STAGE DOOR was an old movie I'd heard of when I was a kid, so when it came to our local theater as part of a double-feature revival program, I couldn't resist having a peek at it.
I was glad I did. I'm not a KATHARINE HEPBURN fan (only like her in a few of her many, many films), but I thought she excelled in the role of a girl who came from money (much like Hepburn herself) to take a stab at acting (much like Hepburn did) as long as her father was willing to pay the bills. The other gals aren't as lucky, all of them depending upon that one big break to get them out of a rooming house for show biz gals on the fringe of the business, all with dreams of succeeding.
It's not only a good showcase for Hepburn and her brand of acting, but it gives good roles to GINGER ROGERS, LUCILLE BALL, EVE ARDEN, ANN MILLER, GAIL PATRICK and, especially ANDREA LEEDS (as the suicidal actress who can't deal with missing the brass ring). Ginger gets some of the best wise-cracking lines, as does Eve Arden (with a cat draped over her shoulder) and newcomer Lucille Ball. Amusing too is CONSTANCE COLLIER as an older actress still believing her press clippings. The men include dapper ADOLPHE MENJOU, FRANKLIN PANGBORN and RALPH FORBES.
Predictable stuff, really, but enormously entertaining and fun to watch. Hepburn's manners sit well on this kind of arrogant, forceful role and none of the others let her down. Expertly directed by Gregory La Cava, it's well worth watching and deserved its recognition as one of the best films of 1937.
I was glad I did. I'm not a KATHARINE HEPBURN fan (only like her in a few of her many, many films), but I thought she excelled in the role of a girl who came from money (much like Hepburn herself) to take a stab at acting (much like Hepburn did) as long as her father was willing to pay the bills. The other gals aren't as lucky, all of them depending upon that one big break to get them out of a rooming house for show biz gals on the fringe of the business, all with dreams of succeeding.
It's not only a good showcase for Hepburn and her brand of acting, but it gives good roles to GINGER ROGERS, LUCILLE BALL, EVE ARDEN, ANN MILLER, GAIL PATRICK and, especially ANDREA LEEDS (as the suicidal actress who can't deal with missing the brass ring). Ginger gets some of the best wise-cracking lines, as does Eve Arden (with a cat draped over her shoulder) and newcomer Lucille Ball. Amusing too is CONSTANCE COLLIER as an older actress still believing her press clippings. The men include dapper ADOLPHE MENJOU, FRANKLIN PANGBORN and RALPH FORBES.
Predictable stuff, really, but enormously entertaining and fun to watch. Hepburn's manners sit well on this kind of arrogant, forceful role and none of the others let her down. Expertly directed by Gregory La Cava, it's well worth watching and deserved its recognition as one of the best films of 1937.