Forever Female (1954)

Director:

Irving Rapper

Writers:

J.M. Barrie (play)
Julius J. Epstein (writer)

Release Date:

January 1954 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

The most INTIMATE comedy of the SEXes since Eve played games with Adam!

Plot:

Aging actress Ginger Rogers refuses to admit she is too old to play the ingenue role any longer.

Plot Keywords:

Based On Play

Awards:

Won Golden Globe.

Cast

Ginger Rogers	...	Beatrice Page
William Holden	...	Stanley Krown
Paul Douglas	...	E. Harry Phillips
Pat Crowley	...	Sally Carver
James Gleason	...	Eddie Woods
Jesse White	...	Willie Wolfe
Marjorie Rambeau	...	Herself
George Reeves	...	George Courtland
King Donovan	...	Playwright
Vic Perrin	...	Scenic Designer
Russell Gaige	...	Theatrical Producer
Marion Ross	...	Patty
Richard Shannon	...	Stage Manager
Sally Mansfield	...	Young Hopeful
Kathryn Grant	...	Young Hopeful (as Kathryn Grandstaff)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Finland:S | USA:Approved (PCA #16281)

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Marion Ross's film debut.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The framed caricatures that line the walls of the Sardi's set are black and white sketches that include at least one movie star (Charlie Chaplin); in reality, the caricatures at the actual restaurant in New York are in color and, because they only honor celebrities connected with the Broadway stage, would certainly not have included Chaplin.

All About Eve made palatable

This film was made in the shadow of ALL ABOUT EVE, and paints a more benign view of that film's central situation. Ginger Rogers plays a leading Broadway star, who retains a close relationship with her former husband (Paul Douglas), and works closely with playwright William Holden (possibly a softer build-up for his play director in Bing Crosby's/Grace Kelly's THE COUNTRY GIRL). Pat Crowley, a younger woman of some acting talent, is trying to break into the circles that cast and produce Broadway plays (she is doing mostly off-Broadway work). The relationship of these four characters are the basis of this comedy.

There are differences between the situation here and the situation in EVE. There was more of an atmosphere of the theater and it's traditions in EVE (because Joseph Mankiewicz writes literate scripts, and was determined to show what goes on behind the stage curtains). But there Bette Davis has gotten trapped into a lonely greatness on stage, and she turns out to be willing to vacate her pedestal if she can have a human life with Gary Merrill. She just does not like the way Anne Baxter is trying to replace her in her parts - Baxter's underhanded methods are despicable. Crowley is not Baxter. She genuinely admires Rogers, and just wants entry (which she may get through Holden). It is just that Rogers is still clinging to her youth - Holden is her last chance for such a cling when they go out together. But even Rogers realizes that she is beyond the point of return. In fact, towards the end of the film the audience and Holden and Crowley discover that Rogers actually gives herself a long summer vacation where she can wear softer, easier clothing and eat as much as she wants to. In the end she accepts that the scepter is passed, but she still has her old husband/friend/and continuous argument partner Douglass to play with.