Ladies of Leisure *** (1930, Barbara Stanwyck, Lowell Sherman, Ralph Graves) – Classic Movie Review 6.778

Barbara Stanwyck plays a typical Thirties wisecracking, gold-digging model girl, in her first film with frequent director Frank Capra, the romantic drama Ladies of Leisure (1930).

‘ALL DIALOG DRAMA OF NEW YORK’S NITE LIFE. Zippy, daring, peppy, gay. Exotic settings! Daring Sequences! Pretty Girls! Gay Life! Dynamic Drama!’

In Barbara Stanwyck’s first collaboration with frequent director Frank Capra, the romantic drama Ladies of Leisure (1930), she plays Kay Arnold, a typical Thirties wisecracking, gold-digging model girl out to trap wealthy, aspiring young artist Jerry Strong (Ralph Graves). But just as Jerry finds gold in the real Kay after her hires her to pose for him, his mom Mrs Strong (Nance O’Neill) persuades him not to ruin his life by joining in such a low-class marriage.

The 23-year-old Stanwyck gives an all-stops-out performance that does not let a lumpen performance by Graves get in the way of her irresistible progress, and Capra draws out the human qualities and truths rather than the melodrama or soap opera in the story.

Thanks mainly to Stanwyck and Capra, this early sound film, based on Milton Herbert Gropper’s play Ladies of the Evening, and remade in 1937 as Women of Glamour, wears pretty well considering its venerable age and the primitive techniques of the era.

Also in the cast are Lowell Sherman, Ralph Graves, Marie Prevost, Nance O’Neil, George Fawcett, Johnnie Walker, Juliette Compton, Edith Ellison and Adele Jergens.

Ladies of Leisure is directed by Frank Capra, runs 98 minutes, is made and released by Columbia Pictures, is written by Jo Swerling, based on Milton Herbert Gropper’s play Ladies of the Evening, is shot in black and white by Joseph Walker, is produced by Harry Cohn, is scored by Mischa Bakaleinikoff, and is designed by Harrison Wiley.

Release date: April 5, 1930.

Capra wrote the script’s first draft before Swerling took over.

Capra rejected hiring Stanwyck when her casting interview went badly, but Stanwyck’s actor husband Frank Fay intervened, called Capra up and said: ‘Let me show you a test she made at Warner’s.’ Capra later was so smitten with her he said would have asked her to marry him if they both had been free.

Milton Herbert Gropper’s play Ladies of the Evening ran for 159 performances at New York’s Lyceum Theatre from 23 December 1924 to May 1925. Beth Merrill played Kay and James Kirkwood was Jerry.

The cast

The cast are Barbara Stanwyck as Kay Arnold, Ralph Graves as Jerry Strong, Lowell Sherman as Bill Standish, Marie Prevost as Dot Lamar, George Fawcett as John Strong, Nance O’Neil as Mrs Strong, Juliette Compton as Claire Collins, Johnnie Walker as Charlie, George Fawcett, Edith Ellison and Adele Jergens.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6,778

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