Even though she had won a Best Actress Academy Award two years in a row (1936, 1937) by 1938 all Luise Rainer's kittenish mannerisms, which had been so enchanting at her career's beginning, were now seen as a bore. "Dramatic School" was designed primarily to showcase all Rainer's quirky qualities in a view to making her popular once more but she was past caring. Her marriage was in trouble and she left Hollywood soon after in an effort to patch things up. Like the later "These Glamour Girls", this movie was a classy MGM release which also promoted their up and coming talent - Paulette Goddard (soon to go to Paramount) co-starred and down among the supporting players were Lana Turner, Ann Rutherford and Virginia Grey.
Louise Mauban (Rainer) is an intense, young would be actress at the prestigious National School of Dramatic Art - she seems to be the only dedicated student, as the other girls seem to think of the school as just a stepping stone to becoming a Ziegfeld or Earl Carroll showgirl. She works all night at a gas meter factory to pay her way and it is there she meets Andre (Alan Marshall) who is escorting dizzy society actress Gina Bertier (it was so nice to see the lovely Genevieve Tobin again) as she tries to find inspiration among the lowly factory workers. Back at school she has to contend with Madame Charlot (Gale Sondergaard), an embittered teacher who is especially vindictive towards the young and fresh student. Louise is a girl of mystery to the other students - where does she go at night and why is she so tired? When they won't believe the truth, she spins another of her famous dreams where she is caught up in a whirl of night clubs, luxury and penthouses with Andre at it's centre and of course word gets around that she is a wealthy girl.
Nasty Nana (Goddard) wants to catch her out so she organises a birthday party inviting both her and Andre, hoping to embarrass them but it backfires when Andre plays along. Rainer, all dramatic intensity seems to be in a different movie than the other girls. Goddard, as her usual sophisticated, catty self is far more at home night clubbing, in fact her character's function seems to be arranging parties for the students to meet eligible men about town. Critics were impressed and she got the best reviews. Lana Turner was still a "cute kid" and was still very much in the background. It would have been a far more interesting movie if the film concentrated on the dynamics between Louise, Madame Charlot and a kindly teacher (Margaret Dumont - having a break from the Marx Brothers), who only appears at the start as a posture teacher but still tries to advise Madame on her haughty and overbearing manner but to no avail.
Louise Mauban (Rainer) is an intense, young would be actress at the prestigious National School of Dramatic Art - she seems to be the only dedicated student, as the other girls seem to think of the school as just a stepping stone to becoming a Ziegfeld or Earl Carroll showgirl. She works all night at a gas meter factory to pay her way and it is there she meets Andre (Alan Marshall) who is escorting dizzy society actress Gina Bertier (it was so nice to see the lovely Genevieve Tobin again) as she tries to find inspiration among the lowly factory workers. Back at school she has to contend with Madame Charlot (Gale Sondergaard), an embittered teacher who is especially vindictive towards the young and fresh student. Louise is a girl of mystery to the other students - where does she go at night and why is she so tired? When they won't believe the truth, she spins another of her famous dreams where she is caught up in a whirl of night clubs, luxury and penthouses with Andre at it's centre and of course word gets around that she is a wealthy girl.
Nasty Nana (Goddard) wants to catch her out so she organises a birthday party inviting both her and Andre, hoping to embarrass them but it backfires when Andre plays along. Rainer, all dramatic intensity seems to be in a different movie than the other girls. Goddard, as her usual sophisticated, catty self is far more at home night clubbing, in fact her character's function seems to be arranging parties for the students to meet eligible men about town. Critics were impressed and she got the best reviews. Lana Turner was still a "cute kid" and was still very much in the background. It would have been a far more interesting movie if the film concentrated on the dynamics between Louise, Madame Charlot and a kindly teacher (Margaret Dumont - having a break from the Marx Brothers), who only appears at the start as a posture teacher but still tries to advise Madame on her haughty and overbearing manner but to no avail.