For those who are lucky enough to have seen this movie (it can only be found on TV since it has never been recorded on VHS or DVD) by all means try to find the 1933 version of the story called "Morning Glory". You can then decide which of the two very talented actresses did a more convincing job, Katherine or Susan.
shareI am watching this movie right now on TCM. I saw it originally when it first came out. I am the same age as Susan would have been had she lived. I think she did a fine job in this movie. Unfortunately, I have never seen Morning Glory, but I hope they play it on TCM. I lived in Manhattan at this particular time and it was wonderful and glorious. I had a friend who worked backstage and even though the price of a ticket was definitely affordable for most, it wasn't for me. He helped me see many plays. I love Katherine Hepburn and will definitely give my opinion if I see Morning Glory.
So I've been living in Hell's Kitchen theatre district and this one still
has the bones of a stage struck world. Course much has changed since we were
kids but the same bunch of star eyes shows up each season.
A Tale of Two Cities is on tap for lead off Fall as a musical in
mold of Le Mis and Ms Saigon big machine productions.
It's a tough season with many cancels already in advance of opening
due to money concerns (can't raise any). Plus after 9/11 the nabe
got a lot of the financial district build out of banks & brokers.
Can't hardly tell the players without a score card, lol.
How we have School Daze, Hairspray and B Smiths in place of Sardi's.
Could stand a remake.
This production tho seems to suffer from Lumet's Playhouse 90 TV
influence. Kept waiting for a cigarette commercial. Much in the
Marty stagy style. Just not quite a big pretty jazzed up number.
Insider crowd can like it for novelty value. 6.5/10.0
Yeah Hepburn was about 20x better. Strauseburg was ok in some parts, but slightly painful in others. But I liked her in it. They were both good.
http://world3.monstersgame.co.uk/?ac=vid&vid=38082832
Stage Struck was released on VHS in the USA and in the UK. It was also released on RKO laserdisc. There was no DVD release. The releases are out of print, but you can find them on ebay and Amazon.
If you track down any of these releases, look for the "RKO Classics collection" releases which are better quality than another VHS release on another label (I can't remember, but I think the bad one is the more ubitquitous one with the white cover - there was one that had a terrible picture quality.) There were dfferent vhs releases with quite different quality in the prints used - some of them really suck.
The RKO laserdisc has excellent PQ, and is the best official release, but it
is pan and scan, not widescreen. Stage Struck does play on TV from time to time, so your best bet is to record it from TV if you can find it playing unedited and in widescreen.
I do like this movie, especially Plummer in this, but I really dislike Susan Strasberg in this. No challenge to Katherine Hepburn as an actress in my book, though it has been many years since I watched Morning Glory.
Earlier today I watched this video interview with director Sidney Lumet, now age 83, (linked at Hollywood-Elsewhere.com)
http://mutinycompany.com/lumet.html
Lumet has been geting buzz for an Oscar nomination this year for directing "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead". If nominated, it would be his 6th nomination. He hasn't won yet, except an honorary Oscar, so he has a chance of winning. According to IMDB, he has another film in pre-production.
There's alot of interest in Sidney Lumet, and Christopher Plummer is still doing great work also, so this movie certainly deserves a DVD release.
I just saw this today on TCM; have not seen Morning Glory nor did I know going into this movie that it was a remake. But what was funny to me, is that Susan Strasberg reminded me of Kate Hepburn at times while I watched this, before I even knew that they had played the same role! This is the first movie I've seen Strasberg in, and I thought she was very good - very engaging & I was rather mesmerized by the way she talked. She looked like a child though, even though I guess she was about 20 when she made this....Anyhow, I'd love to see more of her work, she had an interesting way of delivering her lines that I found charming.
I read in the user comments, that it was difficult for them to buy the fact that Eva was in love w/ Easton, but I completely disagree. I could totally relate & understand just based on the characters, but I also thought Henry Fonda was sexier here than in his younger days - he got better w/ age, imo!!
Walk like it's for sale and the rent is due tonight- Miss Jay