From 1939 to 1947, MGM made 10 movies that starred Ann Sothern as Maisie Ravier. This first film, "Maisie," was based on a 1935 novel by Wilson Collison, "Dark Dame." The story of MGM purchasing the screen rights in 1937 is interesting. The studio planned to star Jean Harlow in the lead role. But her sudden death at age 26 that year shelved the plans until 1939 when MGM gave the role to Ann Sothern. Still, she wasn't top billed. Robert Young got the role of Slim, based on the main character in the book.
The film was such a success that the studio kept Maisie and Ann Sothern in the role, and put screenwriters to work with Maisie stories in all different venues. This original one is quite good - I think the best of the lot. But the next several films were nearly as good. Maisie's character is a good girl - a singer and performer, always going to her next job when something else happens to sidetrack her. That leads into the stories, and we never really hear or see her singing and dancing. Although I don't know if she could sing or dance very well at all, one can imagine that it's probably a good thing she didn't in any of these films.
This is a very good plot, quite true to the novel. Maisie shows up in a Wyoming town where she's been hired for a show only to find that the show closed. Down to her last couple of dimes, she can't even pay her bus fare back to Denver, so she goes to work in a carnival. From there, the comedy takes off in this first comedy and drama.
Besides Sothern and Young, the film has some other well-known supporting actors of the day. Ruth Hussey is Sybl Ames, Ian Hunter is Clifford Ames, George Tobias is Rico and Frank Puglia is Ernie.
All of the cast do fine in this film that most people should enjoy yet well into the 21st century. Here are a couple favorite lines from the film.
Slim Martin, "Suppose you go in there and read a book, like a nice little girl. You can read, can't you?" Maisie Ravier, "Read a book? I could write one."
Slim Martin, "What kind of language do you understand?" Maisie Ravier, "English and doubletalk."
The film was such a success that the studio kept Maisie and Ann Sothern in the role, and put screenwriters to work with Maisie stories in all different venues. This original one is quite good - I think the best of the lot. But the next several films were nearly as good. Maisie's character is a good girl - a singer and performer, always going to her next job when something else happens to sidetrack her. That leads into the stories, and we never really hear or see her singing and dancing. Although I don't know if she could sing or dance very well at all, one can imagine that it's probably a good thing she didn't in any of these films.
This is a very good plot, quite true to the novel. Maisie shows up in a Wyoming town where she's been hired for a show only to find that the show closed. Down to her last couple of dimes, she can't even pay her bus fare back to Denver, so she goes to work in a carnival. From there, the comedy takes off in this first comedy and drama.
Besides Sothern and Young, the film has some other well-known supporting actors of the day. Ruth Hussey is Sybl Ames, Ian Hunter is Clifford Ames, George Tobias is Rico and Frank Puglia is Ernie.
All of the cast do fine in this film that most people should enjoy yet well into the 21st century. Here are a couple favorite lines from the film.
Slim Martin, "Suppose you go in there and read a book, like a nice little girl. You can read, can't you?" Maisie Ravier, "Read a book? I could write one."
Slim Martin, "What kind of language do you understand?" Maisie Ravier, "English and doubletalk."