This is a disjointed, lightweight "dramedy" which was meant to highlight some of MGM's upcoming actresses who also serve as models for its 1939 fashions.
The plot: scion of a Wall Street tycoon and student at elite "Kingsford University" (subbing for Princeton), Phillip Griswold III (Lew Ayres looking decidedly older than his 30 years) goes slumming in Manhattan with some of his frat brothers. An alcohol besotted night on the town leads to Phil drunkenly inviting dance-hall girl "Jane" (Lana Turner) to Kingford's house-parties in which the youth of the East Coast's upper crust mingle for dining, dancing, and other things such as trying to find an eligible spouse among these elite.
Jane, a small-town Kansas girl, who has already had her dreams of Broadway stardom crushed, isn't above setting her sights on being a high society wife and happily accepts Phil's invitation. Yet, drunken Phil forgets that he ever asked. So, Jane shows-up at Kingsford to discover that Phil already has a date with his longtime beau, "Carol" (Jane Bryan). Although hurt by this snub, Jane soldiers on and, while enduring the snooty barbs from the "glamour girls," the high society girls, she quickly gains a host of admirers with her beauty, charm, and skill as a dancer. Eventually, Phil notices that Jane holds a genuine attraction. Yet, will the importance of having the "right" family and background keep them apart?
"These Glamour Girls" has a featherweight plot. However, it's entertaining especially thanks to the performance of 18 or 19 yr old Lana Turner. This isn't the platinum blonde, femme fatale Lana Turner of her peak years, but a fresh-faced redhead with a truly winning smile. Although Turner would never be feted as a great actress, one can definitely see why she was groomed for stardom: just loads of charisma and screen presence.
It's also entertaining for depicting a lost world. The college life in this film will be almost unrecognizable to anyone born after 1950. Everyone dressed in evening attire attending dinner parties and formal dances with live bands. However, somethings never change: college kids getting wasted and having drunken sexual hook-ups.
The latter is depicted in an odd subplot involving "Betty" (Marsha Hunt). Betty was apparently the belle-of-the-ball a few years prior, but now is viewed as a pathetic retread who is unable land a husband. With her out-of-style hair-do and advanced age of 23 (?!?!), Betty tries way too hard and only succeeds in annoying everyone. Eventually, she hooks-up with a drunken frat boy (Tom Brown) with the hope that will lead to the altar. What's odd about this is the idea that Marsha Hunt would ever struggle to meet men. She was stunningly beautiful! The guys shown giving "Betty" the brush-off makes one wonder whether they were both blind AND played for the Pink Team. SPOILERS: Betty's fate further makes one wonder how it got by the Production Code. Did her engaging in premarital sex make it allowable for the film to end her that way? Did she have to be shown being "punished?" On the other hand, her male bedfellow escapes any such moral "punishment."
Despite its sexist double-standards, the hypocrisies of the Production Code, and its featherweight plot, I enjoyed this movie. It's brainless entertainment from a different time and almost a different world. I admit that I love how nicely everyone talks and dresses in these old movies. They all look great! Yes, the Depression, which the film does make references too, had many on the brink of starvation; fascism and communism had already started their murderous rampages; and life was just downright tough for most people. Yet, they did dress nicely when they went out in public, and it's sad that's lost and gone.
The plot: scion of a Wall Street tycoon and student at elite "Kingsford University" (subbing for Princeton), Phillip Griswold III (Lew Ayres looking decidedly older than his 30 years) goes slumming in Manhattan with some of his frat brothers. An alcohol besotted night on the town leads to Phil drunkenly inviting dance-hall girl "Jane" (Lana Turner) to Kingford's house-parties in which the youth of the East Coast's upper crust mingle for dining, dancing, and other things such as trying to find an eligible spouse among these elite.
Jane, a small-town Kansas girl, who has already had her dreams of Broadway stardom crushed, isn't above setting her sights on being a high society wife and happily accepts Phil's invitation. Yet, drunken Phil forgets that he ever asked. So, Jane shows-up at Kingsford to discover that Phil already has a date with his longtime beau, "Carol" (Jane Bryan). Although hurt by this snub, Jane soldiers on and, while enduring the snooty barbs from the "glamour girls," the high society girls, she quickly gains a host of admirers with her beauty, charm, and skill as a dancer. Eventually, Phil notices that Jane holds a genuine attraction. Yet, will the importance of having the "right" family and background keep them apart?
"These Glamour Girls" has a featherweight plot. However, it's entertaining especially thanks to the performance of 18 or 19 yr old Lana Turner. This isn't the platinum blonde, femme fatale Lana Turner of her peak years, but a fresh-faced redhead with a truly winning smile. Although Turner would never be feted as a great actress, one can definitely see why she was groomed for stardom: just loads of charisma and screen presence.
It's also entertaining for depicting a lost world. The college life in this film will be almost unrecognizable to anyone born after 1950. Everyone dressed in evening attire attending dinner parties and formal dances with live bands. However, somethings never change: college kids getting wasted and having drunken sexual hook-ups.
The latter is depicted in an odd subplot involving "Betty" (Marsha Hunt). Betty was apparently the belle-of-the-ball a few years prior, but now is viewed as a pathetic retread who is unable land a husband. With her out-of-style hair-do and advanced age of 23 (?!?!), Betty tries way too hard and only succeeds in annoying everyone. Eventually, she hooks-up with a drunken frat boy (Tom Brown) with the hope that will lead to the altar. What's odd about this is the idea that Marsha Hunt would ever struggle to meet men. She was stunningly beautiful! The guys shown giving "Betty" the brush-off makes one wonder whether they were both blind AND played for the Pink Team. SPOILERS: Betty's fate further makes one wonder how it got by the Production Code. Did her engaging in premarital sex make it allowable for the film to end her that way? Did she have to be shown being "punished?" On the other hand, her male bedfellow escapes any such moral "punishment."
Despite its sexist double-standards, the hypocrisies of the Production Code, and its featherweight plot, I enjoyed this movie. It's brainless entertainment from a different time and almost a different world. I admit that I love how nicely everyone talks and dresses in these old movies. They all look great! Yes, the Depression, which the film does make references too, had many on the brink of starvation; fascism and communism had already started their murderous rampages; and life was just downright tough for most people. Yet, they did dress nicely when they went out in public, and it's sad that's lost and gone.