Yes Jane Wyman is cute in this movie but the funny thing is, she was 37 years old when it was made. In 1951, that was about 15 years too old to become stewardess. In fact, American, United, Continental, and Lake Central all made the stewardesses quit once they got to be 30 years old or got married, which ever came first. Her playing a stewardess at that age makes about as much sense as Jessie Royce Landis playing Cary Grant's mother in North by Northwest.
shareBut was the character she was playing that old?
shareI think firewrath2 has it. Her character and performance come off distinctively upbeat and young - I assumed she was playing a 24 or 25 year old.
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<<American, United, Continental, and Lake Central all made the stewardesses quit once they got to be 30 years old or got married, which ever came first.>>
That policy was abandonned of course years ago. What was the reason for it in the first place? Most thought it was to attract male patrons - so that the stews would be or at least appear young, single, attractive and available. The airlines would deny it no doubt. They may have claimed the girls needed to be young to handle the rigor of the job and single to assure they'd be able to accept last minute calls.
Nobody, not even the rain, has such small hands.
<Most thought it was to attract male patrons - so that the stews would be or at least appear young, single, attractive and available.>
The 'coffee, tea or me' mentality. But I think you are right about being young to handle the rigors of traveling constantly & single to be available on call.
This film was made released in 1951. It could have been made in 1950 or '51; either way, Jane was born in 1917, so according to my calculator and notepad, she was 33 or 34 years old. Barry Sullivan was five years older, Van Johnson was one year older, and the gorgeous Howard Keel was two years younger.
Even with these "facts" corrected (according to IMDb data), what has age got to do with it? Four years later, when she was 37 or 38, she portrays an older widow to Rock Hudson's younger man (he was twelve years her junior) in two very successful films: All That Heaven Allows and Magnificent Obsession.
The first one ought to lay shame to people being concerned about age, which is only a number. I have known several marriages between older women and younger men that were extremely happy. But that was real life, not the Hollywood version that only lasts a few years.
A Checkered Life speaks of myriad diverse adventures being the rewards of endless curiosity.