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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The Prisoner Of Zenda (1952)

 

The Prisoner Of Zenda - 1952

Coming up next is 1952's "The Prisoner Of Zenda", a remake of the 1937 feature of the same name which tells the story of a man who is an identical lookalike of the king of a European country.  The man must take the king's place when he is poisoned and subsequently kidnapped.

The film's cast includes Stewart Granger, Deborah Kerr, Louis Calhern, Jane Greer, Lewis Stone, Robert Douglas, Robert Coote, and James Mason.

Englishman Rudolf Rassendyll has come to a small European country for a fishing holiday.  Everyone he meets notices an uncanny resemblance to their king, Rudolf V, who is due to be crowned in a grand coronation the next day.

The king himself meets Rassendyll and likes him immensely (in reality they are distantly related).  The two of them spend the evening before the coronation talking and drinking.

During the course of the evening, the king is poisoned and falls into a heavy stupor.

The king's advisors, Col. Zapt and Fritz von Tarlenheim, suspect that the king's illegitimate brother, Michael, is responsible for the fiendish act.  They implore Rassendyll to stand in as the king in order to give them time to get to the bottom of Michael's actions.

As Fritz makes sure the king is safe, he says "Sleep well, Your Majesty.  We go to see you crowned", and they all head off to the coronation.

Meanwhile, the king's brother Michael is busy with plans for his coup.  His mistress Antoinette de Mauban wants Michael to forget the jealousy he feels for his brother and live a quiet life with her.  He refuses.

He also has his henchman, Count Rupert of Hentzau, on hand to make sure all goes off according to plan.

They are both shocked when the "king" appears in time for the coronation.  Michael has no choice but to bow to his sovereign, though he sends Count Rupert off to find out what went wrong.

The coronation goes off without a hitch, and guns ring out in honor of the king.

It's at the coronation that Rassendyll meets the king's intended bride, Princess Flavia.  Sparks fly and the two are instantly drawn to one another.

The relationship deepens when they are able to spend a few moments alone that very night.

Circumstances necessitate that Rassendyll remain as the king a little longer, and he takes advantage of the time to get closer to Princess Flavia.

She, of course, is feeling the same way about him.  When he asks her if she could love him even if he weren't the king, she replies, "In my heart there is no king, no crown...only you."

As in the previous film, we see Rassendyll's dealings with Antoinette de Mauban, who wants to be with Michael and will do anything to see that dream come true.  She even devises a way for the king to be rescued.

When Rassendyll suddenly leaves to rescue the king, he's got to go quickly.  Flavia can't understand why he's leaving when everything has been so perfect.

But, as we know, the king is rescued, Michael is killed, and Rassendyll has to do battle with Rupert of Hentzau, who escapes, vowing to return one day.

After everything is over, Rassendyll and the king meet again.  King Rudolf thanks his cousin for the service he's provided, and knows now what type of king to be.

Princess Flavia bids a tearful farewell to Rassendyll, who wants her to join him.  She tells him that this was the role she was born to play, and he must help her to play it.

As Col. Zapt and Fritz von Tarlenheim bid Rassendyll farewell, Fitz comments, "Fate doesn't always make the right men kings".

Cast rundown:

   Stewart Granger..............................Rudolf Rassendyll/King Rudolf V

   Deborah Kerr...................................Princess Flavia

   Louis Calhern..................................Col. Zapt

   Jane Greer......................................Antoinette de Mauban

   Lewis Stone....................................The Cardinal

   Robert Douglas................................Michael, Duke of Strelsau

   Robert Coote...................................Fritz von Tarlenheim

   James Mason..................................Count Rupert of Hentzau

And that's it for The Prisoner Of Zenda.  I really liked this version much better than the 1937 version, although it's essentially the same film.  Maybe it's the actors and the Technicolor aspect.  Lewis Stone, who played The Cardinal in this film, originally played Rudolf Rassendyll/King Rudolf V in the 1922 silent film version.  He also played the same role in the 1907 stage version.

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