Professional Sweetheart

Professional Sweetheart

Theatrical poster
Directed by William A. Seiter[1]
Dewey Starkey (assistant)[2]
Produced by Merian C. Cooper[2]
H. N. Swanson (associate)[2]
Written by Maurine Watkins[2]
Starring Ginger Rogers
Norman Foster
ZaSu Pitts
Frank McHugh
Music by Roy Webb[2]
Cinematography Edward Cronjager[1]
Edited by James B. Morley[2]
Production
company
Release dates
  • June 9, 1933 (1933-06-09)[2]
Running time
 72 minutes[1]
Country United States
Language English

Professional Sweetheart is a 1933 American Pre-Code romantic comedy directed by William A. Seiter from a screenplay by Maurine Watkins. It starred Ginger Rogers in her first film with RKO Radio Pictures, along with Norman Foster, ZaSu Pitts, and Frank McHugh. The film is a comedic satire of the radio industry, a competitor to the film industry.

Plot

Glory Eden (Ginger Rogers) is a radio star, the "Purity Girl" of the Ipsy-Wipsy Wash Cloth radio program, whose sponsor, Sam Ipswich (Gregory Ratoff), wants her public image to match her radio persona, and has her constantly chaperoned by the press agent, Speed Dennis (Frank McHugh). Glory's real personality is one of a party girl, who loves going to nightclubs, drinking, dancing, men and having a good time. During an interview with the columnist Elmerada de Leon ()ZaSu Pitts, Glory hints that she might not re-sign with Ipsy-Wipsy. She says that she is tired of always being "the good girl", and needs to let down her hair for a while. Frightened of the prospect of losing their star attraction, and in order to placate her, Ipswich and Dennis hatch a publicity scheme to have her romanced by one of her many fans. She selects a most unlikely subject, the anglo-saxon, Jim Davey (Norman Foster (director)), who hails from the hills of Kentucky. However, when he arrives, the unlikely happens and Glory begins to fall in love with Jim, and when he proposes, she accepts.

Glory begins to be courted by a rival sponsor, Kelsey (Edgar Kennedy), who attempts to enlist Jim in order to get her to jump ship, telling him that their entire romance is nothing more than a publicity stunt dreamed up by Speed. Kelsey promises Jim that if he can convince Glory to jump ship and sign with his radio program, sponsored by the Kelsey Dish Rag Company, she will be better off. At first Jim agrees, but then understands that the new sponsor is simply out to use Glory, and becomes disenchanted with the entire process. When the two elope to get away from all the intrigue surrounding, they run back to the rural surroundings where Jim came from. As they are settling into country life, Speed arrives to attempt to get Glory to return to his show. When Kelsey's man arrives with the contract, while Vera (Theresa Harris) is singing in the Radio at the Ipsy-Wipsy-Radio-Show as the Purity Girl for that night, Glory is so jealous, that she signs with him. To spite her, Speed signs Jim, who is a poet, to a contract of his own. A compromise is finally arrived when the two sponsors join forces, merging their two companies into the Ipsy-Kelsey Clothiers, and have the young couple perform together.

Cast

(Cast list as per AFI database)[2]

Reception

The picture received mixed to good reviews, while Rogers received almost universally good press over her performance. Variety's article led off with the comment, "Had the pace of 'Professional Sweetheart's early moments been sustained throughout the picture, its success rating would have been much more decisive. As is, it has just about enough comedy to cover up the later deficiencies ...."[1] Screenland was more kind, saying the film was a "must" see, and saying of the film, "The complications are fast, furious, and merry. No static here - just clear, loud laughter." They also singled out the work of several of the cast members, including Pitts, McHugh, Foster and Ratoff.[3] Picture Play Magazine called the acting, "capital", highlighting that of Foster and Ratoff, and of course, Rogers. Overall, they felt the film was "genuinely amusing", and "... good fun edged with satire.",[4] Mordaunt Hall, the critic for The New York Times thanked RKO for producing the film, saying the studio "... merits a vote of thanks for an entertaining comedy". He enjoyed the performances of Rogers, Foster, Ratoff, McHugh, Pangborn, Pitts and Kennedy. He also saw the irony of the film playing at Radio City Music Hall, since it was a satirical send-up of the industry the theater was named after.[5]

Other reviews were even more enthusiastic. Photoplay called it one of the best films of the month, calling Rogers a "star", and complimenting the rest of the cast.[6] Motion Picture Magazine called it a "... wholesomely insane satire of the life of a radio queen,"[7] while Modern Screen called it a "good comedy", complimenting the acting of Rogers, Foster, Pitts, McHugh and Jenkins.[8]

However, not every critic was receptive to the film. The Film Daily critic wrote that the film "Failed to impress with choppy story and mechanical treatment and situations."[9]

Notes

The only song in the film, "Imaginary Sweetheart", words and music by Harry Akst and Edward Eliscu, was credited to Rogers.[10] However, later it was learned that Rogers' voice was dubbed by Etta Moten. Rogers would write in her autobiography, Ginger My Story, many years later, "I was amazed and annoyed. I had been singing professionally on the stage and screen for years and thought it ridiculous to hear someone else's voice coming out of my mouth."[11]

The screenwriter of this film, had written a very successful Broadway play which ran from December 1926 through May 1927 at the Music Box Theatre in New York.[12] Titled, Chicago, it would become a silent film in 1927, also titled Chicago, before being remade in 1942 with the film titled after the main character, Roxy Hart. In the 1942 sanitized version, Rogers would be reunited with Watkins and play the titular role. The play would be remade as a 1975 musical on Broadway, and in a 2003 film, also titled Chicago.[11]

Several industry publications of the time incorrectly attributed the screenplay to Jane Murfin, an RKO staple of that era.[2][13] One of the working titles for the film was Careless, before being changed to the final name of Professional Sweetheart in May 1933.[14]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Tagging the Talkies: Professional Sweethearts". Variety. October 1933. p. 72. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Professional Sweetheart: Detail View". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on March 28, 2014. Retrieved September 6, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Professional Sweetheart". Screenland. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  4. ↑ "The Screen in Review". Motion Picture Magazine. October 1933. p. 67. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  5. ↑ Hall, Mordaunt (July 14, 1933). "Professional Sweetheart: At Last -- A Comedy". New York Times. Archived from the original on September 7, 2014. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  6. ↑ "The Shadow Stage". Photoplay. August 1933. p. 55. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Tip-Offs on the Talkies". Motion Picture Magazine. September 1933. p. 11. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Reviews - a tour of today's talkies". Modern Screen. August 1933. p. 8. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Professional Sweetheart". The Film Daily. May 27, 1933. p. 3. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Pictures With Music". Motion Picture Herald. p. 42. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  11. 1 2 "Professional Sweetheart, Article". Turner Classic Movies. May 20, 1933. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012. Retrieved September 6, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Chicago, IL". Internet Broadway Database. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved September 6, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Casts of Current Photoplays". Photoplay. August 1933. p. 113. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  14. ↑ Wilk, Ralph (May 25, 1933). "A Little from "Lots"". The Film Daily. p. 7. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
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