Movie Description
The Footlights Club, the primary setting for much of STAGE DOOR, is a remarkable creation. The result of a collaboration between director Gregory La Cava, screenwriter Morrie Ryskind (brought in to replace Anthony Veiller), and an outstanding group of tough, smart-talking actresses played by Katharine Hepburn, Ginger Rogers, Lucille Ball, Ann Miller, Eve Arden, and Gail Patrick, the film's club is always full of noise, as the conversations overlap and wisecracks come spinning out of the melee.
Newcomer Terry Randall (Hepburn) is different from the other women. For one thing, she has money and doesn't need a job. And she has confidence, initially rejecting fading actress Catherine Luther's (Constance Collier) offer of help, saying, "I think coaching's a waste of time. After all, acting's only common sense." Because of her attitude, the rooming house's inhabitants give her a rough time, especially her roommate, Jean (Ginger Rogers). Eventually, Terry gets an opportunity to act--at the expense of Kaye Hamilton (Andrea Leeds). Only after Jean and the others see Terry's response to Kaye's tragedy is she grudgingly accepted into the group. STAGE DOOR is an extraordinarily rich movie, graced by wonderful performances by Rogers, Hepburn, and the entire remarkable ensemble cast.
| Credits | | Producer: | Pandro S. Berman | | Cast: | Adolphe Menjou, Ann Miller, Constance Collier, Pierre Watkin |
Notes
Constance Collier, a former English stage star, was Katharine Hepburn's acting coach in real life.
Much of STAGE DOOR was improvised on the set. Anthony Veiller's initial script was just the starting point. Director Gregory La Cava, Morrie Ryskind (who began working on the script just before filming began), and the cast improvised scenes in the mornings. During lunch, La Cava and Ryskind selected the best lines from the improvisations. Then, the scene was shot in the afternoon. The movie was made in sequence, allowing La Cava and Ryskind to figure out the twists of story by considering how their characters would react to different situations. As it proceeds, STAGE DOOR departs more and more from the play on which it was based, and ends with a unique conclusion for a romantic comedy. It seems even George S. Kaufman thought STAGE DOOR was much better than the play, which he co-authored with Edna Ferber.
Editorial Reviews
"...A kinder, more sentimental backstage yarn....Hepburn in a role that defined her film persona..." -- Rating: A-
Entertainment Weekly - Glenn Kenny (05/12/1995)
"Beyond the wisecracks, there's a memorable Oscar-nominated performance by Andrea Leeds..."
USA Today - Mike Clark (03/04/2005)
"[A] highly entertaining comedy-drama featuring a sprightly cast..."
Los Angeles Times - Susan King (03/27/2005)
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