If you are a fan, you need to see this film. Linda Darnell is the whole show here. Incredible as it seems, she was just 15 when she made her debut in this film. Playing a small town girl who arrives in the big city to reconnect with an old love, she soon is the toast of the town. Her poise and confidence are that of a seasoned actress. She is in almost every scene, so it's odd that the studio would trust a novice (apparently Loretta Young was the first choice) to carry the entire film. But she does. It's one of her best career performances. For some reason her name does not appear in the opening credits, but she is listed first in the closing credits. Well worth watching if you can find it.
7 Reviews
Models, manipulators and Maxwell, all make for a marvelous party.
mark.waltz26 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
There's more secrets behind the stage door here than there was at the Footlight Club in the classic 1937 drama, "Stage Door". Like that Oscar nominated best picture and 1939's delightfully bitchy "The Women", this focuses on the female of the species, and of course, their favorite topic of conversation is men. There are men here, unlike "The Women", and like the ladies of "Stage Door" (as well as the clawing cats), these girls are all single. The story focuses on new to New York Linda Darnell whose boyfriend from Syracuse (James Ellison) has moved on with bitchy socialite Lynn Bari. Before you can say, "Get me a bromide, and put some gin in it!", she's a top New York model and Ellison is once again intrigued, triggering the fire in Bari's head.
Taking a secondary part just to be involved in this prestige film, Ann Sothern is a barrel of wisecracking wisdom as Darnell's neighbor, along with Jean Rogers, Kay Aldredge and a host of others. But the biggest source of advice comes from real life New York hostess and columnist Elsa Maxwell who was as powerful as Hollywood's Louella, and had no fear of some Hedda Hopper wanna be stepping on her toes. Unlike both "Stage Door" and "The Women", this sticks to the main plot line and doesn't divert from that with its huge supporting cast. But everybody has great moments, and views of various long gone trends of this era seem worthy of revisiting.
The plot twist of Bari's affair with the older John Halliday takes some of the plot line of "Stage Door" to another level that is quite intriguing. The script is filled with witty comments on life (energetically spouted by Ms. Maxwell) and bitchy asides coming out of the mouths of Darnell's more worldly contemporaries. Glimpses of Maxwell's famous party games and her own memories of how she went from poor girl to frumpy but lovable society doyenne add a historical viewpoint to the friction. Aside from Maxwell and the script, this is also memorable for the art direction, making me want to take a time machine back to late 1930's Manhattan where every day was a culturous adventure.
Taking a secondary part just to be involved in this prestige film, Ann Sothern is a barrel of wisecracking wisdom as Darnell's neighbor, along with Jean Rogers, Kay Aldredge and a host of others. But the biggest source of advice comes from real life New York hostess and columnist Elsa Maxwell who was as powerful as Hollywood's Louella, and had no fear of some Hedda Hopper wanna be stepping on her toes. Unlike both "Stage Door" and "The Women", this sticks to the main plot line and doesn't divert from that with its huge supporting cast. But everybody has great moments, and views of various long gone trends of this era seem worthy of revisiting.
The plot twist of Bari's affair with the older John Halliday takes some of the plot line of "Stage Door" to another level that is quite intriguing. The script is filled with witty comments on life (energetically spouted by Ms. Maxwell) and bitchy asides coming out of the mouths of Darnell's more worldly contemporaries. Glimpses of Maxwell's famous party games and her own memories of how she went from poor girl to frumpy but lovable society doyenne add a historical viewpoint to the friction. Aside from Maxwell and the script, this is also memorable for the art direction, making me want to take a time machine back to late 1930's Manhattan where every day was a culturous adventure.
From nobody to top model in no time at all!
planktonrules20 January 2019
This is Linda Darnell's first film...and pretty amazing that they gave her a starring role! And, pretty amazing that it's a pretty good story.
The film begins with Marcia (Darnell) arriving in the big city to surprise her boyfriend. However, instead of being overjoyed, he clearly isn't....and Marcia quickly picks up on this. Because of this, she announces that it's over....as his reaction clearly showed her he wasn't interested. While she planned on immediately returning home to Syracuse, she gets discovered by a modeling agency. Soon, she's successful and happy. But what will she need to do to stay on top....and is she willing to do it?
Twentieth Century-Fox really had a lot of confidence in Darnell giving her such a plum role and giving the movie Ann Sothern in support (although she was listed first in the credits, she clearly was NOT the lead). And, while the plot sounds ridiculous, Darnell being in the movie is proof that someone CAN become a star overnight...as she did with this movie. Sadly, however, while it is a good movie, the ending really made little sense and should have been better. See it yourself...you'll see what I mean.
The film begins with Marcia (Darnell) arriving in the big city to surprise her boyfriend. However, instead of being overjoyed, he clearly isn't....and Marcia quickly picks up on this. Because of this, she announces that it's over....as his reaction clearly showed her he wasn't interested. While she planned on immediately returning home to Syracuse, she gets discovered by a modeling agency. Soon, she's successful and happy. But what will she need to do to stay on top....and is she willing to do it?
