Stage Door (1937)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Gregory La Cava

Writers:

Morrie Ryskind (screenplay) and
Anthony Veiller (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

8 lokakuu 1937 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Brilliant In Cast And Story

Plot:

A boardinghouse full of aspiring actresses and their ambitions, dreams and disappointments.

Plot Keywords:

Broadway | Ambition | Roommate | Boarding House | Producer

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 1 win

Cast

Katharine Hepburn	...	Terry Randall
Ginger Rogers	...	Jean Maitland
Adolphe Menjou	...	Anthony Powell
Gail Patrick	...	Linda Shaw
Constance Collier	...	Miss Luther
Andrea Leeds	...	Kay Hamilton
Samuel S. Hinds	...	Henry Sims
Lucille Ball	...	Judith
Franklin Pangborn	...	Harcourt
William Corson	...	Bill
Pierre Watkin	...	Carmichael
Grady Sutton	...	Butch
Frank Reicher	...	Stage Director
Jack Carson	...	Mr. Milbanks
Phyllis Kennedy	...	Hattie

Runtime:

92 min | West Germany:83 min (TV)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor System)

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | USA:Approved (PCA #3486) | Canada:PG (video rating) | Finland:K-16 | France:U

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

The screenplay was considerably altered from the hit stage play. Director Gregory La Cava was particularly gifted working with actresses. For two weeks prior to filming, he had his cast improvise in the boarding house set as if they were actually rooming together, and had a script girl take down all their interchanges. Most of the dialog you hear in the boarding house is extemporaneous ad-libs by the actresses during rehearsals.

Quotes:

Linda Shaw: If you were a little more considerate of your elders, maybe Mr. Powell would send his car for you someday. Of course, he would probably take one look at you and send you right back again, but then you have to expect that.
Jean Maitland: Is that so?
Linda Shaw: Do you know, I think I could fix you up with Mr. Powell's chauffeur. The chauffeur has a very nice car too.
Jean Maitland: Yes, but I understand Mr. Powell's chauffeur doesn't go as far in his car as Mr. Powell does.
Linda Shaw: Even a chauffer has to have an incentive!
Jean Maitland: Well, you should know!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Operation Double 007 (#6.8)" (1993)

Soundtrack:

Put Your Heart Into Your Feet and Dance

My brief review of the film

A very well acted classic drama with great characters that interact realistically when together, it is also supported by some fine acting. Katharine Hepburn is very strong and natural, and Ginger Rogers matches her, playing a witty and almost cynical character very well. Gail Patrick is great too, yet Andrea Leeds was the only cast member to go on to receive an Academy Award nomination, however she is the best of the bunch, giving life to a frail and emotionally unstable aspiring actress. It is a bit overly talkative, and it has at least one too many subplots going on, however the film presents such an interesting insight into the lives of wannabee actresses that these points hardly matter. It is indeed a little difficult to distinguish each of the supporting characters as individuals, and perhaps they could done with further development, but yet this factor is very much like how all the aspiring actresses in the world are: indistinguishable, until you get to know them - and how actresses get ahead in the world is a lot of what this film is about. The final few minutes of the film could have been chopped out; otherwise this is good viewing all the way through.