just watch it!

Brilliant and touching

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

" . . . for cotton to come back, for the ghosts of their sons: zombies, the living dead who haven't the decency to lie down and stay buried," Jenny rails at the Court of Confederate (or Red State) Public Opinion during the climax of LADY FOR A NIGHT. At a time when many if not most Americans suspect that shadowy Ted Cruz operatives assassinated Originalist U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia after the latter preliminarily--and privately--revealed to Ted's henchmen that Cruz is INELIGIBLE to run for President under Scalia's prevailing Originalism Doctrine, LADY FOR A NIGHT also involves a no-autopsy poisoning victim. With Scalia dead and "The Fix" in for Cruz in Cleveland, Jenny's worst fears seem likely to be realized next year: President Cruz will allow the 30 "Red States" to Reimpose Race-Based Slavery, as all Constitutional Amendments are nullified except for No. 2 (the Right to Armory Muskets). Though Donald Trump is not yet assassinated as of this writing, his comments about The Trash "rigging the System" ring truer now than in Jenny's LADY FOR A NIGHT day. (After supporting Freddie Gray, Prince died mysteriously today; Donald could be next.) JFK was invited to Red Cruz State Texas and got whacked there in the 1960s. It's been all downhill for America ever since.

Jenny Blake runs the gambling boat Memphis Belle, but she yearns to be accepted by the high society. Casting off her love interest Jack Morgan, Jenny accepts an offer of marriage from non compos mentis plantation owner Alan Aldredge. Naturally the rest of the Aldredge family are not too thrilled to have someone of Jenny's standing in their family, with one of them in particular prepared to do anything to get rid of Jenny.Serviceable time filler is a phrase that could have been invented for this particular film. It's neither good or bad, and it's competently put together from both sides of the camera. Tho primarily a romantic drama, there is often humour within the script, most often when John Wayne {Jack} and Joan Blondell {Jenny} are sharing the screen together. Tho for sure not during the big finale court room pay off!! Here is the main problem on why Lady for a Night really falls down, it's confused as to what it should be. It's joviality is nice and endearing, but when the theme of class snobbery is coming to the fore, light relief is neither warranted or required. In fact the shift in tone for the rushed final quarter takes all by surprise. We lurch from grinning with mirth one second to a serious drama the next, and it's all a bit off putting at a time when the nastiness of the story deserves our full attention.The cast are a mixed bunch. Blondell is effervescent and attractive, and Wayne, in a straight uncomplicated role, does what is needed with such minimalistic material. Blanche Yurka does a nice line in evil old bat routine {paging Mrs Danvers, paging Mrs Danvers} and Hattie Noel dons the maid apron and gives it the Hattie McDaniel treatment. The rest are barely worth a mention, with Ray Middleton & Philip Merivale particularly out of their depth. Some nice tunes such as "Ta-ra-ra Boom-der-é" and "Has Anybody Seen My Man?" lighten up proceedings {again is this a dark film or not?} and the costume side of production is well worth observation. But it all ends up being a collage of tones, with neither one or the other breaking out to let the good side of the film truly break free of the confusion, shame that. 4/10

OK, it wasn't an Academy Award winner. However, it did have many good elements to it. I'm not going to waste time telling you what it was about, you can read that in other comments. John Wayne was young and good looking, standing straight and tall. John Blondell was young and pretty. I remembered her in later movies after she had gotten older and a little heavier. Old man time sure beats the heck out of all of us.Some people will raise and eyebrow at the plantation type scenes with the blacks dancing and singing. Did that go on? I don't know, but I wouldn't be surprised that after hard work in the fields, ANY people would be happy for the party time. Hattie Noel played the maid (Chloe) of Joan Blondell (Jenny). Chloe was funny and did an energetic job. Were these type parts demeaning for Blacks? Sure. But the way to look at it, is that it was the beginning of getting the foot in the door to show what you could do. There was a lot of talent in that singing and dancing. Nothing to be ashamed of, many a White person has played a demeaning part. The main thing is to showcase your talent. Hattie Noel may not have had the good fortune to be in Gone With The Wind, but she would have done quite nicely.The best acting came from Edith Barrett who played the kinder Alderson sister Katherine. Some might call it overacting but I don't think that to be the case. You could feel her anguish between being torn by family loyalty, fear of her sister and doing the right thing. She gave a terrorized, impassioned performance.Also enjoyable was John Blondell's singing performances as the part owner of the riverboat. In fact, she was so good that I wondered if a professional singer had dubbed her voice, even though I was aware of her own musical talents.Blanche Yurka played the evil sister Julia, and how she could ooze evilness, with those eyes boring into anyone who crossed her. She hadn't changed much from her earlier days as Madame Defarge in A Tale of Two Cities.Leonid Kinskey played John Wayne's bodyguard. Although Mr. Kinskey was always a good character actor (remember him as the funny bartender in Casablanca?), the reason for the part in the movie escapes me. I guess John Wayne needed a sidekick.The rest of the cast was adequate, but nothing noteworthy that I can remember. Except of course for the can-can girls who really knew how to dance that thing with plenty of spirit.OK, should you see it? If you have the movie or see it coming on the late show, no reason not to. The story is predicable and acting is adequate with a few who stand out as mentioned above. Don't watch it just to see John Wayne because the Duke was just being the Duke. And although the Duke is almost always fun to watch, this role didn't give him much room to do his thing. His part was overshadowed by larger parts going to Joan Blondell and the Alderson sisters. However, if you have the time, you will be entertained by a movie that is "not too bad" and "fairly enjoyable". There are some good acting parts and the singing and dancing routines are quite good too. I do not think you will be disappointed.

