Stage Door (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
'Stage Door' (directed by Gregory La Cava & adapted from a hit Edna Ferber/George S. Kaufman broadway play) is a wonderfully entertaining comedy/drama set in NYC during the Depression, and concerns a plethora of struggling actresses - most of whom are high-strung about one thing or another - living in one manic boarding house. The story opens with feisty blonde Jean (Ginger Rogers, fantastic) taking the hosiery off Linda's (Gail Patrick) legs; claiming they was stolen from her. Then haughty Terry (Katharine Hepburn, always great) arrives at the boarding house from the Midwest; turns out that she is the socialite daughter who is determined to make it on her own as a star Broadway actress come hell or high water.
Aristocratic Terry rooms with the matter-of-fact, girl-next-door type Jean and, they get off to a baaad start; sparring delightfully. The most talented actress in the house is actually the fragile, hypersensitive Kaye (Andrea Leeds), who hasn't found work, misses meals, doesn't have the $$ to pay the rent & even faints when one producer fails to see her. Linda is dating devil-may-care producer Anthony Powell (Adolphe Menjou) & is trying to ensnare a sugar-daddy rather than any particular part. The lecherous Powell {who is married, of course} has eyes for Jean; putting her dancing act with fellow lodger Annie (Ann Miller) in a nightclub - where he is co-owner. Jean dates him because the girls need the job and she enjoys 'sticking it to' rival, Linda.
When Powell needs an angel to put on the show, an anonymous backer - who turns out to be Terry's father - insists that Terry be given the starring role. He actually doesn't want his daughter to be an actress and is so convinced that the show will flop that it would send his daughter running back home. The inexperienced Terry gets the part & is coached by an aging actress Catherine Luther (Constance Collier) and, in a typically unselfish gesture, sweet Kaye even helps. But without going into details ... tragedy strikes. Terry is emotionally effected by the tragedy and, thusly, gives a stirring performance; giving specific recognition to the person who befell the tragedy. This gesture wins the hostile dorm girls over & she remains in the boarding house.
'Stage Door' is intriguingly directed by La Cava, smartly & sassily written, briskly-paced, & superbly acted by all. Ginger Rogers dominates the 1st half of the film, with Katharine Hepburn taking over the rest {her "calla lilies" scene is a classic}. Rogers gives her best performance here, for me, even more so than her Oscar-winning Kitty Foyle role; a performance that did little for me; but then, Rogers often did little for me other than her beautiful dancing skills. Lucille Ball {so funny} & Eve Arden credit their roles as being their "breakthroughs" in Hollywood. And other supporting turns by the lovely Andrea Leeds, Adolphe Menjou as the dissolute, salacious Anthony Powell, Jack Carson, & teenaged Ann Miller really add to the proceedings.
The Andrea Leeds character brings real gravity to an otherwise silly/fun wisecracky movie and, she is the heart of this minor masterpiece. She anchors the story in a way that prevents the whole thing from being just some flippant affair. The twists & turns in the narrative result in some happy & some sad endings. And the themes of female camaraderie & of women fighting hard, despite hardships, to attain their showbiz dreams, are potent. The film arrived before 1950's All About Eve {the cream of the crop of Broadway-themed movies} & 1939's The Women {for its amazing female cast}; all three stand on their own in esteemed quality. This film is funny as heck, insightful, emotionally touching, & one of the very best entertainments of 1937.
Aristocratic Terry rooms with the matter-of-fact, girl-next-door type Jean and, they get off to a baaad start; sparring delightfully. The most talented actress in the house is actually the fragile, hypersensitive Kaye (Andrea Leeds), who hasn't found work, misses meals, doesn't have the $$ to pay the rent & even faints when one producer fails to see her. Linda is dating devil-may-care producer Anthony Powell (Adolphe Menjou) & is trying to ensnare a sugar-daddy rather than any particular part. The lecherous Powell {who is married, of course} has eyes for Jean; putting her dancing act with fellow lodger Annie (Ann Miller) in a nightclub - where he is co-owner. Jean dates him because the girls need the job and she enjoys 'sticking it to' rival, Linda.
When Powell needs an angel to put on the show, an anonymous backer - who turns out to be Terry's father - insists that Terry be given the starring role. He actually doesn't want his daughter to be an actress and is so convinced that the show will flop that it would send his daughter running back home. The inexperienced Terry gets the part & is coached by an aging actress Catherine Luther (Constance Collier) and, in a typically unselfish gesture, sweet Kaye even helps. But without going into details ... tragedy strikes. Terry is emotionally effected by the tragedy and, thusly, gives a stirring performance; giving specific recognition to the person who befell the tragedy. This gesture wins the hostile dorm girls over & she remains in the boarding house.
'Stage Door' is intriguingly directed by La Cava, smartly & sassily written, briskly-paced, & superbly acted by all. Ginger Rogers dominates the 1st half of the film, with Katharine Hepburn taking over the rest {her "calla lilies" scene is a classic}. Rogers gives her best performance here, for me, even more so than her Oscar-winning Kitty Foyle role; a performance that did little for me; but then, Rogers often did little for me other than her beautiful dancing skills. Lucille Ball {so funny} & Eve Arden credit their roles as being their "breakthroughs" in Hollywood. And other supporting turns by the lovely Andrea Leeds, Adolphe Menjou as the dissolute, salacious Anthony Powell, Jack Carson, & teenaged Ann Miller really add to the proceedings.
The Andrea Leeds character brings real gravity to an otherwise silly/fun wisecracky movie and, she is the heart of this minor masterpiece. She anchors the story in a way that prevents the whole thing from being just some flippant affair. The twists & turns in the narrative result in some happy & some sad endings. And the themes of female camaraderie & of women fighting hard, despite hardships, to attain their showbiz dreams, are potent. The film arrived before 1950's All About Eve {the cream of the crop of Broadway-themed movies} & 1939's The Women {for its amazing female cast}; all three stand on their own in esteemed quality. This film is funny as heck, insightful, emotionally touching, & one of the very best entertainments of 1937.