Letter of Introduction

LETTER OF INTRODUCTION (Universal, 1938), produced and directed by John M. Stahl, is a feature showcase for young Andrea Leeds, who recently made an impression as a troubled stage actress in STAGE DOOR (RKO Radio, 1937) starring Katharine Hepburn and Ginger Rogers. With this being sort of Universal's answer to STAGE DOOR, featuring Adolphe Menjou in both films, with Leeds assuming the same character type with first name being Kay, it adds a few elements of Eve Arden (of STAGE DOOR) along with the ventriloquist act of Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy (who earlier worked opposite Menjou and Leeds in THE GOLDWYN FOLLIES (United Artists, 1938)), who both become part of the story during some of its brighter moments.

The story begins on New Year's Eve as Kay Martin (Andrea Leeds) and Edgar Bergen (Edgar Bergen) are returning to their boarding house to find their building is on fire. As Edgar runs in to get his dummy-companion, Charlie McCarthy, Kay also rushes in, risking her life to retrieve something of great value to her - a letter of introduction. Helping her through the search and out of the burning building is dancer, Barry Paige (George Murphy) who lives across the street. Unable to return to their residence, Kay and company are invited to attend a New Year's Eve party at Barry's place where at the stroke of midnight, following a kiss, Barry then realizes his love for Kay. Rooming with Honey (Rita Johnson), Barry's dancing partner, Kay also makes new friends with Cora Feldman (Eve Arden), a wisecracking stage actress who takes an interest in Edgar and his ventriloquist act. The following day, Kay gets to meet with John Mannering (Adolphe Menjou), a matinee idol of stage to screen at his luxurious apartment, to present him her letter of introduction. Mannering, age 52, who's been married and divorced three times, is currently engaged to Lydia Hoyt (Ann Sheridan), a young girl of 22 who becomes extremely jealous over his protege, with John unable to reveal Kay's true identity at present. Barry also becomes jealous over Kay spending too much time with Mannering, who offers her a chance to audition for the upcoming play, "Return to Paradise." After Lydia catches John and Kay dining together at the Park Plaza, she walks out on him forever. Kay has further troubles trying to keep Barry from leaving her as well. Seen in the supporting cast are: Ernest Cossart (Andrews, Mannering's loyal butler); Frank Jenks (Joe); Jonathan Hale (Lou); May Boley (Mrs. Meggs, the landlady); Frances Robinson (Maude Rawley); with Irving Bacon, Russell Hopton and Constance Moore in smaller roles.

A grand mix of comedy and pathos usually found in products directed by either Frank Borzage or John M. Stahl, LETTER OF INTRODUCTION works well in both directions. Adolphe Menjou's character, who appears 18 minutes into the movie, is obviously inspired by actor John Barrymore, better known as "The Great Profile." Also using the first name of John, Mannering is known as "The Great Lover," happens to be a decedent of an acting family of William Shakespeare plays. Aside from Mannering being formerly popular on both stage and screen, he's also an oft-married actor of younger women with a drinking problem, attempting to return to the stage after twelve years only to assist this young girl in her acting debut for reasons explained only in her letter of introduction.

The plot is also highlighted by an amusing but extended ventriloquist act between Bergen and McCarthy along with the slow-witted buck-tooth dummy named Mortimer Snerd. While it's been said in the story by one of the characters that ventriloquist acts are a thing of the past, it takes someone like Bergen to bring it back. As much as these are wooden dummies, Bergen makes those in the movie as well as those watching it believe they are real. Though Andrea Leeds is best known for her movie roles under Samuel Goldwyn in the late 1930s, her career might have extended to the next decade had she not married and retired from acting by 1940. For those who have never seen an Andrea Leeds movie, this and STAGE DOOR would be good movies of introduction.

