1h 49min | Drama, Musical, Romance | 20 February 1943
Director: Vincent Sherman
Stars: Ida Lupino, Joan Leslie, Dennis Morgan, Jack Carson
LeRoy Prinz ... director: dance numbers / stager: dance numbers
When this says Drama, this means it. Begins with a suicide attempt, then goes into flashback to explain it. Another film that makes show biz (vaudeville, B'way) seem cruel and grueling.
Joan Leslie (b. 1925) is terrific when her character is young and eager, but not when character is supposed to be tired and jaded. I'm surprised to see how long she's been acting: this is her 20th film, started in '36.
Ida Lupino (b. 1918) is her usual hard-bitten character. Her film credits start in 1931; this is her 33rd.
We get plenty of song/dance, all onstage; it's ok but not great. When JL does a series of cartwheels, her many-layered wide-skirted gown is very distracting; the acrobatics is completely inappropriate to the costume. I wonder how many takes they needed, and if the skirt was modified to be just short enough not to get under her hands on the floor.
Warner, dir. Sherman; 6