Twentieth Century-Fox really had a lot of confidence in Darnell giving her such a plum role and giving the movie Ann Sothern in support (although she was listed first in the credits, she clearly was NOT the lead). And, while the plot sounds ridiculous, Darnell being in the movie is proof that someone CAN become a star overnight...as she did with this movie. Sadly, however, while it is a good movie, the ending really made little sense and should have been better. See it yourself...you'll see what I mean.
Smart Girls In Manhattam
boblipton7 July 2019
Linda Darnell takes the train from Syracuse to New York and checks into a women's hotel. She has decided to accept James Ellison's marriage proposal. Ellison has gone big city, working as an architect for John Halliday and dating his daughter, Kay Aldridge. Disconsolate, Miss Darnell decides to leave the next morning. However, by that time she is a top model for a brand of cigarettes, and the men are after her. She rejects them all with a smile on her face while Ellison goes crazier and crazier.
It's a pleasant, Code-compliant, sophisticated Girls-in-the-Big-City romp. Miss Darnell, in her first feature, is too blandly pleasant to carry it, but she's backed by a nice complement of support: Ann Southern (top billed; supposedly her part was trimmed when she signed a contract with MGM instead of 20 Century-Fox), Jean Rogers, Lynn Bari, Joyce Compton (always a favorite of mine) and even Elsa Maxwell, who plays Elsa Maxwell. It's based on a story by her. The men include Alan Dinehart and Sidney Blackmer. Although clearly no expense was spared for this production, it looks like a handsome programmer.
It's a pleasant, Code-compliant, sophisticated Girls-in-the-Big-City romp. Miss Darnell, in her first feature, is too blandly pleasant to carry it, but she's backed by a nice complement of support: Ann Southern (top billed; supposedly her part was trimmed when she signed a contract with MGM instead of 20 Century-Fox), Jean Rogers, Lynn Bari, Joyce Compton (always a favorite of mine) and even Elsa Maxwell, who plays Elsa Maxwell. It's based on a story by her. The men include Alan Dinehart and Sidney Blackmer. Although clearly no expense was spared for this production, it looks like a handsome programmer.
A 30-day soap opera
AAdaSC16 February 2024
Linda Darnell (Marcia) checks into the Hotel for Women in New York so she can rekindle her romance with James Ellison (Jeff). However, Ellison is more pre-occupied with forging ahead with his architecture career and attending social parties and dating other women who may be beneficial to his client database. Darnell is disappointed and makes plans to leave and head back to Syracuse when an opportunistic date turns up courtesy of fellow Hotel guest Ann Sothern (Eileen). This begins a sequence of events that sees Darnell become an immediate modelling sensation. However, fame can be a fleeting moment.
The picture quality isn't great but it doesn't ruin the film, which is a take on the "Stage Door" (1937) formula and other soap opera stories set in a female residency. This one goes for the high-end glamour spectrum as opposed to the boarding-house scenarios. The cast are good - Sothern being the funniest and liveliest character. Johnny Halliday is suitably cast as the suave womanizer who is Ellison's boss and Elsa Maxwell (Mrs Tilford) is good value as the lesbian matriarch. She has some great lines and sound philosophy about life. My wife and I laughed in agreement when she talked about acquiring stuff in early life and then getting rid of it all in later life. Very true.
It's an easy-going film with a soap-opera drama involving the romance between Darnell and Ellison and a dramatic 3's-a-crowd situation between Darnell, Ellison and Lynn Bari (Barbara). Bang! I didn't see that coming.
The picture quality isn't great but it doesn't ruin the film, which is a take on the "Stage Door" (1937) formula and other soap opera stories set in a female residency. This one goes for the high-end glamour spectrum as opposed to the boarding-house scenarios. The cast are good - Sothern being the funniest and liveliest character. Johnny Halliday is suitably cast as the suave womanizer who is Ellison's boss and Elsa Maxwell (Mrs Tilford) is good value as the lesbian matriarch. She has some great lines and sound philosophy about life. My wife and I laughed in agreement when she talked about acquiring stuff in early life and then getting rid of it all in later life. Very true.
It's an easy-going film with a soap-opera drama involving the romance between Darnell and Ellison and a dramatic 3's-a-crowd situation between Darnell, Ellison and Lynn Bari (Barbara). Bang! I didn't see that coming.
Highly interesting and entertaining, should not be missed
robert-temple-17 August 2007
This is a fascinating film which is totally dominated by two spectacular performances: Linda Darnell in her first film appearance plays the lead, and does so with such perfection that one wonders where all that innocence, poise, self-confidence, wide-eyed small-town wisdom comes from, considering how different she was in later parts where innocence didn't come into it. The other spectacular performance is Elsa Maxwell as her utterly irrepressible self. One can immediately see why she was 'the hostess with the mostest', America's leading social hostess, since you cannot take your eyes and ears off her for a second. She may have been a 'short, fat nobody from Iowa' as she liked to say, but she behaves with the confidence of a queen and cracks jokes and makes confidential asides with such mastery one longs for an invitation to one of her parties, just to kiss her hand and get one amused smile in return. (You suspect she could give you a racing tip and ask you to put a fiver on for her too.) There are other strong performances, such as Lynn Bari as a hysterically jealous woman who is prepared to commit murder for love, John Halliday as a wholly convincing 'older man love interest' whose suave self-deprecating charm would disarm any girl in an instant even while he warns her he is seducing her. The hotel of the title is one of those women-only hotels which thrived in New York City in those days, and Elsa Maxwell is depicted as someone who drops in constantly for a chat with all the girls, and gets involved in their private dramas in a most amusing way. It all works, and is a social document of the times, crucial for today's 'gender studies' I should imagine, since like 'The Women', it is entirely from the female point of view, and that in the 1930s was certainly 'something else' and as un-modern as you can get. How things have changed! This film really ought to be made commercially available, as it is interesting on so many levels. It is entertaining both in itself and as a glimpse of the past.
