I found the age difference creepy - Daddy Long Legs (1955) Discussion

[–] cnb 14 years ago

I've heard many people say that, but it never bothered me. The film acknowledges it, he doesn't pursue her until she is almost 22 (finishing her senior year of college), she's the one who initially flirts more with him, and he is probably supposed to be about 10 years younger than Astaire was at the time. Even at 55, though, FA was so youthful and virile that he doesn't come over as a pathetic middle-aged guy in mid-life crisis...

reply

[–] tara_r_a 14 years ago

Definitely made the movie unwatchable. I had imagined the character to be tall and sexy 10-15 years older guy , not this!
It was a cute romantic book, they should make an updated version of it.

reply

[–] foof833 14 years ago

Too bad for you cara ra, just means you've deprived yourself of the experience of seeing a wonderful film. Neither actors best, but a true delight and worth seeing...at least twice.

Stop crying, you snivelling ass! Stop your nonsense. - Daniel Plainview

reply

[–] gayspiritwarrior 14 years ago

Wow! You people who are so bothered by the age thing need to see "Harold and Maude." And then get over it!

"The value of an idea has nothing to do with the honesty of the man expressing it."--Oscar Wilde

reply

[–] LPurch6636 13 years ago

The "Harold and Maude"-thing was because of a psychological difficulty.
If anybody here watches "Doc Martin," his "Auntie Joan" was devastated when she found you that her very much younger romantic interest was sexually interested in her as a mother-figure. Of course I think that everybody should be allowed to marry the adult guy or gal of their choice, but some choices need to be more carefully thought out as to "motive."

I am the product of an older man marrying a younger woman and I can only say that since my Dad was a very vital, young-looking man, I didn't notice it-- until we all noticed it before Dad got sick and was dying. It is true that Dad often treated Mom like a child, was a bit authoritarian with her and us kids. And when he died, I was 21 and my brother was 17, which was difficult especially on my brother.

"Needs" are different with an older married man and a younger woman; he may be winding down sexually right when she is revving up...

Kathryn Grant-- much younger wife of Bing Crosby-- mentioned that Bing's idea of "Romance" was a slap on the back and a sort-of compliment. If she needed a man to have sex with, I don't think Bing was the guy... That was a sacrifice that she was willing to make-- or was forced upon her as Bing aged.

I married a man who I went to high school with, is 1 year older than myself and we frequently say to each other how glad we are that we have some major things in common in our background: like singers of the time (We went to a Righteous Brothers 30 year Anniversary Concert together), the difficulties of Vietnam, knowing about historical issues of our time: like Presidents, what was happening in Washington D.C., Watergate, Nixon, the Watts Riots which occurred near our homes, etc.

No one has to explain anything when these names crop up.

We have "stories" together; I didn't go through Vietnam with my husband going through WWII.

On the other hand, Kathy Lee and Frank Gifford are such a couple with many years between them and except for the unfortunate adultery that they weathered through, they seem to be very stable and happy,and for many years. Though I know that Kathy has expressed worries about the age difference because she knows that eventually, it is likely that she will be left a widow.

Flanagan

reply

[–] skiddoo 14 years ago

Women who don't have a father often marry men who are older. And although wide age gaps in romances raise eyebrows it isn't uncommon. In the 1950s it would have been harder to believe if the woman had been the elder one. There were certainly many show biz marriages with large age gaps that didn't last long. A notable one of those was Frank Sinatra and 30 year younger Mia Farrow--it was said he was older than her father and she was younger than his daughter.

But Bing Crosby married a woman 30 years younger than he was and they had a successful marriage and Fred Astaire married a woman 45 years younger and they were very happy. Bogart and Bacall had a famous romance and they had a 25 year gap. They met when she was only 19 and she worked to fit in with his hard-drinking friends. You would probably hate a movie about their relationship, too. :) Luckily for them, they didn't care what people thought. :)

A younger person can bring freshness, energy, an up-to-date point of view, and sometimes children to an older person, and the older can bring experience, stability, opportunity, and sophistication to the younger. Of course there can be, as in Hugh Hefner's cases, a seaminess that comes with the feeling that it's a form of legalized prostitution.

If you dislike this movie you must think Sabrina is even worse because in that case the romance with a far less youthful-acting man was meant to trick her in her innocence and play on her emotions and then make it okay by paying her off, to break up her romance with his more age-appropriate and fun-loving brother.
"Joe College, with arthritis!" Bogart was 30 years older than Hepburn and acted the part as if he were a staid businessman who was old before his time, and in need of her high spirits. In contrast, with Astaire and Caron it seemed as if she were going to keep his playboy inclinations in check and he was portrayed as ready to commit to someone and finally settle down after sowing his wild oats with women he didn't love enough to marry.

reply

[–] LPurch6636 13 years ago

>>Bing Crosby married a woman 30 years younger than he was and they had a successful marriage <<

Yes, but I heard Kathryn Grant (Bing's young wife) say that "Bing's idea of 'Romance' is a slap on the back and 'You're pretty good, kid.' " The rest of the time he was golfing. Not my idea of a truly happy marriage.
Certainly not a "romantic" one. I guess it depends on what you want in life...
For some women financial security is enough...

Flanagan

reply

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] bluskkyyes 14 years ago

I'm a Fred fan, but I agree.

reply

[–] Puddlemini 14 years ago

Though personally having a generation gap between two partners wouldnt be an option, it's a personal choice and one that is not uncommon in many parts of the world.

Were you bothered by the Phantom of the Opera as well OP?

An onion can make people cry, but there is no vegetable invented to make them laugh.

reply

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] bworm76 13 years ago

The book implies that Jervis was a rather young uncle, which doesn't exactly describe Astaire. Nothing against Astaire because he was still amazing in the dance numbers, but it was really difficult to take him seriously as the romantic interest at his age. Clearly in making this a musical they wanted the best dancer so it explains it but it still makes it kind of hard to get past.

reply

[–] generalusgrant 13 years ago

I knew when I came to the Daddy Long Legs board that someone would inevitably raise the "age" question. The same tired complaint constantly pops up when discussing:

1. Gary Cooper being too old for Audrey Hepburn in Love in the Afternoon
2. Bing Crosby being too old for Grace Kelly in High Society
3. Coop being too old for Grace in High Noon

etc. etc.....

Funny, I never see anyone bitching that Cary Grant was way too old for Eva Marie Saint in North by Northwest, though the age difference was huge then too.

The fact is that Bing Crosby in his 50's or especially Gary Cooper at a similar age are about 100 million times more desirable/attractive than the vast majority of 30 year old men. Astaire was not conventionally handsome or sexy, but it's perfectly believable that young Leslie Caron would choose him over her peers. Astaire was a legend because he had that indefinable "something."

reply