To start, this is not a John Wayne movie. Yes, he is in it, and yes, he is featured in a major role. However, his character is secondary. The primary character is Joan Blondell as Jenny Blake, the owner of a gambling boat on the Mississippi. Desperate to be accepted into society, Jenny is thrilled when she is announced Queen of the Mardi Gras, not knowing that man-about-town Jack Morgan (Wayne) rigged it. Memphis society is aghast and boos her. She becomes more determined than ever to break into society, and accepts the proposal of drunken plantation owner Alan Aldredge (Ray Middleton) to become his wife. Alan's family, with the exception of his Aunt Katherine (Edith Barrett), is aghast at the entrance of Jenny into their blue-blooded family. Aunt Julia (Blanche Yurka), an evil looking woman, starts to scheme almost from the get-go, going out of her way to get rid of her new in-law. The gift of a blind horse as her own almost kills Jenny, and later Julia attempts to humiliate Jenny by arranging for no one to show up at the ball Jenny has planned. That is thwarted by Jack, who obviously has feelings for her. Julia's next step ends up in tragedy, with Jenny on trial for murder. But, with her luck, Jenny is saved from the hangman's noose, and learns a valuable lesson.This Republic "B" feature is actually a pretty lavish costume drama. Blondell, a wonderful leading lady at Warners in the 30's, gets to show off her singing and dancing abilities in the "Up in a Balloon" production number. Later, at Jenny's party, there is a campy rendition of "Ba Ba Ba Boom De Yay!" during which Jenny's lively black maid (Hattie Noel, an obscure character actress, equally as funny as Hattie McDaniel) gets into the act. It is a camp moment that is still treasured by those who adore over-the-top cinema.Wayne does not have much to do but step in to rescue Blondell in her times of need. This was not an important film for him, but for the cast playing the evil Alderson clan, it was a chance to show off their acting skills (or at least their hamming ability!). Phillip Merivale has little to do but disapprove of Jenny as Alan Alderson's elderly father, but his sisters (Yurka and Barrett) have great opportunities to show off their talents. Yurka, best known as Madame DeFarge in the Selznick production of "A Tale of Two Cities", is equally evil here; she is a definite rival with Judith Anderson and Gale Sondergaard as the perfect screen villianess. A stage star in the 1910's and 20's, Yurka is a combination Lady MacBeth and Madame DeFarge as she sets on her sites to make Jenny miserable. Deliciously camp (my guess it was unintentional), Yurka is a delight to watch from start to finish. As her fragile sister Katherine, Edith Barrett (the first Mrs. Vincent Price) is the epitome of sweetness, a total contrast to her evil sister. The scene where Barrett accuses her sister of having murdered her fiancée years before is powerful stuff, and makes us realize that underneath her fear of her sister, Katherine has a strong side determined to come out.The less said about Middleton as Steve Alderson, the better. I will just say he is stiff, unromantic, and lacking in charisma. In other words-he was perfect as the husband Blondell couldn't love no matter how much money he had! While Hattie Noel's character may raise some eyebrows in today's society because of stereotypes, she does create many laughs, especially when she arrives at the Alderson house by breaking down the side door when she is rebuffed by the stuffy black butler. You just have to consider the time that this was set in and accept the fact that it would be many, many decades before the treatments of blacks began to change.Although Leonard Maltin gives the film only two stars, I have to disagree with his review. Although no cinema classic, it is a very entertaining and light-hearted film, even with its macabre plot developments. Perfect for a rainy afternoon or the late show, "Lady For a Night" is worth a look as a camp classic.