A Woman of Distinction

There is quite a bit of chemistry here between Ray Milland's "Prof. Stevenson" - a British astronomy geek somewhat reluctantly doing the lecture tour rounds in the US of A; and the stiff-as-starch college dean "Susan" (Rosalind Russell). The former has something he wishes to return to the latter - and gagging for some sort of publicity for this flagging tour, his agent "Teddy" (Janis Carter) tries to suggest there is more to their causal acquaintanceship than just that! Try as they might - the more they deny, the more they become embroiled in a slightly amusing series of escapades that risk both their reputations, and certainly her job! There is no doubt as to what will happen, it's a simple and straightforward comedy romance that raises a smile now and again, but also makes you cringe a little - the scenarios are a bit blatant and obvious at times. Still, Russell is on decent form and director Edward Buzzell pretty much hits the ground running with this enjoyable, if somewhat standard, formula feature. You won't remember it afterwards, but anything with a bit of Edmund Gwenn in it has got to be worth 90 minutes.

Major slapstick is the highlight of "A Woman of Distinction," a 1950 film starring Rosalind Russell, Ray Milland, Edmund Gwenn and Janis Carter. Russell has one of her uptight, cold women roles so often depicted in the '40s. You know the one, no room or time for romance until a man melts her down. The melter here is Ray Milland.

Russell is the dean of a girls' school in New England; Milland plays a visiting British astronomer. Will she succumb to his charms? Sure, after she beats him with her handbag, and she's sprayed with water, smeared with mud, and falls out of chairs. Wouldn't you? The laughs are all supposed to come from the slapstick; in truth, there's not too much of a script, and what's there is predictable and derivative. The cast is likable, and Russell proves she can do just about anything. In the end, it's not much of a movie.

Though one of my favorite Rosalind Russell comedies, A Woman of Distinction isn't one of the better known ones. Give me this adorable flick over His Girl Friday anytime! She plays her specialty: a dedicated career woman who has never had time for romance. As a college dean with an adopted daughter, she feels she has a complete family unit. Her doting father, Edmund Gwenn, doesn't share her view. With a perpetual twinkle in his eye, he constantly teases her about a woman's completion being found with a man.

Ray Milland (who is definitely not Ray Mi-bland in this movie) plays just someone just as dedicated and just as happily single. He's a professor visiting America on a lecture tour, and when a nosy newspaper woman, Janis Carter, writes an incriminating story connecting Ray with Roz, everyone thinks they're having an affair. Neither is happy about it, but how can they discourage the newspaper story when they're constantly seen together?

There are so many hilarious scenes in this movie, so if you are a Roz fan and haven't seen it yet, pop some corn and get ready for a very enjoyable matinee day. There are some screwball moments, like Ray making a fool of himself during a ladies bicycle ride, but they're balanced out with more serious plot points, like doubting the parentage of Roz's daughter. For a great mix of light and naughty fun, check out A Woman of Distinction.

Rosalind Russell plays Dr. Susan Middlecott, a brilliant professor and dean of a college for women. However, her father (Edmund Gwenn) is concerned that she's all work and needs a man in her life. So, when the newspaper comes up with the incorrect notion that she's having a relationship with a professor (Ray Milland), the father makes the most of it...encouraging and pulling strings to try to get them together.

While Milland, Gwenn and Russell are all wonderful actors, here they are burdened with a bad script. The essential idea isn't bad (though some feminists today will balk at the notion that a woman needs a man), it is executed poorly. There are two main problems. Towards the end, the film relies too much on slapsticky sorts of laughs...with Rosalind on the receiving end again and again. Additionally, the whole relationship between the professors goes from hostile to head over heels so abruptly and unexpectedly that it made no sense at all. It's a shame...the film should have been a lot better.

With Russell and Milland in the leads I was expecting a bit more from A Woman of Distinction, but unfortunately was met with disappointment only a short while into the what seemed like a very long running time (was actually only 85 minutes. I do enjoy Russell but here she is left to go full force slapstick antics but there's just no direction or purpose to most of the proceedings. The story was probably outdated even for 1950 and has most definitely not held up to the test of time. If you have some genuine curiosity regarding A Woman of Distinction then by all means check it out and see what you think, but just manage your expectations.