El alto costo del amor

Ferrer and Gena Rowlands (in her big screen debut) think she may be expecting after nine years of marriage. They're overjoyed about it, but there's trouble at work. Ferrer's company has just been taken over, and despite the statement of the new management that they don't expect to make changes, except to promote people, Ferrer reads the winds and concludes he's going to be fired.

The audience is quickly assured that he is not going to lose his job. Indeed, he's going to be promoted. This turns the movie into a comedy. In support, a lot of the roles are taken by players who would later distinguish themselves in TV comedies, like Edward Platt, Werner Klemperer, Nancy Kulp, and Jim Backus. Ferrer, who also directs, plays his role absolutely straight The result is a peculiar study of 1950s middle-class anxiety in an insulated environment.

... to put a spin on that old MGM slogan, plus this film is oddly prescient.

Jim Fry (Jose Ferrer who also directs) and his wife Ginny (Gena Rowlands in her film debut) discover that after nine years of marriage they are expecting a child. This is good news for them. But at work, Jim's company has just been bought by a larger firm. Jim is all swaggering and confident with his "law of the jungle" talk about how the larger firm may axe less productive employees until he finds out that perhaps the new owners think he is one of those less productive employees! He gets this idea initially because all of the other employees who have a supervisory role are invited to a luncheon being held by the new owners and he is not. This gets the wheels - and his imagination - turning.

From that point forward he walks in on this or that conversation and hears rumors about possible terminations and thinks this all about him. The audience knows better - we see what happens in every case where Jim does not. In fact the new management intends to promote Jim, but they haven't bothered to tell Jim yet. Not knowing this, he is worried about how he is going to support a wife and now a child if he loses a job at age 40 - too young to retire, too old to find an equivalent position somewhere else.

I don't know how this was received in 1958, but in 2024 it all looks oddly prescient. Layoffs today are a fact of life. If you are over a certain age, it can be hard to find work. Unlike in 1958, it is now illegal to fire someone or not hire them because of their age, so you'll get the excuse that "it's just not a good fit for the organization." Which can mean anything, but it actually means they think you are too old.

The cast has many stars of 60s TV right before they become recognizable faces - Jim Backus of Gilligan's Island, Bobby Troup of Emergency, Werner Klemperer of Hogan's Heroes, Edward Platt of Get Smart, Richard Deacon of The Dick Van Dyke Show, and Nancy Kulp of The Beverly Hillbillies. Several of these folks are not even in credited roles, but skilled performers make the production. Joanne Gilbert is the well-meaning yet shrewish wife of Jim's colleague. Gena Rowlands plays the supportive wife to the point of being almost ridiculous.

With the cast of future TV stars that I mentioned, this thing has more of the feel of a made for TV movie than a theatrical production, but that's not necessarily bad. With the audience being in on Jim's situation it's more of a comedy from the audience perspective and a drama from Jim's. I'd recommend it.

Jose Ferrer and Gena Rowlands star in The High Cost Of Loving as a pair of typical 50s American suburbanites who are about to become parents. But at a time when there should be joyous celebration there's a lot of anxiety around the household because the new arrival may become part of The High Cost Of Loving.

It seems as though Ferrer's company is being taken over in a merger and that usually means a staff shakeup. Ferrer starts to wonder if he has a future with his company's purchasing department after misreading a lot of signals. His position is a universal one both in government and in private industry when these things happen. In my working days I was through situations that Ferrer is experiencing and you try to read signals when you think trouble might be coming your way.

Jose Ferrer also directed this film and assembled a slew of familiar faces from the small screen as well as the big, so much so you might think this was a made for television film. Edward Platt the chief from Get Smart is the new company president, Richard Deacon of the Dick Van Dyke Show is Rowlands's obstetrician, and a favorite of mine the one and only Colonel Klink, Werner Klemperer plays a most officious new personnel director who in one beautiful scene only increases Ferrer's anxiety.

For some reason this film is not often broadcast. Glad I was up early and caught it on TCM today. A great tribute to the multi-talents of Jose Ferrer.

