Stage Door (1937)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Gregory La Cava

Writers:

Morrie Ryskind (screenplay) and
Anthony Veiller (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

8 October 1937 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Brilliant In Cast And Story

Plot:

A boardinghouse full of aspiring actresses and their ambitions, dreams and disappointments.

Plot Keywords:

Broadway | Ambition | Boardinghouse | Nightclub | Tutor

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 1 win

Cast

Katharine Hepburn	...	Terry Randall
Ginger Rogers	...	Jean Maitland
Adolphe Menjou	...	Anthony Powell
Gail Patrick	...	Linda Shaw
Constance Collier	...	Miss Luther
Andrea Leeds	...	Kay Hamilton
Samuel S. Hinds	...	Henry Sims
Lucille Ball	...	Judith
Franklin Pangborn	...	Harcourt
William Corson	...	Bill
Pierre Watkin	...	Carmichael
Grady Sutton	...	Butch
Frank Reicher	...	Stage Director
Jack Carson	...	Mr. Milbanks
Phyllis Kennedy	...	Hattie

Runtime:

92 min | West Germany:83 min (TV)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor System)

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | USA:Approved (PCA #3486) | Canada:PG (video rating) | Finland:K-16 | France:U

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

CORRECTION: The "Footlights Club" was based on the Rehearsal Club, not the Three Arts Club, which was not, in fact, founded by Mrs. Hammond. Three Arts was founded by Deaconess Jane H. Hall in 1903 for female students of fine arts, music and drama (not singing, dancing and acting). Mrs. Hammond was a board member, but not a founder. In 1913, Deaconess Hall co-founded the Rehearsal Club, which was a residence for professional women of the theater. Edna Ferber was very familiar with the Rehearsal Club, which by 1936 was located on West 53rd Street, and based "Stage Door" on this residence.

Quotes:

Jean Maitland: We started off on the wrong foot. Let's stay that way.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Operation Double 007 (#6.8)" (1993)

Soundtrack:

Put Your Heart Into Your Feet and Dance

Very Enjoyable, With a Fine Cast and Many Other Strengths

With a fine cast and an interesting, worthwhile story, "Stage Door" is one of the best films of the late 1930's. It provides good comedy - at least if you can keep up with the fast-paced, many-sided dialogues - and some interesting drama in the lives of its characters. The characters are well-developed, even the minor ones, and this makes the dramatic developments that much more meaningful. The atmosphere is a convincing and very interesting look at life in the theater, neither overly glamourized nor overly sordid.

There is a great deal of talent in the cast, led by Katherine Hepburn and Ginger Rogers, whose characters clash in interesting ways. Adolphe Menjou is an ideal choice to play this kind of genial cad. Gail Patrick also is perfect as an elegant but venomous young performer. Constance Collier is amusing as the would-be mentor for the younger actresses. Andrea Leeds is very sympathetic in her role. Most of the other characters in the boarding house get only small stretches of screen time, but they all make good use of it. It's also enjoyable just to see the likes of Ann Miller, Lucille Ball, and Eve Arden in some of their earlier roles.

The cast is the most obvious of its strengths, but the writing is also quite good, and Gregory La Cava's direction is very good, maintaining a good pace without rushing anything, and keeping a good balance between the amusing and the serious sides of the story. Everything works very well, making for an enjoyable and thoughtful picture.