Bring on the tough stuff. There’s not just one right answer.
- The movie takes place over twenty-four hours and so. much. happens. What are some of the effects of this time management on the story's drama and development of its characters?
- Describe the nature of dialogue in the movie: Is it natural-feeling, stagey, or slang-filled? What does it tell us about the characters and their location in space and time?
- What does Marty have to say about the role of motherhood? Does it seem to value it? Take it for granted?
- How would the story change if Marty weren't first-generation American, or if his mother weren't an Italian immigrant?
- What does the film have to say about the relationship between a person's veteran status and their ability to achieve social milestones of adulthood—like leaving the house or getting married?
- Do you think Clara and Marty will live happily ever after? Does it matter to the message of the movie whether a viewer thinks so or not?
- If you were going to re-make Marty now, what would you have to change? Or, choose a modern-day film that deals with the same themes of rejection and growing up: What does the comparison tell us about how we've changed, or not changed, when it comes to these things?