MARTY (1955) is a film that cleaned up the Oscars in 1956 including Best Actor in a Leading Role for Ernest Borgnine, Best Director for Delbert Mann, and the Best Screenplay for the immortal Paddy Chayefsky.

Borgnine, whom we usually appreciate in secondary support roles, really nailed this role of a “fat and ugly butcher” from New York’s Italian neighborhood. You would think he was created for this role.

Betsy Blair, as the sensitive girl whom Marty loves and is loved in return, shines in an equally strong performance but she has been skipped by the Academy even though she was nominated for the Best Actress in a Supporting Role. What a shame.

It is partly her very credible portrayal of this vulnerable highschool teacher from Brooklyn that brought out Marty’s nurturing and compassionate side in full relief. The movie also won the Best Picture award for Harold Hecht.

Let me also add that Borgnine beat the likes of Frank Sinatra, Spencer Tracy, James Dean and James Cagney that year to win the Oscar.

Marty is a movie short on plot but deep in character and emotions. Marty is a 34 yr old butcher constantly assailed for not still having married despite the fact that his younger brother married the week before.

Burnt many times in the past by rejection, he is reserved and does not want to go out and date girls. But the delicate and equally rejected girl he meets by chance at the Stardust Dancing Hall changes his life over a single Saturday night.

The subplot involving his aging mother with whom he lives and his gloomy aunt, and the fears and idiosyncrasies of both ladies with heavy accents provide a nice counterpoint to Marty’s lead story.

A study in human dignity, hope and loneliness, Marty ends up on an upbeat note where even the “dogs” find the happiness they deserve in life — especially when they have a heart of gold.

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Some people like to make their impressions on friends, family and acquaintances by giving personalized gifts. It can give the receiver a little sense of being special and attaches instant ownership to a material good. If you are one of those people who dislikes it when a gift is so casually replaced, it can also make it harder for the receiver of the gift to try returning it to the store.

Personalized gifts are popular in the business world, especially if the giver has purchased a lot of the same item to give out to clients. By taking the time to have them engraved with the receiver’s name it helps to make the client feel more like the business cares. Typical personalized business gifts can be key chains, paperweights, towels, or bracelets and various kinds of jewelry.

Gifts can be made in the shape of the receivers’ initials. Many will recall the key chains for sale in stores molded into the shapes of the letters of the alphabet. It is a quick and easy way to give someone a personalized gift. On the downside these types of gifts have been available for a long time and lost some of their uniqueness a while ago. Personalized gifts can also be embroidered fabric or clothing. There’s the set of handkerchiefs embroiders in the corner with a person’s initials.

Personalization of a gift doesn’t have to include the receivers’ name. They can also be little messages or simply a, “from so and so” engraved somewhere inconspicuous. Many wedding bands and engagement rings are engraved on the inside of the band with messages of love and affections. They can be a way of giving that someone special a little boost every time they look at the personalization. On a side note personalizing a gift makes it easier to identify if it is ever lost or stolen.

Mrs. Party… Gail Leino is the internet’s leading authority on selecting the best possible party supplies, using proper etiquette and manners while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. Personalized Gifts that no one will forget.

Ever since the beginning of Survivor and reality TV, the show contestants have often remarked about how being on the show was a once in a lifetime experience and how they have grown from being a part of it. However in the last season of Survivor millions of viewers got a much deeper insight into what that really meant.

One of the most popular contestants was Cirie Fields a registered nurse from Walterboro South Carolina. Cirie didn’t have much experience with outdoor life, a fact that became extremely obvious in the first episode. In that first episode Cirie narrowly managed to avoid getting voted out. Immediately afterwards she made the following comment to the audience “All of you who are sitting on the couch at home watching this, stay on the couch!”.

Over the course of the season Cirie continued to avoid being voted off the island on a few occasions. Her straightforward style and attitude made her very likeable an instant fan favorite. Over the weeks she grew accustomed to the outdoor Survivor lifestyle, and reached a milestone in episode 11. In that episode Cirie caught a fish large enough to feed the entire tribe. Her personal growth was not lost on her tribe mates who celebrated the moment with her. Cirie didn’t make it to final episode, however in her exit interview she realized how far she has come in so short a time. In the season finale Cirie remarked that if she can do it anyone can do it, and everyone should get up off the couch.

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Gary Mitchell runs Survivor Scoop (http://www.survivorscoop.com) where he covers news, updates, and the latest tribal council results. Keep up with Survivor Cook Islands the 13th season of Survivor at Survivor Scoop (http://www.survivorscoop.com/cookislands)