Although this film is a little light-hearted comedy, it is well worth seeing, for many remarkable features. One is the sheer talent of everyone involved!

Mel Ferrer, who directed and acted as its main star, has far more legendary talent in both areas than this film shows. Gena Rowlands is a fabulous actress and although this is her first film, you can already see the fine acting talent she was about to become.

Rather fascinating to see is Richard Deacon, who has played in so many films and sitcoms I've lost count, in the role of the obstetrician, and Nancy Kulp, who was deeply loved as the gawky bank secretary in "The Beverley Hillbillies", and Ed Platt, who was legendary as "the Chief" in "Get Smart".

The story itself revolves around a misunderstanding. Jim Fry, played by Ferrer, believes that he is about to get the sack, when in fact he is actually about to be promoted. A series of events worsens his fears with each passing day, and he very nearly causes a catastrophe. Although this film is obviously limited in its scope and storyline, seeing all these wonderful and deeply loved actors all together in this one film transforms this little piece of fluff into a genuinely remarkable experience, which no lover of films and TV sitcoms should miss!

The best parts of the film, in my opinion, occur in the parts of the film when Ferrer and Rowlands are together. They play a very sweet couple who, after nine years of marriage, have their morning routine worked out so well it's a symphony of timing and choreography. Several other subsequent films have tried to mirror this routine but no-one has yet achieved the perfection of this original one.

This film gets a thoroughly deserved 9 out of 10 from me. It doesn't get a higher score only because of the limitations in its scope.

José Ferrer's 1958 film, "The High Cost of Loving," centers its narrative squarely on the anxieties of Jim Fry, played with a palpable tension by Ferrer himself. As an office manager, Jim finds himself facing the looming threat of a potential layoff, a precarious situation made all the more significant by the recent news that his young wife, Ginny (a vibrant and early showcase of Gena Rowlands' talent), is pregnant. The film meticulously portrays Jim's internal struggle as he grapples with the fear of financial insecurity and the immense responsibility of providing for his growing family during uncertain economic times. Ferrer's performance captures the quiet desperation of a man striving to maintain stability in a world that feels increasingly unpredictable.

Adding a significant layer to the emotional core of the film is the portrayal of Ginny Fry by a young Gena Rowlands. Her performance beautifully captures the hopeful anticipation and burgeoning joy of impending motherhood, creating a poignant contrast to Jim's mounting anxieties. Rowlands imbues Ginny with a youthful optimism and unwavering support for her husband, even as she remains somewhat shielded from the full weight of his fears. Their dynamic forms the emotional heart of the film, highlighting the unspoken pressures that can strain even the most loving of relationships when faced with economic uncertainty and the profound life change of starting a family.

Adding a touch of the era's cultural landscape is a cameo appearance by Nick Clooney. While his role might be brief, his presence offers an interesting historical marker and a connection to the broader entertainment context of 1958. It serves as a subtle reminder of the community in which the Frys reside and the shared anxieties that might have permeated everyday life in a time of economic shifts.

"The High Cost of Loving" unfolds with a deliberate and thoughtful pace, allowing the audience to fully immerse themselves in Jim's internal turmoil and the subtle nuances of his interactions with Ginny and his surrounding world. Ferrer's direction emphasizes the emotional weight of the situation, focusing on the quiet anxieties and unspoken fears that can permeate domestic life. The film avoids dramatic sensationalism, instead opting for a realistic portrayal of a man grappling with responsibility and the uncertainty of the future in his specific time and place.

Ultimately, "The High Cost of Loving" offers a compelling and relatable portrayal of the anxieties surrounding job security and the financial pressures of starting a family in 1958. Ferrer's nuanced performance as Jim, coupled with Gena Rowlands' captivating portrayal of Ginny, creates a poignant depiction of a couple navigating a significant life change under a cloud of economic uncertainty. The film serves as a timeless reminder of the universal human experience of fearing for one's livelihood and the profound impact such anxieties can have on personal and familial well-being in any community.