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Designing Woman

Play trailer Poster for Designing Woman 1957 1h 58m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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82% Tomatometer 11 Reviews 68% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Sports reporter Mike (Gregory Peck) and clothes designer Marilla (Lauren Bacall) meet and fall in love while on vacation. They marry on a whim, only to come to the shocking realization that they have very little in common. Mike is a blue-collar sports fanatic. Marilla is a high-society fashion diva. But when Mike writes a tell-all piece about a boxing promoter (Edward Platt) with mob ties, they have to overcome their differences to save both their relationship and Mike's life.
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Designing Woman

Critics Reviews

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Richard Brody The New Yorker 01/18/2016
There's real chemistry between Bacall and Peck, which Minnelli emphasizes in carefully observed intimacies and brusque banter alike. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 08/10/2021
3/4
The uproarious "ravioli scene" is the movie's most famous interlude (Peck tribute shows often would employ it to demonstrate the actor's underrated comic chops), but there are plenty of memorable set-pieces in this effervescent effort. Go to Full Review Yasser Medina Cinefilia 07/23/2020
7/10
This romantic comedy by Minnelli is very pleasant to me. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Fernando F. Croce CinePassion 02/04/2010
A sunny view of artistic self-awareness slicing past gaiety Go to Full Review Michael E. Grost Classic Film and Television 08/08/2008
Comedy full of Minnelli's creative visual style. Go to Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 07/20/2006
B-
This mildley entertaining comedy is a reworking of the superior Stevens' 1942 "Woman of the Year," with Gregory Peck in the Spencer Tracy role and Lauren Bacall in Katharine Hepburn's. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Tom M 10/29/2024 Definitely a film of its time. The motivations behind some of the characters actions are puzzling. It has its moments but Peck is not a natural comedian and Bacall's voice grates a little. Very funny fight/dance scene at the end,though. See more Pat V 09/03/2024 It’s a delight to watch for the costumes alone. Fabulous 50s couture styles. See more Steve D 07/08/2023 Unpleasant and fairly toxic. See more Bonnie K 03/25/2023 First time I seen this movie. It was a fun, romantic romp. Lauren Bacall, Gregory Peck have lots of chemistry. The 2 characters meet on Vacation in CA. They fall in love and marry in 2 days, go to live at her lavish apt in NYC. MIKE is a sports writer, Marilla is a fashion designer. Thruout the movie the main characters talk to the camera and narrate what they are doing. A funny scene is when Mike has to tell a lady friend he got married. So she dumps cooked ravioli with red sauce on his lap. Mike has to change in a short waiter pants since his pants have wet red sauce all over. Another funny scene when Mike is hiding from the mob, he goes to a hotel room. With him is Mugsy a boxer who got his head hit too many times. So he is like punch drunk! Mike looks at him on the bed so still, with eyes wide open. Mike says he's dead, dead, goes to him, and Mugsy jumps up! Turns out he sleeps with his eyes open. Overall a cute, fun movie! I watched it on HBO MAX. See more 02/26/2019 This is a bad movie. There is no charm, no wit, no sophisticated banter among the main characters. These actors were incapable of this re-working. No chemistry existed between them and the listless, flat performance from Bacall precluded any emotional involvement. The film doesn't work on any level. This attempt at a "sophisticated" comedy failed miserably -- and was only realized on television, with 1970s shows like Mary Tyler Moore. Check your mood before you see this one. As you watch this humorless, witless production, you will feel worse and worse. I suspect most people grab the remote and switch this one off. See more 01/31/2019 The best comedy romance movie ever made! See more Read all reviews
Designing Woman

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Cast & Crew

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Vincente Minnelli

Director

Gregory Peck

Mike Hagen

Lauren Bacall

Marilla Brown Hagen

Dolores Gray

Lori Shannon

Sam Levene

Ned Hammerstein

Tom Helmore

Zachary Wilde

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Designing Woman

Designing Woman (1957) Designing Woman (1957) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Sports reporter Mike (Gregory Peck) and clothes designer Marilla (Lauren Bacall) meet and fall in love while on vacation. They marry on a whim, only to come to the shocking realization that they have very little in common. Mike is a blue-collar sports fanatic. Marilla is a high-society fashion diva. But when Mike writes a tell-all piece about a boxing promoter (Edward Platt) with mob ties, they have to overcome their differences to save both their relationship and Mike's life.
Director
Vincente Minnelli
Producer
Dore Schary
Screenwriter
George Wells
Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 16, 1957, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 1, 2009
Runtime
1h 58m
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