THE PRIMROSE PATH
US, 1940, 93 minutes, Black and white.
Ginger Rogers, Joel Mc Crea, Marjorie Rambeau, Henry Travers, Miles Mander, Queenie Vassar, Joan Carroll.
Directed by Gregory La Cava.
The Primrose Path was directed by Gregory La Cava (Stage Door and other dramas of the late 30s). It is a star vehicle for Ginger Rogers, during the year in which she won the Academy Award for Kitty Foyle. It is also a star vehicle for Joel Mc Crea, a popular lead of the 30s who was to make a mark in these years in the comedies of Preston Sturges. Marjorie Rambeau appears as Ginger’s mother and received an Oscar nomination for her sympathetic performance as mother and wife, a woman on the town yet caring for her family. Miles Mander appears as her husband.
The film is conventional enough, a picture of a young girl from a poor family who falls in love with a smart-talking assistant at a hamburger joint. They marry, but she does not tell her family. There is a final confrontation and the husband walks out on his wife. Between various difficulties, they finally manage to patch up their marriage.
The strength of the film is particularly in Ginger Rogers’ sympathetic screen presence, her romantic young girl, her being hurt by the reaction of her husband, her beginning to take the primrose path in revenge but, with the kindly intervention of a man-about-town, she is reconciled.
1. The popularity of this kind of drama around 1940? How well does it stand up now? Characters, dialogue, themes?
2. Black and white photography, the coastal town, Primrose Hill and poverty, the beach front and the clam pickers, the restaurants? An authentic atmosphere of the 1940s? Black and white photography, musical score?
3. The portrait of Ellie Mae, seen as a young girl, pigtails, tomboy? Her relationship with her mother, her alcoholic father and caring for him, her younger sister, her acid-tongued grandmother? Her wandering along the road, being picked up by Gramp, the meal, hearing Ed and his smart talk, her talking back, the infatuation? Her falling in love after he kissed her? Her dressing up, getting the clothes from her mother and grandmother? In the bar, Ed not noticing her, her tripping and falling, his coming to her aid, the discussion, the kiss, her feigning suicide? The wedding? Her leaving home and not telling anyone? Her father having urged her to leave home? The happy life, at work in the café? Smart talk? Her mother’s arrival, with the hose, the rich men, the people mocking her in the café? Ellie Mae’s anger, Ed not being able to understand? Her finally telling him, bringing him home? Her reaction to her father, the discord in the home, Ed leaving? Her going back, their clash, his going to the hotel? Her mother’s illness, Ed coming and being told that Ellie was in San Francisco, her not knowing? Getting help from Thelma, becoming an escort, going to the café and hotel to confront Ed? Mr Hawkins and his fears, in the cab, his signal to Ed, the reconciliation?
4. Ed, smart, repartee, serving people, at the hotel, the Portuguese girls? The attraction towards Ellie Mae, her girlishness, on the beach, the clams? With the Portuguese women? His not noticing her, her falling? Marriage, happy life? His not being able to understand about Ellie Mae and her moodiness about her mother? The visit, the aggressiveness of Ellie Mae’s father, mistaking him for Mr Hawkins? His leaving, his attempt to come back, the grandmother telling him lies? His drunkenness, with the girls, Ellie Mae and her dancing with Mr Hawkins? Her telling him off? Mr Hawkins and the discussion, the signal from the cab, the reconciliation – on the motorbike (and earlier the clash with the police)? The credibility of his motivation?
5. The Adams household, the quotation from Mananda, Ellie Mae’s father and his drinking, wanting to write the book, hopelessness, his love for Mamie, her going out on the town? His continued lapses, the accident with the gun, his thinking of suicide, Mamie’s death? His aggressiveness towards Ed? Mamie, goodtime girl, yet devoted to her family, presents, her talking with Ellie Mae, genuine sympathy, looking after Ed? The pathos of her death and final talk to Ellie Mae? Honeybelle and her age, wanting presents, hungry, cantankerous towards Ellie Mae? The grandmother, her viciousness, her lies to Ed? Her continued complaints, wanting Ellie Mae to marry a rich man? The need for food, hunger? Ed finally confronting her and her submitting?
6. Gramp, sympathetic, words of wisdom to Ellie Mae, to Ed?
7. Thelma, escorts, the good time, rich men? The wealthy men, Mr Hawkins, taking up the escorts – his fear of a fight, his good deed?
8. The popularity of this kind of romantic drama with edge?
