Age is a real big deal in Marty, and it comes in many flavors. We've got generations in a too-close-for-comfort proximity: Check out Tommy and Virginia asking Tommy's mother to move out so they can have their own space. We've also got the cold loneliness of Tommy's ma Catherine, who all but folds in on herself in bitter disappointment as she says goodbye to her years as a mother and wife.
But as we mentioned in the "Genre" section, this story is also one of a latecomer coming of age—Marty takes up a mantle of manhood, asserting his independence from the judgment and desires of those around him. After all, coming to terms with what people think, assenting to their wishes, or ignoring them in favor of your own all signals how grown up you are even more than how many candles you have on your birthday cake.
Questions about Age
- How is "coming of age" tied to chronological age, and how is it totally separate from it?
- Do you think the filmmakers are presenting Catherine's woe-is-me attitude as a comment on generational strife, the worthlessness of aging, or something else entirely? How so?
- How might the story change if Virginia and Tommy's child were old enough to talk and walk around?
Chew on This
Now that Marty's in his mid-30s, he has lowered his romantic expectations.
Teresa resists Catherine's pessimism because it makes her feel older and closer to death than she already is.