L'ultima recita

The fine cast and the interesting story in "Letter of Introduction" go together well, making it an enjoyable and sometimes thoughtful movie. The characters are interestingly quirky while remaining believable, and the story gets quite a bit out of a relatively simple setup.

Adolphe Menjou and Andrea Leeds are both well cast in the leading roles, as a father and daughter who try to keep their relationship hidden as they work together on the stage. Menjou is always enjoyable to watch in this kind of role, as something of a scamp who nevertheless has a caring heart. Leeds makes good use of her innocence and earnestness. As the central relationship in the story, their two characters also make a nice change of pace from the more conventional setups in comedies of this kind.

The supporting cast likewise features plenty of talent. In particular, Edgar Bergen and Charlie get some of the best lines, Eve Arden is well-suited to her role, and Ernest Cossart seems right at home as Menjou's butler.

Everything fits together well, and in addition to providing some entertaining moments, it includes the kind of drama that makes you think along with the characters and ask yourself what you might do in the same situation.

I'm sooooooo glad that it's finally available on DVD (from Alpha...mediocre quality, but absolutely worthwhile buying).

This is a John Stahl directed Universal film starring Adolphe Menjou, Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy, George Murphy, the young Ann Sheridan, as well as two great actresses fresh from starring in "Stage Door", Andrea Leeds and Eve Arden.

Andrea Leeds is really the star of this film....and she's really good. It's a shame her career didn't really pan out.

There's a good dramatic story and plenty of comedy from Bergen and Arden.

If you love good movies from the 1930's, this one's for you.

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 ****

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. (***)

Accomplished Director John M. Stahl commendably engineers this well-designed screen play revolving around a striving young actress who clings with hope onto a "Letter of Introduction" to present to a veteran theatrical star.

In conjunction with a "visiting card" or "calling card," a letter of introduction would play an important role in the social graces of yesteryear, as one would not interact socially with an individual of distinction, without having been introduced by a peer who shares a connection with either party.

But, in this case, that one opportunity appears jeopardized one winter evening, as crowds congregate around New York City to revel in New Year's Eve.

Katherine 'Kay' Martin (Andrea Leeds) and Edgar Bergen (Edgar Bergen as Himself) pace through the outdoor celebration to witness a stream of smoke's billowing from their residence apartment building. When Edgar defies guards to rush onto his cement staircase and into the building, Katherine pleads with him to salvage a folder in her bureau of drawers.

Edgar manages to rescue his ventriloquism partner, Charlie McCarthy (Himself) from their second story unit, but deems it unsafe to attempt to climb another floor to Katherine's room.

But another spectator, neighbor Barry Paige (George Murphy) dares to accommodate Katherine's wish, by escorting her onto the third floor of the building aflame, to retrieve her "Letter of Introduction," for nothing else does she wish to salvage among her possessions, before they rush for sanctuary via a fire escape.

Honey (Rita Johnson), the dancing partner and admirer of Barry Paige, plus house-mate Cora Phelps (Eve Arden), welcome Katherine, Edgar and Charlie into their residence and circle, as they celebrate the arrival of a brand new year. Honey puts on a brave front when Barry admits his admiration from afar of Katherine, quite possibly hoping that Katherine sets her designs elsewhere, as Cora remarks that she prefers waiting for Charlie McCarthy rather than for Edgar Bergen.

Everyone among this newly-expanded troupe of striving performers, with the exception of Barry, expresses delight in Katherine's plan to pay a visit to the residence of established actor John Mannering (Adolphe Menjou), at which she is received by his valet, Andrews, the Butler (Ernest Cossart), but vehemently resented by Lydia Hoyt (Ann Sheridan), the young fiancée of John Mannering.

John, however, receives Katherine with a grain of caution, but, after reading the correspondence which she present, embraces her sympathetically. He aspires to mentor her fledging stage career, as his has experienced a decline upon returning to Broadway in the aftermath of a ten-year stint in Hollywood, acting in motion pictures.

The theatre in those days would maintain itself as the legitimate venue for the Performing Arts and snub film acting (as film may have turned its chin away from television during its infancy and beyond to an extent, and, perhaps, as television quite possibly would to the stage, in a sort of "full circle fashion").

At any rate, these characters, who portray performers in "plays within a play" fashion, find their lives undergoing a variety of ups and downs, causing a series of ins and outs among their relationships, as a result of one influential "Letter of Introduction." Edgar Bergan, as we may have noticed, portrays himself, along with Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd, who appears toward the climax of the film.

(Films of the 1930's and 40's sometimes feature an event as a performer portraying himself/herself aside from the Biopics and Backlot Pictures, but this also inflicts a certain restriction for the direction of the character, as it mustn't change history, as it were. But the ever-cordial Edgar and company add a nice touch of vitality and authenticity to the presentation.)

Most of these other stars also shine in roles akin to type, with Andrea Leeds, handling her aspirations while dwelling upon an unfortunate past in outstanding fashion; Rita Johnson, shining as a complaisant ingénue who realizes that she may draw the short straw; Eve Arden, flinging her customary wisecracks from one side of town to another; Adolphe Menjou and George Murphy playing their recurring "borderline cads," who must face the results of their errors; Ernest Cossart in his polite supporting way, and Ann Sheridan a bit wild as the excessively jealous fiancée. Neither Charlie McCarthy nor Mortimer Snerd change very much over the years.

Frank Jenks has a role as Joe, theatre prompter, in a supporting cast which consists of many character performers of the day, including John Archer, Irving Bacon, Brooks Benedict, Don Brodie, Dorothy Granger, Jonathan Hale, Grace Hayle, Eddie Hall, Constance Moore, Phillip Trent, Richard Tucker, Ray Walker, Morgan Wallace and Dick Winslow.

One point which seems to border on the "goofs" coincides with Barry's declaration of having stared from his window into Katherine's room on several occasions before they meet, but from the exteriors, their apartment buildings stand flush with each other, without the slightest width of a lot between them.

All in all, a pleasant film experience, a little downbeat in places, but unpredictable, and featuring a wonderful cast, who, naturally, add a great deal to its fine entertainment value.