Women's hotel
jarrodmcdonald-12 May 2024
Warning: Spoilers
This is a glorified B film from the folks at 20th Century Fox. It contains elements of romance and comedy, but is more known for its ensemble cast of Fox starlets, several of them going on to long and distinguished Hollywood careers. Among the women who check into the titular dwelling are Ann Sothern. Jean Rogers, Lynn Bari and Linda Darnell in her motion picture debut.
Darnell has the most screen time though she is billed after Sothern. Behind-the-scenes drama played out when Sothern, who'd just finished a contract at RKO, decided not to sign a long-term deal with Fox. She instead chose to sign with MGM, where a few scripts meant for the late Jean Harlow would be given to her. As a result of bailing on Fox, Sothern still retained top billing but her part was drastically cut in the editing room.
In lieu of Sothern's decreased prominence, Darnell's part was beefed up. Sothern & Darnell would reunite on screen ten years later as two of the wronged wives in A LETTER TO THREE WIVES, also for Fox. Apparently Sothern was able to mend fences with studio execs, and she had remained friendly with Darnell. The later film is more well-known, while HOTEL FOR WOMEN has slipped into obscurity.
Darnell was only 15 years old when she stepped before the cameras to shoot her first scenes in HOTEL FOR WOMEN. Publicists lied about her age and initially made her seem older than she actually was. After all, she was supposed to be playing a woman, not a teen girl in this film. The basic scenario was embellished by society maven Elsa Maxwell who was hired to add 'realistic' touches about young gals staying at a posh New York hotel.
Maxwell was a closeted lesbian who had a long-time female partner but never acknowledged their relationship in public. Despite being from a poor midwestern background, she had become a cosmopolitan sensation. She wielded great influence because of her powerful connections, often hobnobbing with prominent politicians and royalty. She was known for throwing lavish parties and writing a gossip column. In the 1940s she had her own radio show.
In order to give this picture increased value with contemporary audiences, Fox developed a supporting role for the doyenne and renamed it ELSA MAXWELL'S HOTEL FOR WOMEN. This was also a ploy to prevent a New York-based actress and part-time playwright known as Louise Howard from winning a suit against the studio for plagiarism. Miss Howard, who'd worked in burlesque as Halo Meadows, had authored a play called Women's Hotel which the court ruled had been pilfered for this production. What ended up on screen wasn't half as interesting as what went on behind the scenes.
Darnell has the most screen time though she is billed after Sothern. Behind-the-scenes drama played out when Sothern, who'd just finished a contract at RKO, decided not to sign a long-term deal with Fox. She instead chose to sign with MGM, where a few scripts meant for the late Jean Harlow would be given to her. As a result of bailing on Fox, Sothern still retained top billing but her part was drastically cut in the editing room.
In lieu of Sothern's decreased prominence, Darnell's part was beefed up. Sothern & Darnell would reunite on screen ten years later as two of the wronged wives in A LETTER TO THREE WIVES, also for Fox. Apparently Sothern was able to mend fences with studio execs, and she had remained friendly with Darnell. The later film is more well-known, while HOTEL FOR WOMEN has slipped into obscurity.
Darnell was only 15 years old when she stepped before the cameras to shoot her first scenes in HOTEL FOR WOMEN. Publicists lied about her age and initially made her seem older than she actually was. After all, she was supposed to be playing a woman, not a teen girl in this film. The basic scenario was embellished by society maven Elsa Maxwell who was hired to add 'realistic' touches about young gals staying at a posh New York hotel.
Maxwell was a closeted lesbian who had a long-time female partner but never acknowledged their relationship in public. Despite being from a poor midwestern background, she had become a cosmopolitan sensation. She wielded great influence because of her powerful connections, often hobnobbing with prominent politicians and royalty. She was known for throwing lavish parties and writing a gossip column. In the 1940s she had her own radio show.
In order to give this picture increased value with contemporary audiences, Fox developed a supporting role for the doyenne and renamed it ELSA MAXWELL'S HOTEL FOR WOMEN. This was also a ploy to prevent a New York-based actress and part-time playwright known as Louise Howard from winning a suit against the studio for plagiarism. Miss Howard, who'd worked in burlesque as Halo Meadows, had authored a play called Women's Hotel which the court ruled had been pilfered for this production. What ended up on screen wasn't half as interesting as what went on behind the scenes.
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