5th Ave. Girl (1939)

 

5th Ave. Girl - 1939

Coming up next is 1939's "5th Ave. Girl", the story of a working class girl that makes a big impact on an upper crust New York family.

The film's cast includes Ginger Rogers, Walter Connolly, Verree Teasdale, James Ellison, Tim Holt, Kathryn Adams, Franklin Pangborn, Ferike Boros, Louis Calhern, Theodore von Eltz, Jack Carson, Charles Lane, and Bess Flowers.

Millionaire Timothy Borden arrives home on his birthday and finds his house completely empty.  It seems his whole family has forgotten about his special day.

He takes a walk over to Central Park and visits the seal pond.  There he makes the acquaintance of a struggling out-of-work young woman named Mary Grey.  Noticing that she doesn't have much to eat, Timothy asks the young woman to help him celebrate his birthday by accompanying him to a nearby nightclub.  She agrees.

Timothy delights Mary by spending more money than she's ever seen.  "If you're fool enough to spend it, I'm smart enough to help you," she says happily.  They have an enjoyable time together.

Timothy's wife, Martha, also happens to be there.  However, she is in the company of someone who is not her husband.

Timothy acknowledges his wife with a smile as he sweeps Mary around the dance floor.  Martha can't quite believe it.

Timothy moves Mary into the mansion.  He keeps her on as his assistant, but he lets his family think that he and she are an item.

She has some run-ins with Timothy's children, particularly son Tim.  "I'm amazed to discover that horses have better breeding than the people who ride them," Mary tells a perplexed Tim after he insults her.

Mary and Timothy spend a lot of time together.  She even indulges his hobby for pigeons and helps him take care of his flock on the roof of the mansion.

Martha is concerned enough to call in a psychiatrist to analyze her husband.  Dr. Kessler arrives and spends some time with Timothy.

After his consultation, Dr. Kessler says that Timothy is behaving perfectly normally and that maybe it's Martha who needs to see someone professionally.

Martha and her children decide to close ranks around Mary and drive her somehow from the house and their father/husband's life.

First up is Tim.  He insults Mary every chance he can get.  But the more he spends time with her, the more he realizes that he likes her, and even loves her.

Katherine Borden uses her time with Mary to confide in her about her love for the family chauffeur, Michael.  Mary is able to give the young girl some advice.

And she causes a ruckus downstairs when she uses some unconventional methods to get Michael to notice Katherine.

Martha also makes the most of her time with Mary.  Mary helps the older woman see her husband in a new light and appreciate him more.

Martha decides to rekindle the romance between Timothy and herself.  She cooks him a meal for the first time in ages, and then takes a trip down memory lane by looking at an old photo album with him.  They are well on the road to recapturing the happiness that they once knew as a young married couple.

It seems that everybody gets a happy ending.  Michael and Katherine get married and receive her parent's blessing.  And Tim falls in love with Mary.

Cast rundown:

   Ginger Rogers............................................Mary Grey

   Walter Connolly..........................................Timothy Borden

   Verree Teasdale..........................................Martha Borden

   James Ellison.............................................Michael Fairnsbother

   Tim Holt.....................................................Tim Borden

   Kathryn Adams...........................................Katherine Borden

   Franklin Pangborn.......................................Higgins

   Ferike Boros...............................................Olga

   Louis Calhern.............................................Dr. Hugo Kessler

   Theodore von Eltz.......................................Terwilliger

   Jack Carson................................................Minnesota

   Charles Lane..............................................Union Representative

   Bess Flowers..............................................Woman With Mr. Pape

And that's it for 5th Ave. Girl.  After filming wrapped, Ginger Rogers went on vacation to Honolulu, Hawaii.  The film was shown to test audiences.  Originally, the film had an unhappy ending, which featured Ms. Rogers walking out of the house and down 5th Ave.  Due to the audience unhappiness, a happier ending was filmed when the actress returned from her vacation.

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Lillian Russell (1940)

 

Lillian Russell - 1940

Coming up next we have 1940's "Lillian Russell", a highly fictionalized biopic about the legendary singer and actress who electrified audiences just before and at the turn of the 20th century.

The film's cast includes Alice Faye, Don Ameche, Henry Fonda, Edward Arnold, Warren William, Leo Carrillo, Helen Westley, Dorothy Peterson, Ernest Truex, Lynn Bari, Claud Allister, Eddie Foy Jr., Una O'Connor, Joseph Cawthorn, Ferike Boros, and Irving Bacon.

Helen Leonard wants to be a famous singer/actress one day.  She delights her family by singing such songs as "Brighten The Corner Where You Are" and "Come Down Ma Evenin' Star".

But it's her rendition of "And The Band Played On" that rockets her to stardom and causes her first theater boss to change her name from Helen Leonard to the ultra chic Lillian Russell.

Lillian has all kinds of success in her new career.  Men want to date her, and women want to copy her.  At the opening of her first show, she sings "Ma Blushin' Rosie".  Later, after she is established on the stage, she performs a full rendition of "After The Ball" for President Grover Cleveland over the telephone with a full orchestra and vocal accompaniment during an intermission.

She is a sensation in both America and Europe.  As her career matures, Lillian sings such emotional songs as "Blue Lovebird", but she never loses touch with songs with which she is most often associated, such as "Waltz Is King/After The Ball".

The film also explores Lillian's various relationships, including her longest one with Diamond Jim Brady, who showers her with gifts and is smitten from the moment he first meets her.

Jim is always sending Lillian presents.  At one show, she playfully scolds him.  "Now, Jim Brady, just look at all these lovely presents you sent me.  A basket of orchids with a diamond necklace and bracelet, American Beauty roses with rubies, gardenias with emeralds, violets with pearls, and a jewel studded bicycle.  Jim, have you lost your mind?" she asks.  He smiles and says, "No, just my heart."

We also watch Lillian's happiness with her husband, Edward Solomon, who wrote the song "Blue Lovebirds" for her.

And a man who always seems to be there for the important moments in Lillian's life finds a special place in her heart as well.

Cast rundown:

   Alice Faye................................Lillian Russell

   Don Ameche............................Edward Solomon

   Henry Fonda............................Alexander Moore

   Edward Arnold.........................Diamond Jim Brady

   Warren William.........................Jesse Lewisohn

   Leo Carrillo..............................Tony Pastor

   Helen Westley..........................Grandma Leonard

   Dorothy Peterson.....................Cynthia Leonard

   Ernest Truex............................Charles K. Leonard

   Lynn Bari................................Edna McCauley

   Claud Allister...........................Arthur Sullivan

   Eddie Foy Jr.............................Eddie Foy Sr.

   Una O'Connor..........................Marie

   Joseph Cawthorn......................Leopold Damrosch

   Ferike Boros............................Mrs. Rose

   Irving Bacon............................Soldier

And that's all for Lillian Russell.  Alice Faye absolutely shines in the title role.  Originally, MGM was slated to do a film about the famous songstress with Jeanette MacDonald in the lead role.  That project fell through and 20th Century Fox picked it up.  Henry Fonda was forced to do this film in order for him to play the lead role in "The Grapes of Wrath".  He intensely disliked the experience.

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