Make Way for a Lady

Perhaps it's a tribute to Anne Shirley's acting ability that I constantly felt infuriated at her meddling into her father's private life. I think not, because she always seems to act as though she was acting, which fits right into her character in this film. Of course, these feelings are from an adult perspective, and the film was primarily made for the teenage trade, and they will probably enjoy her antics. Her father's actions did not ring true, either. He, Herbert Marshall, has proposed to Shirley's English teacher, Gertrude Michael, and Shirley has the audacity to tell her she would not be welcome as a stepmother. It's not that she's jealous or doesn't want her father to remarry -- she's been pushing to have him marry Margot Grahame, a woman her father dislikes, although Shirley doesn't know that. When Marshall finds out about what she has done, instead of quick dressing down, he comforts the tearful, sickened Shirley and tells her everything is alright. Perhaps it happened, since Elizabeth Jordan's 1935 novel, "Daddy and I: A Chronicle of Small-Town Life and Youth, as Seen Through the Eyes of an Ultra-Modern Young Lady of Fifteen" may have been autobiographical. But I found it unlikely that any father would let his child get off the hook so lightly for such a severe interference. It seemed simply a plot device for the not-so-surprising ending.

June Drew (Anne Shirley) is a flighty teen and Christopher Drew (Herbert Marshall) is her devoted widower father. She performs poorly in the school play but her drama teacher Miss Eleanor Emerson is very supportive. She decides to be a matchmaker for her father. He's a publisher and author Valerie Broughton leaves her the latest manuscript. She reads the inscription and makes a false assumption.

I like the start which is reminiscent of Clueless. It turns into a melodrama. The resolution is never in doubt. It would work better if June is facing a similar challenge in her own love life. She turns from simple flighty into full blown brat. Sometimes, she is downright punchable. It could have been fun but it becomes rather annoying.

June (Anne Shirley), a bright teenager with overly romantic ideas, jumps to the conclusion that novelist Valerie (Margot Grahame) is in love with June's publisher father Chris (Herbert Marshall). So she conspires to get the two together, not knowing that Valerie is in love with another man and Chris is in love with June's teacher Eleanor (Gertrude Michael).

I just love Anne Shirley. She's one of my favorite actresses from the '30s and a very underrated comedienne. It's a shame she never broke through to become a major star. Aside from being exceptionally pretty, she's also charming and adorable in every movie I've seen her in. "Make Way for a Lady" is a fine example of her talent. Herbert Marshall is his usual dignified self but gets to let loose some, which is nice. I can count on one hand the number of movies I've seen him smile. Margot Grahame and Gertrude Michael are both a little on the forgettable side. Frank Coghlan, Jr. (Billy Batson from the Captain Marvel serial) has an amusing supporting part.

Unfortunately, it does lose steam after a strong start. There are two primary reasons for this. First, whenever Shirley's not on screen things are dullsville. Also, in the second half the movie becomes more serious in tone and a little too much like a soaper versus the light romantic comedy feel of the first half. Still, it's an enjoyable B picture from RKO, helped by a short runtime. See it for Anne Shirley, a fine actress who deserves wider recognition.

.....it was okay. It's an RKO shortie. First off, "Dad" (Herbert Marshall) and Valerie (Margot Grahame) both have quite the British accents, which is never really explained. The daughter June ( Anne Shirley) who is in high school, and around 18, runs around interfering in Dad's life, acting like a spoiled brat, and no-one will stand up to her and tell her so. It's a good way to kill about an hour but this wasn't Shirley's best work, or RKO's . Be sure to see one of her better films, like Anne of Green Gables, or Murder, my Sweet.

Gertrude Michael, however, was the real star of the show. As "Eleanor", she always has a twinkle in her eye, and seems to be having fun the whole time… or at least most of the time. ( In spite of the hideous, silly dresses she had to wear throughout the film) – first when they are singing by the piano, and then when they walk around town. Then, again when June goes to speak with Eleanor, she is wearing the worst one of all. And…again at the big ending, there's yet another horrible, overdone, big gaudy dress. Keep an eye out for June's high school friend "Billy" who pops up now in then in the film; he is played by Frank Coghlin, who made 132 films, but sadly, most were uncredited parts… this was one of his few credited parts! Directed by David Burton, who wrote and directed in the 1930s, but seems to have retired around 1940. Not a lot of info on him

Before Deanna Durbin came along, here was Anne Shirley doing a Deanna Durbin type Ms. Fix-it part for RKO. Not that she isn't good, but the film itself is kind of silly.

Shirley's dad Herbert Marshall is a widower and a publisher of some renown and he's got a glamorous novelist client in Gertrude Michael. Somehow as Shirley has read Gert's latest epic she convinces herself that the plot is really the great love story between Marshall and Michael. In the process she alienates Margot Grahame who'd like very much to be the second Mrs. Marshall.

The whole business is dopey and Shirley ought to get a tanning from her old man for making such a mess. Everybody here has done better. Gertrude Michael comes off the best.