Career Girl (1944)
6/10
Stage Door Meets 42nd Street
15 September 2012
Warning: Spoilers
While there's no Ginger Rogers here (who appeared in both of those films), there is a dancer who emulates her in one sequence of this PRC musical. It all surrounds a Kansas City singer (Frances Langford) who moves into a hotel for women and gains the support of most of the other residents who spot her talent right off and pool their resources to help her out. She's engaged to a boring businessman in Kansas City but finds herself attracted to the jilted suitor of one of the hotel's snootier residents. Iris Adrian gets to show off both kitten and cat like qualities as the tough broad with the heart of gold who gathers everybody around in Langford's defense but isn't afraid to break a vase over another resident's head. Acting wise, she is the winner in this group, while the lovely Langford is musically brilliant if not a natural actress. Still likable however, it makes sense that she would usually be relegated to guest appearances in musicals rather than starring in them, although she did star in a few.

There's some witty exchanges between the ladies of the hotel, and a nice bit concerning the hotel's owner afraid of his hatchet faced wife, only seen briefly with looks that only Mount Rushmore would love. It is a rare treat to see these "Z" grade musicals from PRC or Monogram that offer a bit higher budgets and are a grade higher than their campy horror films or mainly creaky westerns they were famous for. So this hotel for women is definitely worth an 80 minute visit.
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