Woman's World (film)
Encyclopedia
Woman's World, also known as A Woman's World, is a 1954
drama film
about corporate America. Three men compete for the top job at a large company.
) invites the three candidates for the position to New York
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, 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.
Gifford 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.
1954 in film
The year 1954 in film involved some significant events and memorable ones.-Events:*May 12 - The Marx Brothers' Zeppo Marx divorces wife Marion Benda...
drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
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 WebbClifton Webb
Clifton Webb was an American actor, dancer, and singer known for his Oscar-nominated roles in such films as Laura, The Razor's Edge, and Sitting Pretty...
) invites the three candidates for the position to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
so he can personally evaluate them and their wives. Bill and Katie Baxter (Cornel Wilde
Cornel Wilde
Cornel Wilde was an American actor and film director.-Early life:Kornél Lajos Weisz was born in 1912 in Prievidza, Hungary , although his year and place of birth are usually and inaccurately given as 1915 in New York City...
and June Allyson
June Allyson
June Allyson was an American film and television actress, popular in the 1940s and 1950s. She was a major MGM contract star. Allyson won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for her performance in Too Young to Kiss . From 1959–1961, she hosted and occasionally starred in her own CBS anthology...
) are a loving couple from Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
. Elizabeth Burns (Lauren Bacall
Lauren Bacall
Lauren Bacall is an American film and stage actress and model, known for her distinctive husky voice and sultry looks.She first emerged as leading lady in the Humphrey Bogart film To Have And Have Not and continued on in the film noir genre, with appearances in The Big Sleep and Dark Passage ,...
) is becoming estranged from her driven husband Sidney (Fred MacMurray
Fred MacMurray
Frederick Martin "Fred" MacMurray was an American actor who appeared in more than 100 movies and a successful television series during a career that spanned nearly a half-century, from 1930 to the 1970s....
) because his work is consuming him and undermining his health; she fears a promotion would eventually kill him. Jerry Talbot (Van Heflin
Van Heflin
Emmett Evan "Van" Heflin, Jr. was an American film and theatre actor. He played mostly character parts over the course of his film career, but during the 1940s had a string of roles as a leading man...
), who has a sexy, ambitious wife, Carol (Arlene Dahl
Arlene Dahl
Arlene Carol Dahl is an American actress and former MGM contract star, who achieved notability during the 1950s. She is the mother of actor Lorenzo Lamas.-Early years:...
), rounds out the trio.
As time goes by, Katie is shown to be a bit of a klutz
Klutz
Klutz may refer to:*Most commonly, a clumsy person*Klutz Press is an imprint of Scholastic Press*Klütz is a surname and a town in the Nordwestmecklenburg district, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany...
, 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, 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.
Gifford 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
- Clifton WebbClifton WebbClifton Webb was an American actor, dancer, and singer known for his Oscar-nominated roles in such films as Laura, The Razor's Edge, and Sitting Pretty...
as Ernest Gifford - June AllysonJune AllysonJune Allyson was an American film and television actress, popular in the 1940s and 1950s. She was a major MGM contract star. Allyson won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for her performance in Too Young to Kiss . From 1959–1961, she hosted and occasionally starred in her own CBS anthology...
as Katie Baxter - Van HeflinVan HeflinEmmett Evan "Van" Heflin, Jr. was an American film and theatre actor. He played mostly character parts over the course of his film career, but during the 1940s had a string of roles as a leading man...
as Jerry Talbot - Lauren BacallLauren BacallLauren Bacall is an American film and stage actress and model, known for her distinctive husky voice and sultry looks.She first emerged as leading lady in the Humphrey Bogart film To Have And Have Not and continued on in the film noir genre, with appearances in The Big Sleep and Dark Passage ,...
as Elizabeth Burns - Fred MacMurrayFred MacMurrayFrederick Martin "Fred" MacMurray was an American actor who appeared in more than 100 movies and a successful television series during a career that spanned nearly a half-century, from 1930 to the 1970s....
as Sidney Burns - Arlene DahlArlene DahlArlene Carol Dahl is an American actress and former MGM contract star, who achieved notability during the 1950s. She is the mother of actor Lorenzo Lamas.-Early years:...
as Carol Talbot - Cornel WildeCornel WildeCornel Wilde was an American actor and film director.-Early life:Kornél Lajos Weisz was born in 1912 in Prievidza, Hungary , although his year and place of birth are usually and inaccurately given as 1915 in New York City...
as Bill Baxter - Elliott ReidElliott ReidElliott Reid is an American character actor from New York City.He worked regularly in radio dramas during the Golden Age of radio...
as Tony Andrews, Gifford's nephew - Margalo GillmoreMargalo GillmoreMargaret Lorraine "Margalo" Gillmore was an English American film, stage and television actress....
as Evelyn Andrews, Gifford's sister
See also
- Executive SuiteExecutive SuiteExecutive Suite is a 1954 MGM drama film depicting the transfer of power in a corporation in trouble. The film stars William Holden, Barbara Stanwyck, Fredric March, and Walter Pidgeon. It was directed by Robert Wise and produced by John Houseman from a screenplay by Ernest Lehman based on the...
, a similar film released the same year, with June Allyson again playing a reluctant, but loyal wife