Synopsis
An
impoverished and struggling cartoonist, Preetam (Guru Dutt)
encounters Anita (Madhubala) at a tennis match. Anita is controlled
by her aunt Sita Devi (Lalita Pawar), a crusader for Women's
Rights who 'protects' Anita from men. However Anita's father
stipulates his will that Anita will inherit his fortune only
if she marries within a month of turning 21. Sita Devi decides
to contrive a marriage which would be followed by divorce
so that Anita gets both her wealth and her independence. She
hires Preetam to marry Anita unaware he is in love with her.
When Anita finds out he is her hired husband, he falls in
her eyes. Preetam, frustrated at not being able to see Anita
after the marriage, carries her off to his brother's house
in a nearby village. Anita is deeply influenced by Preetam's
sister-in-law, a perfect traditional Indian housewife. However
she has already asked Sita Devi to rescue her. Feeling that
Anita doesn't reciprocate his feelings, Preetam fabricates
evidence against himself so that his divorce with Anita will
come about easily and decides to leave Bombay. Preetam is
much maligned in court but by now Anita realizes she loves
him. She defies her aunt and rushes to the airport to stop
Preetam from leaving. Anita nd Preetam are reunited.
The film
Mr.
and Mrs. 55 is a sophisticated romantic
comedy which along with Aar Paar (1954)
sees the beginnings of the lyrical and poetic
style identified with Guru Dutt's
later work. And though the film is primarily
a satirical comedy in nature, it is also
perhaps Guru Dutt's first film, more than
any of his previous films, which shows a
strong concern for social realities. The
film opposes the corrupting influence of
Westernization on India's urban rich by
reaffirming traditional Indian values. (In
fact the poster of the film was divided
into two parts. The first part showed the
hero buckling the heroine's shoe who is
in western attire and the second part shows
her in a sari touching the hero's feet.)
 The film,
based loosely on a play written by Abrar
Alvi called Modern Marriage, sparkles
with wit and imagination. It's greatest
strength lies in its use of intelligence
repartee rather than the usual slapstick
and buffoonery that was prevalent in other
Hindi comedies. And unlike most Hindi films
where dialogues repetitively stress the
same emotions again and again, each dialogue
exchange in the film skillfully develops
the plot while the dialogue as a whole invokes
a range of feelings. Also Abrar Alvi's dialogues
diffuse highly charged situations with down-to-earth
and matter-of-fact repartee. A splendid
example of this was the scene where Preetam
draws a cartoon of Sita Devi wearing a Roman
toga, standing in a Roman chariot with a
whip in hand. Anita and Preetam are the
horses that pull the chariot. (Incidentally
the cartoons was drawn by India's top most
cartoonist, R.K. Laxman.) On seeing the
cartoon Sita Devi is furious and confronts
Preetam. He answers every question with
'Ji Haan' (Yes) but the scene is brilliantly
constructed in a manner such that each reply
gives it a different shade, a different
meaning. And of course not forgetting the
unforgettable exchange between Sita Devi
and Preetam when they first meet and after
listening to his views, she asks him if
he is a communist. No, a cartoonist he replies!
The
film is full of fluid camera movements,
long tracking shots, brilliant use of light
and shade and close-ups, fine performances
and outstanding music. In fact, in pace,
mood and feel, Mr. and Mrs. 55 is
more like an American film and is perhaps
Guru Dutt's most 'Hollywood' influenced
film.
While
Guru Dutt is fine in the role of Preetam,
it is Madhubala
who lifts the film several notches with
her natural and spontaneous flair for comedy.
Johnny Walker
as Preetam's friend who supports him in
days of struggle, Yasmin who plays Johhny's
girlfriend and Lalita Pawar as Sita Devi
lend able support even though the last named
is seriously handicapped by a strictly two-dimensional
role that borders on absolute caricature.
In fact this is one of the weaknesses of
the film if any - its highly reactionary
and simplistic view of women wanting to
be independent and treating Sita Devi as
a villain rather than as a serious crusader
for Women's Rights.
The
music score by O.P. Nayyar is outstanding
particularly Thandi Hawa Kaali Ghata,
Udhar Tum Haseen Ho, Chal Diye
Banda Navaaz, Jaane Kahaan Mera Jigar
Gaya Ji and Preetam Aan Milo.
The last was originally sung by C.H. Atma
for an HMV recording unconnected to any
film but is used to splendid effect in the
film. Anita is listening to the song in
her room. Her aunt switches off the song.
The next shot cuts to the same song playing
simultaneously on the radio in Preetam's
room as he is packing his bags. It is to
Geeta Dutt's
credit that she is able to give her own
touch to the song rather than be limited
by Atma's wonderful rendering earlier. And
like any Guru Dutt film special mention
must be made of the song picturizations
particularly Thandi Hawa Kaali Ghata
shot at the Mahatma Gandhi swimming pool
in Bombay's Shivaji Park performed with
a smiling chorus of girls twirling umbrellas
led by Madhubala...or Jaane Kahaan Mera
Jigar Gaya Ji as Johhny Walker and Yasmin
romance under office desks during lunch
break...or the argumentative duet Chal
Diye Banda Navaaz imaginatively picturized
among women drying and shaking out saris.
And last but not least, the qawali Karavaan
Dil ka Loota after Preetam walks away
from Sita Devi's house having provided false
evidence of his debauchery. He stands in
half-light and smiles in ironic complicity
as the qawal sings on the roadside. The
scene has a new intensity not seen earlier
in the film and brings a significant shift
of mood to the film, looking ahead to the
dark and sombre mood of Pyaasa
(1957) and Kaagaz ke
Phool (1959).
Mr.
and Mrs. 55. opened to most favourable
reviews. To quote Filmfare in its issue
of May 27, 1955...
"A
thoroughly delightful, honey and cream social
comedy. Mr. and Mrs. 55 is a model of film
craft and has gripping interest for every
class of cinegoer. Its satire of characters
we know and its incidents taken from life
are spiced with humour...the dialogue, well-written,
tense and witty, enhances the appeal of
this true-to-life and thought-provoking
entertainer."
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