Stage Door (1937) is an excellent ensemble piece with a Who's Who of stars. It was fun seeing these famous women in their early days.
Ginger Rogers looked so young, but boy was she sassy. She stole the show for me. Her wit and timing were impeccable. Katherine Hepburn played what I would imagine was a character close to her own life in the way she was slightly above everyone else. I think this was supposed to be her film, but she seemed out of place and very much an outsider. Adolphe Menjou, although very dapper as usual, played his callous role to perfection. Lucille Ball was young, quite beautiful, and it is always fun to see her in her pre-Lucy fame days. Andrea Leeds reminded me so much of Olivia de Havilland in looks and her quiet dramatic style. Gail Patrick is the woman you never root for once again. Eve Arden sounded like she did 40 years later in Grease. She had a very mature and unique voice.
All in all, the casting was spot on and each played similar roles in other films. I've seen this a few times, but this time it played more as a drama than a comedy. It seems the comedy was to mask the fear as one of the characters said. It is a moving piece of work and one that I'll certainly watch again.
Ginger Rogers looked so young, but boy was she sassy. She stole the show for me. Her wit and timing were impeccable. Katherine Hepburn played what I would imagine was a character close to her own life in the way she was slightly above everyone else. I think this was supposed to be her film, but she seemed out of place and very much an outsider. Adolphe Menjou, although very dapper as usual, played his callous role to perfection. Lucille Ball was young, quite beautiful, and it is always fun to see her in her pre-Lucy fame days. Andrea Leeds reminded me so much of Olivia de Havilland in looks and her quiet dramatic style. Gail Patrick is the woman you never root for once again. Eve Arden sounded like she did 40 years later in Grease. She had a very mature and unique voice.
All in all, the casting was spot on and each played similar roles in other films. I've seen this a few times, but this time it played more as a drama than a comedy. It seems the comedy was to mask the fear as one of the characters said. It is a moving piece of work and one that I'll certainly watch again.