A public domain title that enjoyed frequent broadcasts since the mid 1980s on public television and some cable channels as Nickelodian's Nick at Night Movie (1987) or the Christian Broadcast Network (prior 1989), the now forgotten LETTER OF INTRODUCTION has become available on video cassette from various distributors, mostly at 102 minutes. Later placed on DVD, but beware of shorter and darker prints in shorter length of 87 minutes. (***)

An actor from a family with long and illustrious tradition of theaters (Shakespearean? it is mentioned his parents played Romeo and Juliet to packed houses for ages) has left theater and migrated to Hollywood. Now, in his fifties, trying desperately to hide his age, suddenly is introduced to his daughter, a struggling actress, in her twenties., around the age his latest fiancee, about to become his fourth wife.

The daughter wants his help in starting her career on stage, and he has to struggle to do it, without divulging the relationship, lest the Casanova's real age is known to public. Without the clarifications, gossip magazines have a field day, destroying the romances of both father and daughter.

This has too interesting to be a mere coincidence similarity with the great but equally tragic (alcohol curse) actor John Barrymore - of the revered Barrymore family (here the name is changed to Mannering family), and the daughter Diana (here Kay martin) is from first wife, instead of real-life second wife. This movie (1938) precedes what happened in real life - and the difference isn't too far. Diana, also beset with tragedy as her father, was estranged from John, and landed up in Broadway one year later, in 1939. John was married four times, here Mannering's just missed the fourth. The fourth wife, Elaine was 21, and he was 54 (in this movie, it was 22 and 52, not too far away). Even the last stage appearance of John has remarkable similarity with this - only that happened four years after this movie was released. One of the comments here talks of what Diana and John thought about it - it should be in fact other way - they didn't learn from it - and in fact followed what was depicted here.

One of the oddest mixtures of drama and comedy ever to come out of Universal Pictures. Back in 1939, director John Stahl did his usual reliable job of trying to keep all the mismatched elements of the improbable plot together and almost succeeds. An aspiring young actress (Andrea Leeds) rooming at a theatrical boarding house, mysteriously becomes the protégée of old flamboyant drunken actor (Adolphe Menjou) returning to Broadway after many years in Hollywood. (Both actors appeared the year before in "Stage Door.") Throughout the film, Edgar Bergen, Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Sneed appear and reappear at the most unlikely moments and provide many amusing moments that have nothing whatsoever to do with the main story. (It's as if Bergen was under contract to the studio and someone had to figure out a way to shoehorn him and his dummies into a picture.) The ever dependable Eve Arden wisecracks in her best manner and George Murphy is the jealous boy friend in love with the actress. None of it makes much sense if you think about it--don't!--but it's all undoubtedly entertaining.

Struggling actress Andrea Leeds (Kay) has a letter of introduction to hand to successful actor Adolphe Mange-Tout (Mannering) to help her with her career. The letter of introduction has more significance than just a letter of introduction. It's confirmation that they are father and daughter. We anticipate a happy and helpful relationship and we get it. However, other relationships seem to fall by the wayside.

Given the cast, the film should have been better. It loses its way and just becomes boring. There is also too much screen time given to a tedious ventriloquist. Leeds, Mange-Tout and Eve Arden (Cora) all starred in the much better film in a similar setting - Stage Door - the year before. Rita Johnson (Honey) is treated unfairly in this film and her future is unresolved. It is sad to read about her real-life story - death by hairdryer accident! More like assault with hairdryer. I don't use a hairdryer preferring to just dry naturally with a towel. Wash and go.

Sorry. Anyways, I just saw this, it was pretty good-pretty serious plotline of aging actor Adolphe Menjou, his estranged daughter Leeds and his trying to make it back onto Broadway while hiding her existence from the press-gets undermined somewhat by the oddly large roles of Snerd and McCarthy. They are funny-but it's kinda like sticking Fozzie Bear and Grover into the middle of a 'A Brilliant Mind'...maybe not something you would see now but then? It was par for the chorus.

Fine character actors-George Murphy, young Anne Sheriden, etc all add to the mix. I liked it, it's an interesting period piece if nothing else.

**1/2 outta ****