Stage Door (1937)

Stage Door - 1937

Our next film is 1937's "Stage Door", a film about the ups and downs in the lives of a group of aspiring actresses who live together.

The film's cast includes Katharine Hepburn, Ginger Rogers, Adolphe Menjou, Gail Patrick, Constance Collier, Andrea Leeds, Lucille Ball, Franklin Pangborn, Jack Carson, Eve Arden, Ann Miller, and Grady Sutton.

We begin our story at the Footlights Club, a home for young ladies who aspire to the Broadway stage.

Inside, we find a group of women who have very different personalities, yet can't get along without each other.

Judith (Lucille Ball) asks Jean (Ginger Rogers) to go on a double date with her.  "With some more of those lumbermen?" Jean asks.  Judith looks at her with annoyance.  "Am I supposed to apologize for being born in Seattle?" she asks.

Jean has a fiery personality, and she often clashes with Linda, her main rival (and roommate until a fight over stockings causes them to separate).  "When I get back to my room, you're the only thing I want to find missing!" shouts Jean as Linda clears out her things.

In another scene, Jean "compliments" Linda on her new fur coat (a "good looking piece of jackrabbit" she calls it).  "Say, I think it’s very unselfish of those little animals to give up their lives to keep other animals warm," says Jean smugly.  Linda responds with, "You know, they’re very smart little animals.  They never give up their lives for the wrong people."  "Well, you understand the rodent family much better than I do," cracks Jean.

The house is thrown into a tizzy when a complete unknown appears on the scene.  Terry Randall requests a place to live, and seems to have a large quantity of money with her.  She's assigned as a roommate with Jean, who is not thrilled about it at all and makes fun of Terry's upper-class way of speaking.  Terry makes no apologies for it, though.  "Unfortunately, I learned to speak English correctly," she counters.

Another resident of the Footlights Club is Miss Luther, an older actress who turns to coaching younger blood.  She takes Terry under her wing and tries to become her drama coach.

And there's also Kay, a now out of work actress who goes without food in order to struggle and pay her rent.  It's a sad story.  She was such a success on Broadway, but the closing of her show brought with it the loss of work.  Kay is malnourished and deeply depressed about her situation.

Jean and another resident (Annie) get the chance to dance in front of a major Broadway producer (he's also Linda's boyfriend and Jean will do anything to get under Linda's skin).  He's suitably impressed by Jean as she tap dances around the club.  (Her dancing partner in this scene, Ann Miller, was only fourteen years old, yet she is able to keep up with amazing precision with Ginger Rogers).

The producer soon replaces Linda with Jean, who receives her own fur jacket.  But the way in which he trades girlfriends seems to unnerve Jean.

He seemingly does it to her when he decides to take Terry Randall out for a night on the town.  He has a motive, however.  A mysterious investor puts up a large amount of money for a new show on the condition that Terry be assigned the leading role.

Terry doesn't know why he wants her.  "I'm tremendously flattered, but how do you know that I can act?" she asks.  "Because I know," he says.  "But how do you know?  You've never seen me on the stage," she remarks.  "How do you know that?" he responds.  "Because I've never been on the stage," Terry replies matter of factly.

Terry's lack of experience comes to haunt her.  She woodenly moves through the script during rehearsals, prompting exasperated outbursts from both the director and the producer.

On opening night, the girls of the Footlights Club arrange dates to take them to the theater.  It's raining heavily that night.  Judith lets in one of the callers.  "It's raining," he says.  "Oh, is that what it's doing?" she asks.  "Kinda wet," he replies.  She looks at him and responds sarcastically, "Yeah, rain usually is this time of year."

Upstairs, Terry can't seem to get her lines straight.  Kay (who is devastated over losing the part to Terry) comes and offers some advice and support to Terry, who gratefully receives it.  After sending Terry off to the theater, Kay climbs to the top of the building and jumps off.

When she hears the news at the theater, Terry refuses to go on.  All the girls are furious with her because they feel she stole the part from Kay.  Miss Luther forces her to go on the stage to honor Kay's memory.

And we come to one of the most famous speeches from Katharine Hepburn.  The actors/director/producer are all sure that Terry is going to cause the play to be a flop.  She surprises them with a tender yet strong performance.  "The calla lilies are in bloom again.  Such a strange flower, suitable to any occasion.  I carried them on my wedding day, and now I place them here in memory of something that has died."

The audience can't get enough of her performance and cheer enthusiastically at the conclusion of the play.  Terry dedicates her performance to Kay, causing all of her roommates in the audience to break into tears of forgiveness.  "Help should come to people when they need it.  Why are we always so helpful to each other when it’s no longer any use?" she asks.  Terry's triumph is a surprise to many, especially her father who was the mysterious backer who made a fortune in the wheat business.  He had put up the money hoping she would fail and return home.

Despite her success, Terry remains at the Footlights Club, forging bonds with the girls who live there.

And as one girl checks out to get married, another hopeful actress arrives to seek her fortune on Broadway.

Cast rundown:

   Katharine Hepburn..................................Terry Randall

   Ginger Rogers........................................Jean Maitland

   Adolphe Menjou......................................Anthony Powell

   Gail Patrick............................................Linda Shaw

   Constance Collier....................................Miss Luther

   Andrea Leeds.........................................Kay Hamilton

   Lucille Ball.............................................Judith Canfield

   Franklin Pangborn...................................Harcourt

   Jack Carson............................................Mr. Millbanks

   Eve Arden..............................................Eve

   Ann Miller...............................................Annie

   Grady Sutton..........................................Butch

And that's all for Stage Door.  The girls living at the Footlights Club actually roomed together for two weeks before filming.  The studio had script girls sit outside their doors and listen to and write down the way they spoke to each other, and their dialogue was put into the script.  Andrea Leeds received an Oscar nomination for her performance as the sad Kay Hamilton.

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