🎥Review: Vivacious Lady (1938)

"It only took a day to happen but I'm in love with you for always"

A sweet, funny, romantic screwball gem of a film, starring two of my favorites, a real-life couple at the time, Ginger Rogers and James Stewart. Directed by George Stevens who previously dated and directed Rogers in Swingtime (1936). Stewart plays a sweet and shy botany professor and Rogers is a spunky and charming nightclub singer who fall in love after a one-night courtship. But can they survive his conservative domineering parents, misunderstandings, secrets, jealous ex-fiance, and The Big Apple? Onscreen the two exude genuine chemistry. The cozy couple is constantly touching and cuddling. It's so infectious to watch as are Rogers' comedic skills and Stewart's emergence as a leading man.

Also starred Beulah Bondi (one of five times that Bondi plays Stewart's mother), Charles Coburn, Franklin Pangborn, Frances Mercer, Grady Sutton, Jack Carson, and Hattie McDaniel. Stewart was on loan from MGM, making this one of his earliest leading roles. Rogers was dating Stewart at the time and recommended him for the role. But after four days of shooting in April 1937, Stewart became ill. RKO considered replacing him but postponed the production until December 1937. He went on to film Of Human Hearts (1938) with Bondi playing his mother. While the film was stalled, actors Donald Crisp and Fay Bainter (as well as others) who were originally cast during production, were replaced by Charles Coburn and Beulah Bondi.

My favorite part is the CAT-FIGHT! The prop department wrapped Ginger's legs with boards for the funny drag-out brawl carefully choreographed by Director Stevens between her and Mercer. The film opened at Radio City Music Hall in New York. The screenplay was written by P.J. Wolfson and Ernest Pagano and adapted from a short story by I. A. R. Wylie.

Rogers & Stewart went on to win Oscars for The Philadelphia Story (1940) and Kitty Foyle (1940).

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