Maisie Was a Lady

A surprisingly strong entry in the long-running Maisie series, this one features a fairly standard plot but strong performances from Lew Ayres and Maureen O'Sullivan. Maisie, through a an accumulation of mildly amusing circumstances, ends up as maid at a typical home of the idle (but troubled) rich. But why is the young man of th house (Lew Ayres) in a constant state of not-very-amusing intoxication? And why is Maureen O'Sullivan so neurotic, unhappy, and about to marry a pretty obvious fortune-hunter? And can Maisie save this household, or will she abandon the job in utter disgust? Watch the movie. None of the answers will surprise you that much, but Ayes' performance here is a standout, and Ann Southern's Maisie is a whole lot better than usual in the dramatic scenes. (It's permissible to fast forward through the heartwarming comic ones)

I like ANN SOTHERN as much as the next guy, but I have to confess I was never smitten by these MAISIE movies that were tailor-made for Miss Sothern's particular brand of brassy, good-natured charm.

But at least here she gets LEW AYRES and MAUREEN O'SULLIVAN for support and a sterling performance from C. AUBREY SMITH as a wise butler. The script, however, is formula stuff and the less said about the "amusing" situation at a carnival that gets the film off to a wobbly start, the better.

It's the sort of fluff that audiences loved in the late thirties and early forties, or MGM wouldn't have made so many of these Maisie movies with Sothern from 1939 to 1947.

The improbable plot has to do with Ayres forced to hire Sothern after a judge finds him guilty of making her lose her $25 a week job at the carnival. Ayres turns out to be an unhappy alcoholic trying to forget something by being high most of the time. O'Sullivan is hopelessly infatuated with a man Maisie instinctively knows is no good. In no time at all she manages to have a sobering effect on Ayres and straightens out a few other odds and ends in the eccentric household, including a depressed O'Sullivan who was about to elope with a fraudulent man.

It's interesting how much Maureen O'Sullivan's voice sounds like another British actress--Vivien Leigh--the same timbre, inflection, and British accent. Lew Ayres, as her perpetually tipsy brother, seems to be doing a reprise of his role in HOLIDAY--but he seems to be enjoying himself, pratfalls and all.

Summing up: Formula "Maisie" entertainment is nicely performed with C. Aubrey Smith outdoing himself as the patient and worldly butler, but Maisie's brassiness is a little overdone when she lectures Ayres and a doctor on the despondent Maureen.

There are already a number of well-written reviews that explain the movie very well so I'm not going to give a full-fledged review here. What I will point out is how much I loved Maureen O'Sullivan's performance as Abigail in this film. She plays a woman that is so kind, sweet, and thoughtful--not to mention pretty that you want to take her home to marry your son. However, there is also a torment to the character's life because she feels unloved due to circumstances that are apparent when you see the film. Ms. O'Sullivan gives such a dramatic depth to her characterization and is so appealing that she really deserves an award. You just want to watch her over and over again. A captivating and brilliant performance in an important role in the film. Ann Sothern, C. Aubrey Smith, and Lew Ayres are wonderful, too, but I just can't say enough about Maureen O'Sullivan in this film.

The one other comment I will make is the last scene was quite disappointing to me and detracted somewhat from my enjoyment of the film but to discuss why would risk others not wanting to see the film and Maureen O'Sullivan's performance is definitely worth seeing and appreciating.

Our MAISIE WAS A LADY, or at least took care of one after going to work for two very wealthy siblings.

In this, the fourth entry in the Maisie series (1939-1947), lovable Ann Sothern continues to shine as the brassy showgirl who uses her innate decency and good old common sense to see her - and those around her - through life's rough patches. Although the film can boast of good production values and a fine supporting cast, Sothern remains the primary reason to watch.

Lovelorn Maureen O'Sullivan and alcoholic Lew Ayres are the sister & brother in need of Maisie's not-so-gentle ministrations. Paul Cavanagh, as their too-often-absent father, does well with his few scenes. Ushering in some unexpectedly serious sequences, Edward Ashley as O'Sullivan's caddish boyfriend, and pretty Joan Perry as his jilted lover, give the film a raw edge often missing in most comedies.

Best of all is wonderful Sir C. Aubrey Smith as the family's elderly, kindhearted butler. In a role which could have been rather insignificant in lesser hands, the old gentleman works a gentle magic with his lines and turns his part into one of the film's highlights.

Movie mavens will recognize Billy Curtis & Jerry Maren as two of the carnival's Little People, and Hans Conried as one of the silly house guests.

"Maisie Was A Lady" is an undiscovered comedic gem from 1941. It is not quite as humorous as "Bringing Up Baby" or "It Happened One Night" because it is more ambitious-injecting a fair amount of social commentary into the story in place of additional comedy elements. About the only explanation for its obscurity is its association with the less than overwhelming "Maisie" series.

"Maisie Was a Lady" is the fourth film in the series; each story being completely unrelated (like episodes of "The Three Stooges") and linked only by the title character, a part that Sothern specialized in portraying.

"Maisie Was a Lady" transcends the other films in the series in part because the formula had been debugged by that point yet had not yet exhausted story ideas. More important, Sothern was finally given a strong supporting cast for this one; Lew Ayres as the disillusioned rich kid, Maureen O'Sullivan as his vulnerable sister, and C. Aubrey Smith as the family's very proper but kindhearted butler. All four actors give quite possibly the best performances of their careers, at least in part due to the perfect physical casting. All four parts (especially the Ayres and O'Sullivan characters) require extensive behavioral elements to enhance the characterizations, and they manage this quite deftly.

The film begins with drunken Bob Rawlston (Ayres) heckling Maisie Ravier (Sothern) while she is working as the headless woman in a carnival sideshow. When his antics destroy the illusion Maisie loses her job. She borrows Bob's car to get home but is pulled over by the police and spends the night in jail. Maisie get off her best line when she tells the cop that she knows a pinhead in the carnival and wonders why he never mentioned having a son on the police force.

In court the next morning a sympathetic judge orders Bob to give Maisie a job for two months, at the salary she was receiving with the carnival. When sober, Bob is a really nice guy and he makes her a maid in his mansion, under the kind direction of his butler Walpole (C. Aubrey Smith). Bob's sister Abby (O'Sullivan) is also very nice. They have been neglected by their globe-trotting father, Abby has accumulated a collection of unwanted jewelry-sent to her each time her father misses a special occasion. Maisie arrives on the eve of Abby's engagement party and quickly catches onto the true nature of her fiancée Link Phillips (Edward Ashley).

Abby is devastated when she receives yet another piece of jewelry in the mail, meaning that her father is not planning to attend the party. This is compounded by revelations about Link's real reason for wanting to marry her. O'Sullivan's performance as the vulnerable and insecure (yet very likable) Abby is especially convincing and should bring out the protective instincts in all viewers.

All in all a nice little film, with excellent performances from the entire ensemble.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.