The Revolt of Mamie Stover (1956)

Set in the early '40s, a San Francisco prostitute is run out of town just as the second World War has begun to intensify. Mamie settles down in Hawaii, hoping to start a new life. Though ... See full summary »

Director:

Raoul Walsh

Writers:

Sydney Boehm, William Bradford Huie (novel)

Stars:

Jane Russell, Richard Egan, Joan Leslie

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jane Russell	...	Mamie Stover
Richard Egan	...	Jim Blair
Joan Leslie	...	Annalee Johnson
Agnes Moorehead	...	Bertha Parchman
Jorja Curtright	...	Jackie
Michael Pate	...	Harry Adkins
Richard Coogan	...	Capt. Eldon Sumac
Alan Reed	...	Capt. Gorecki
Eddie Firestone	...	Tarzan
Jean Willes	...	Gladys
Leon Lontoc	...	Aki
Kathy Marlowe	...	Zelda
Margia Dean	...	Peaches
Jack Mather	...	Bartender
John Halloran	...	Henry

Storyline

Set in the early '40s, a San Francisco prostitute is run out of town just as the second World War has begun to intensify. Mamie settles down in Hawaii, hoping to start a new life. Though her prospects look good when she falls in love with a science-fiction writer who treats her with the respect she deserves, the dawning war and the fallacies of her previous lifestyle complicate their budding romance. Mamie cannot fully remove herself from her former profession, and provides some of her old services to the sailors stationed in town. Searching for another means of financial security, Mamie invests in several pieces of real estate and becomes quite wealthy, though her bad reputation has not been forgotten by the locals.

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Plot Keywords:

real estate | sailor | reputation | hawaii | writer | 

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Taglines:

Why Did Mamie Stover Have to Leave San Francisco?

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 June 1956 (Belgium)

Also Known As:

Bungalow der Frauen

Filming Locations:

Honolulu, O'ahu, Hawaii, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min 89 min (FMC Library Print)

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The story synopsis of "The Revolt Of Mamie Stover," which appears in the 20th Century Fox studio press book, suggest that some last minute changes and edits were made the film to tone down the true nature of the Mamie Stover character. The following scenes were described in the synopsis: (1) The film opens with a scene on a street corner in San Francisco in which Mamie (Jane Russell) is "picked up" by a middle age man (portrayed by Stubby Kaye), and then detained by police who suggest she get out of town. )2) A scene occurs between Mamie and Annalee (Joan Leslie), in which Annalee tells Mamie to stay away from Jimmy (Richard Egan). (3) Mamie buys her own house on "the hill" and decorates it in anticipation of Jimmy's return from the war. (4) While Jimmy is away at war, he receives letters from both Annalee and Mamie. Annalee's are more poetic and caring, while Mamie's tell of her increasing fortune from her real-estate properties. (5) The film ends with a scene in a room at the Bungalow Club in which Jimmy rejects Mamie and leaves. Mamie walks down the hall, wipes her tears away, composes herself and enters another room, greeting her latest customer with her tag line, "You waitin' for Mamie, Honey?" This suggests that her life will continue on in same fashion as it always had: motivated by money at any cost despite a less than respectable lifestyle. The final version of the film as released redeems the Mamie character by cutting out before she greets her next customer and adding a scene in which she returns to San Francisco only to tell the police, who meet her at the dock, that she gave up her fortune and is now returning to her hometown of Leesburg, Mississippi.

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Goofs

Although the story takes place in 1941-1942, all the women's fashion styles are from 1956.

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Connections

Referenced in Norma Jean & Marilyn (1996)

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Soundtracks

"Keep Your Eyes on the Hands"
Music by Tony Todaro
Lyrics by Mary Johnston
Sung by Jane Russell with a Hula Girl Chorus

User Reviews

Russell is fine but the film goes nowhere.

Good Hawaiian locations, a strong performance by the gorgeous Jane Russell and a very sexy Agnes Moorehead - how could you want more? But there is also glorious colour and cinemascope, a pretty good recreation of the attack on Pearl Harbour, and Michael Pate as the baddie.

Sadly Richard Egan is dull as Russell's love interest and the whole film is ruined by a rushed and meaningless ending. I guess no-one really believed the film's feminist ideas.