MovieChat Forums > Ziegfeld Girl (1941) Discussion > No respect for Sheila (spoilers)

No respect for Sheila (spoilers)

posted 11 years ago by slappaccino
5 replies | jump to latest

I just watched this movie on TCM and I've got vent..

Sheila attends the film's final Ziegfield performance, but has to leave because of her health. She makes it almost all the way down the stairs, but collapses. She's brought back stage and a doctor is called for. She tells Sandra that she and Gilbert are going raise ducks....

...and then the film cuts to Susan's finale. C'mon!

I know that Sheila was meant to die. It was filmed, but preview audiences hated it so the studio took it out, but the way they did it was ridiculous. To cut away when they did left the character's fate up in the air.

They should have ended Sheila's story when she collapsed on the staircase. Take out the part when she's brought back stage, and it becomes more tragic and potent because the show is still going on.

[–] TrangPak2 11 years ago

I agree! I love that idea. I also feel that Turner would have gotten a nomination if they reshot the entire "counting my blessings!" scene with Cooper and the maid. She chewed so much scenery throughout the whole sequence that it borders on camp.

On a positive note, Turner makes the whole film worthwhile and is devastatingly gorgeous. My mother even named my older sister after her.

[–] rtw416 10 years ago

Well I just watched the film 4/30/2014 on TCM with the alternate ending.
Shelia makes it home-The Stewart character is sprung from jail and comes to see Jackie Cooper and Turners character on her death bed.Stewart and Turner talk of raising ducks not far from 42nd Street and they share a deep kiss END SCENE
They then finish with the Garland number and we stlll are unsure of Shelias fate

[–] lorelei711-73-694918 10 years ago

I couldn't agree more. They should have left it with her collapsed at the bottom of the stairs.

The movie was awkward in how it ended. Maybe because it was during WWII and audiences did not want to deal with anymore death. But, to me it was more callous going from Turner's scene of sadness then immediately to Garland's upbeat one and then just ending.

[–] mdonln 8 years ago

slappaccino says > I know that Sheila was meant to die. It was filmed, but preview audiences hated it so the studio took it out, but the way they did it was ridiculous. To cut away when they did left the character's fate up in the air.

I heard that Sheila was originally supposed to die at the end of the movie but that ended was changed after preview audiences complained. I have to agree with the change. If that character was killed off it should have been done in a way that made sense.

As I recall, she was mostly suffering from exhaustion. She hadn't been taking very good care of herself and had even been ill but she was recovering. She needed rest but I didn't get the impression she was sick enough to die. I mean she could have hit her head when she fell down the stairs but just to have her die from that all too common unknown, un-diagnosed illness one usually succumbs to in film would not have been a good idea.

I don't think there's any uncertainty about the way the movie ends. Sheila and Gil talked about their future plans and she repeats them later to Sandra. I got the impression that, despite it all, she was going to be okay. She had gotten off the roller coaster ride, reconciled with Gil, and they were going to have a good life.

Woman, man! That's the way it should be Tarzan. [Tarzan and his mate]

[–] trevorh321 (5495) 3 years ago

Yeah, it was a strange way to end it. And I agree, they should have just ended it at the staircase. That would have been a more interesting and powerful ending scene. The movie is kinda disjointed. Lana Turner delivers the best performance. The musical numbers are great. Garland's singing is outstanding. Lamarr is ok but her character and story could have been tossed out easily. It's wild to see Perry White (Jackie Cooper) from Superman the Movie as a kid. I didn't expect that. And Jimmy Stewart provides a few memorable scenes, too, notably near the end with Sheila. Decent film.