Lady for a Day (1933)

Director:

Frank Capra

Writers:

Robert Riskin (screenplay)
Damon Runyon (story)

Release Date:

13 September 1933 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Takes its place among the greatest pictures ever made!

Plot:

A gangster tries to make Aple Annie, the Times Square apple seller a lady for a day

Plot Keywords:

Gangster | Count | Apple | Comedy Of Manners | Class Differences

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars.

Cast

Warren William	...	Dave the Dude
May Robson	...	Apple Annie
Guy Kibbee	...	Judge Henry G. Blake
Glenda Farrell	...	Missouri Martin
Ned Sparks	...	Happy
Walter Connolly	...	Count Romero
Jean Parker	...	Louise
Nat Pendleton	...	Shakespeare
Barry Norton	...	Carlos
Halliwell Hobbes	...	Butler
Hobart Bosworth	...	Governor
Robert Emmett O'Connor	...	Inspector

Also Known As:

Beggar's Holiday (USA) (working title)
Madame la Gimp (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | USA:Approved (PCA #1326-R: 29 August 1935 for re-release) | USA:TV-G (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Columbia/Sunset Gower Studios - 1438 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

A number of beggars in downtown Los Angeles were cast in small roles, including the legless man, nicknamed Shorty, whom Capra had remembered as selling pencils when the director was a paperboy.

Goofs:

Continuity: The position of the pool/billiard balls changes between shots in both the pool hall scene and the billiard room scene (obviously to set up the trick shots that follow).

Quotes:

Missouri Martin: Happy, if you break anything, be sure it's your neck.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Lady with the Torch (1999)

Soundtrack:

String Quintet In E, Op. 13 No. 5: Minuet

Pierre

All the women are going into the bedroom to fix up the bag lady, hairdressers, manicurists, etc. One man is with the bunch. As he goes in, the head guy says "Hey, he can't go in there." The moll says "Oh, he's OK". The guys looks over, shrugs and says, the word dripping from his lips "Pierre". One of the funniest scenes in movies and one of my favorite one line deliveries.

Otherwise, a funny, sweet film. Seems more naive than the remake which makes it work better.