Vivacious Lady (1938). Romantic/ comedy. Cast: Ginger Rogers and James Stewart. Produced and directed by George Stevens. The screenplay was written by P.J. Wolfson and Ernest Pagano and adapted from a short story by I. A. R. Wylie. The music score was by Roy Webb. Cinematography by Robert De Grasse. Supporting cast: Frances Mercer, Beulah Bondi, Franklin Pangborn, and Charles Coburn, as well as an uncredited performance by Hattie McDaniel.
Peter is sent to Manhattan, to pick up his cousin Keith and falls in love with Francey at first sight, while watching her performance at a Night Club. After a one-day courtship, Peter and Francey are married, and return home, where Peter teaches at the university run by his father who is known for being an overbearing man. While Peter decides how to break the news to his father, Francey stays at a women-only hotel. Peter mentions Francey to his father twice, but Mr. Morgan interrupts his son when his mother has a flare-up of her heart condition, which makes telling his news impossible. Peter decides to announce the marriage to his parents at the university's prom. Keith brings Francey to the prom and Francey, develops a friendship with Mrs. Morgan, but gets into a fight with Helen in which Francey accidentally hits Peter's father. Now, how is Peter going to break the news to his father?
This film is a wonderful comedy. One of my favorite scenes is when she gets into a fight with Helen and says: Helen: I'm going to give you a piece of my mind...
Francey: Oh, I couldn't take the last piece!
Fun Facts:
This film is one of five times that Beulah Bondi portrayed James Stewart's mother. The others are: It's a Wonderful Life (1946), Mr. Smith Goes to Washington(1939), Of Human Hearts (1938) and once on his television series, "The Jimmy Stewart Show" (1971).
Since Ginger's legs were insured for $500,000 they were strapped with boards and padded for protection during the fight scene. Filming on "The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle" started soon after this film wrapped, and RKO could not afford to have an injured musical star.
