDIT: I'm nearly to the end of "Elmer Gantry". OMG! I forgot he's in this film, too! He's the deaf man Sister Sharon heals! How could I forget that role?!
~~MystMoonstruck~~
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teaandoranges
16 years ago
cynsemel you were spot on in your take of Max/Casey this guy and his boss (who was the announcer for Kraft on some 50's show) were perfectly in tune with the post WW2 generation. I remember my dad and mom and their friends sitting outside the house on summer nights (yes people actually sat around outside with their neighbors and guess what, us kids were allowed to stay outside with them....can you imagine no video games or tv or cell phones, just us neighborhood kids chasing fireflies and looking for sputnick! and it was glorious) and talking and laughing just like these guys....they had been through the worst and now were ready to enjoy their lives. Thanks for your insight.
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liscarkat (18605)
6 years ago
"who was the announcer for Kraft on some 50's show"
I think it's interesting that this commenter remembers who the commercial sponsor of "some '50s show" was, but doesn't remember that it was superstar Jack Benny's show. I guess that's effective advertising.
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BlueGreen
16 years ago
/Max is PERFECT in that role!
I think so, too.
He was only playing the part as it was written.
(And the part was characterised very early on, and very clearly, by that book he is bringing to read on his honeymoon - remember? ;))
Judging by the reactions, he was very successful.
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