Two writers came up with the idea for this story. One of them was humorist Max Shulman, known for creating the character of Dobie Gillis. And the other was Herman Wouk, who's associated with historical fiction such as The Caine Mutiny. The men had the same agent, Harold Matson...and he convinced them to collaborate on 'A Steak for Connie,' which was the original title of this MGM comedy.
Though it's mostly a whimsical tale, there are some serious points being made. The main idea concerns itself with the cost of living, and how a couple can barely survive on the husband's meager wages. In this case, the husband (Van Johnson) is a grossly underpaid college professor whose goal is to educate youth, instead of laboring for big business.
Janet Leigh plays Johnson's wife, and she has a very easy rapport with him (they made two other pictures together). She spends her days homemaking. She is also expecting a baby, and in the very first scenes we are told during a visit to her doctor that she's just completed her third month of pregnancy. The doctor thinks she looks pale and tells her she needs to eat meat, to keep up her strength for the baby. But she says they cannot afford meat since her husband's salary is not substantial.
What we are getting here is a plea for audiences to do something after the movie is over, so that teachers will start to get paid more. As someone who's worked in the field of education, I find it interesting that this was an issue in the early 1950s since it is still an issue today in many states across the country. The teaching profession may be noble, but it's historically been underpaid.
Into this situation comes Johnson's old man (Louis Calhern), a proud Texas who owns a huge ranch. Calhern is a cattle rancher, and his livelihood is selling beef. Some jokes are made about how he won't eat fish, yet that is what Leigh serves him when he arrives for an extended visit, because fish was all she could afford at the store.
Part of the backstory involves a falling out that Johnson had with Calhern several years earlier. To say they have a tense relationship is putting it mildly. Calhern likes to throw his money around and has been trying to get his son to come home and take over the ranching business.
Leigh is all for this. She knows a child will cost money they don't have and life on the ranch would solve their economic problems. But before Johnson caves in, quits his job and gives up his life here in Maine, he is going to try for a promotion since a spot on the faculty that pays $800 more a year has just opened up.
This leads us into several subplots. There's another professor (Hayden Rorke) and his wife (June Whitley) who are angling for the job, because they'd also like more money. At the same time, we see the dean (Gene Lockhart) manipulate them, playing both candidates against each other, as it means he and his wife (Kathleen Lockhart) will get invited over for dinner and that might include a juicy pot roast or steak.
Of course Calhern is not going to sit by idly. He goes to visit the local butcher (Walter Slezak) to strike up a deal. The butcher will offer Leigh decent cuts of meat at half price, with Calhern covering the difference. This leads to other wives finding out how much Leigh is paying, which causes a rush on meat at Slezak's delicatessen. It in turn triggers a price war since other butchers in town must compete with his cheaper prices.
The scenes where teachers and their wives are lining up to get cheap meat are actually quite funny. Who would have thought that a humorous story about the cost of meat would be such a delightful farce. It helps that we have some excellent character actors bolstering the material with their performances- Calhern, Slezak and Lockhart are all ace. Lockhart steals the film in a very well-played scene, where he implores Johnson to swallow some pride and make up with dear old dad.
In the end, Johnson and Leigh are able to stay in Maine. Johnson does not get the new job because it was given to the other professor...but he does get an increase in wages, which will result in an extra $1000 annually. Meanwhile, Calhern hops the train back to Texas. The coda has Johnson and Leigh visiting Texas after the birth of their son for a summer vacation. The little boy's middle initial is T which stands for T-bone.
Though it's mostly a whimsical tale, there are some serious points being made. The main idea concerns itself with the cost of living, and how a couple can barely survive on the husband's meager wages. In this case, the husband (Van Johnson) is a grossly underpaid college professor whose goal is to educate youth, instead of laboring for big business.
Janet Leigh plays Johnson's wife, and she has a very easy rapport with him (they made two other pictures together). She spends her days homemaking. She is also expecting a baby, and in the very first scenes we are told during a visit to her doctor that she's just completed her third month of pregnancy. The doctor thinks she looks pale and tells her she needs to eat meat, to keep up her strength for the baby. But she says they cannot afford meat since her husband's salary is not substantial.
What we are getting here is a plea for audiences to do something after the movie is over, so that teachers will start to get paid more. As someone who's worked in the field of education, I find it interesting that this was an issue in the early 1950s since it is still an issue today in many states across the country. The teaching profession may be noble, but it's historically been underpaid.
Into this situation comes Johnson's old man (Louis Calhern), a proud Texas who owns a huge ranch. Calhern is a cattle rancher, and his livelihood is selling beef. Some jokes are made about how he won't eat fish, yet that is what Leigh serves him when he arrives for an extended visit, because fish was all she could afford at the store.
Part of the backstory involves a falling out that Johnson had with Calhern several years earlier. To say they have a tense relationship is putting it mildly. Calhern likes to throw his money around and has been trying to get his son to come home and take over the ranching business.
Leigh is all for this. She knows a child will cost money they don't have and life on the ranch would solve their economic problems. But before Johnson caves in, quits his job and gives up his life here in Maine, he is going to try for a promotion since a spot on the faculty that pays $800 more a year has just opened up.
This leads us into several subplots. There's another professor (Hayden Rorke) and his wife (June Whitley) who are angling for the job, because they'd also like more money. At the same time, we see the dean (Gene Lockhart) manipulate them, playing both candidates against each other, as it means he and his wife (Kathleen Lockhart) will get invited over for dinner and that might include a juicy pot roast or steak.
Of course Calhern is not going to sit by idly. He goes to visit the local butcher (Walter Slezak) to strike up a deal. The butcher will offer Leigh decent cuts of meat at half price, with Calhern covering the difference. This leads to other wives finding out how much Leigh is paying, which causes a rush on meat at Slezak's delicatessen. It in turn triggers a price war since other butchers in town must compete with his cheaper prices.
The scenes where teachers and their wives are lining up to get cheap meat are actually quite funny. Who would have thought that a humorous story about the cost of meat would be such a delightful farce. It helps that we have some excellent character actors bolstering the material with their performances- Calhern, Slezak and Lockhart are all ace. Lockhart steals the film in a very well-played scene, where he implores Johnson to swallow some pride and make up with dear old dad.
In the end, Johnson and Leigh are able to stay in Maine. Johnson does not get the new job because it was given to the other professor...but he does get an increase in wages, which will result in an extra $1000 annually. Meanwhile, Calhern hops the train back to Texas. The coda has Johnson and Leigh visiting Texas after the birth of their son for a summer vacation. The little boy's middle initial is T which stands for T-bone.