You won't be disappointed!

Perfect cast and a good story

Good movie but grossly overrated

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

John R. Hodges (Monty Woolley) is a printer at ACME Printing. He receives notice that he must retire because he is age 65. The rule comes from Consolidated Motors, the parent company of a vast conglomerate that owns ACME. John takes great pride in his job and enjoys the dignity that comes from doing good work. He decides on an unorthodox strategy to get his job back."As Young As You Feel" is a comedy, but it contains serious messages about age-related issues and the unintended effects of technology and modern production methods. More than sixty years later, those viewpoints--as expressed by John--are just as relevant today.But the messages do not sidetrack the fun. Monty Woolley plays John with a twinkle in his eye. His positivity influences the lives of others (on a grand scale), except maybe for a couple of annoying members of his own family.One notable aspect of this film is that is adapted from a story by Paddy Chayefsky, who won three Oscars for screen writing. After his service in the war, Chayefsky worked in his uncle's printshop--a connection with this story.Marilyn Monroe has a small, but well-acted, part in the film as secretary to the executive who runs ACME. Her larger roles were yet to come. I enjoyed seeing Jean Peters and Constance Bennett as well. And there's a small part played by a very young Russ Tamblyn.This film is a feel-good story that focuses on the subject of human dignity. It is light-hearted and written to entertain.

You come away feeling great after seeing this 1951 gem. Notice that LaMar Trotti did the screenplay and co-starred Thelma Ritter and David Wayne. The three were together the following year in "With A Song in My Heart." Note how Ritter acted almost in the way she did the following year in "Heart." Notice again the references to Brooklyn in her early lines.This film is inspiring because in a comical way it covers some social issues that are pertinent today. A man, played by the wonderful Monty Woolley, protests when he is victimized by the mandatory age of retirement rule. He makes believe he is the head boss of the concern and gives a terrific speech calling for hard work, individual initiative and the end to forced retirements. The speech causes a huge success and leads to one of the boss's wives wanting to leave him to run off with Woolley. Constance Bennett is great as the woman whose marriage has lost its sparkle and husband, Albert Dekker, who is a constant worker.David Wayne and Jean Peters play the young lovers in this highly entertaining, enjoyable, feel-good movies of the early '50s. Notice a young Russ Tamblyn here as a teenage son of Dekker and Bennett's.

This is among my favorite "little movies"--movies that were small budget and about everyday people with everyday problems. The lead is played by the crotchety but very erudite Monty Woolley. Monty is forced to retire from his job as a printer due to his age, even though he still feels young and vigorous. Everyone around him seems to agree that retirement shouldn't be forced upon you if you are still able and willing to work, but no one in this large company where he works seems to be able to anything about this rule--especially since the company is actually controlled by a huge corporation. They just keep saying it's company policy and they would change it if they could--maybe he should talk the the guy in charge to get the rule changed someone suggests. Unfortunately, no one seems to know exactly who that is or how to find him. Out of sheer frustration, he hatches a plot to impersonate the company's CEO and make the changes himself! Unfortunately, this relatively simple plan snowballs and lots of unforeseen problems arise.This is a brisk, cute movie that it sure to please. The acting is superb (I just love Woolley in films), the story well written and the film leaves you smiling.PS--Get Marilyn Monroe OFF the Video Cover!!! She's barely in the movie at all--if you expect her, expect to be disappointed. Stupid advertising folks!

AS YOUNG AS YOU FEEL tries hard to be entertaining, and succeeds to a limited degree. The basic story is a social commentary on the errant ways of big business, and it remains somewhat relevant 51 years after the films release. It is classified as a comedy, but if the viewer is looking for belly laughs, there are none here. The main plot point (forced retirement of workers at age 65 by corporate policy) is belabored to the point of exhaustion. The film is dominated by Monty Wooley (he is in almost every scene), and if one is not particularly enamored of his acting style, the film quickly grows tedious. A notable highlight is the presence of a young Marilyn Monroe in the role of a secretary. The sexist treatment she receives from her boss, and her reactions to it, are the outstanding moments in the film, even though they have nothing much to do with the main story line.In summary, this is a dry, bland film that will tend to bore audiences of the present day. Older viewers (especially fans of Mr. Wooley) may find it somewhat appealing.