The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit

"His loves...his world---both past and present---and the crisis they caused!"

May 8 1956 Approved 2h 33m
Drama, Romance, War

Tom Rath is a suburban father and husband haunted by his memories of World War II, including a wartime romance with Italian village girl Maria, which resulted in an illegitimate son he's never seen. Pressed by his unhappy wife to get a higher-paying job, Rath goes to work as a public relations man for television network president Ralph Hopkins. Drawn into poisonous office politics, Tom finds he must choose his career or his family.

Plot

Tom Rath lives in Connecticut and commutes to work every day in Manhattan. He's happily married and has a loving wife and three children. Money is a bit tight and when the opportunity arises, he applies for a public relations job with a major television network. During his long commute to work everyday, Tom reminisces about the war. Although 10 years have gone by, he is still haunted by the violence and the men he killed. He also thinks of Maria, an Italian girl with whom he had an affair while stationed in Rome. At his new job, the head of the network Ralph Hopkins takes an immediate liking to him. Tom soon realizes that he will have to choose between becoming a wholly dedicated company man or maintaining a healthy work-life balance. When he learns that Maria gave birth to his son after he left Italy, he decides to let his wife know and ensure that the boy is cared for.

Written by

Nunnally Johnson, Sloan Wilson

Directed by

Nunnally Johnson

Production Countries

United States of America

Production Companies

20th Century Fox

Languages

English, Deutsch, Italiano

Awards

1 win & 3 nominations total

Scores
# of Votes
4,415
Average Rating
7.1 out of 10
Metascore
NA
Popularity
NA