Forever Female *** (1953, Ginger Rogers, William Holden, Paul Douglas, James Gleason, Pat Crowley) – Classic Movie Review 9586

Sir James Barrie’s playlet Rosalind (among many works he had sold to Paramount 40 years earlier) is tidied up and expanded by the Epstein twins (Julius J Epstein and Philip G Epstein) into director Irving Rapper’s 1953 backstage bitchy comedy Forever Female.

Ginger Rogers (aged 42) stars as the ageing reigning Broadway star Beatrice Page, who fights new ingénue Sally Carver (Pat Crowley) for both the ingénue star role in playwright Stanley Krown (William Holden)’s brilliant new play and for the author himself. Paul Douglas plays Ginger Rogers’s producer husband.

Forever Female is a generally amusing comedy with some acidly funny lines, a solid plot and whiffy Broadway atmosphere, held together by the smart star playing and the smooth Rapper direction.

Also in the cast are James Gleason, Jesse White, Marjorie Rambeau, George Reeves, King Donovan, Vic Perrin, Russell Gaige, Marion Ross, and Richard Shannon.

Forever Female is directed by Irving Rapper, runs 93 minutes, is made and released by Paramount Pictures, is written by Julius J Epstein and Philip G Epstein, based on Sir James Barrie’s play Rosalind, is shot in black and white by Harry Stradling Sr, is produced by Pat Duggan and is scored by Victor Young, with Art Direction by J McMillan Johnson and Hal Pereira.

Pat Crowley won the 1954 Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer – Female tied with Bella Darvi for The Egyptian (1954) and Hell and High Water (1954) and Barbara Rush for It Came from Outer Space (1953).

Ginger Rogers went on next to play another Broadway diva in Black Widow (1954). She won an Oscar for Kitty Foyle (1940).

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9586

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