Stage Door

It takes more than greasepaint and footlights to make an actress.

Stage Door is a Dramedy from 1937 with an All-Star Cast including Katharine Hepburn, Ginger Rogers, Lucille Ball, Ann Miller and Eve Arden.

Set in a theatrical boardinghouse in New York City called the Footlights Club, it's about a group of would-be actresses struggling for their big break. Into the boardinghouse comes Terry Randall, who comes from a wealthy background, is rich, and is immediately disliked by many of the others. Gradually, however, she wins them all over.

This film provides examples of:

"Judy: Shake your head.
 * All-Star Cast: See above.
 * Big Applesauce: Well, they are trying to make it on Broadway.
 * Big Lipped Alligator Moment: In-universe; everyone who isn't living at the Footlights Club is puzzled by Terry's curtain speech.
 * Brick Joke: Judy is always going out with men from her hometown of Seattle. At the end of the movie, she's going to get married to one of them.
 * Also, Mary Lou comments at how many times she's performed as a spectator, but by the end of the movie, she finally gets a small part in a play.
 * The Danza: Eve Arden's character is named Eve, and Ann Miller's character is named Annie.
 * Deadpan Snarker: Just about all of the actresses at the Footlights Club (except Kaye and Miss Luther), but especially Jean, Judy, Eve and Linda.
 * The Ditz: Mary Lou.

Mary Lou: Why?

Judy: Never mind, just shake your head. (Mary Lou does) That's what I thought; I can hear a rattle just as plain."

"Eve: Remember, Hattie, don't do anything Butch wouldn't do."
 * Don't Do Anything I Wouldn't Do: Played with:

"Ann: (to Jean) Maybe you ought to stop at the filling station and get yourself pumped up!
 * Enforced Method Acting: The cast was made to hang out for several weeks, and most of the banter in the movie came from that.
 * Ensemble Cast: Though only Katharine Hepburn and Ginger Rogers were well-known at the time, today's viewers will find the rest of the cast pretty impressive.
 * Genre Savvy: Surprisingly, Terry. Not only does she figure out pretty quickly Anthony Powell is trying to put the moves on her, she's also the only one of his "conquests" to realize his so-called "wife and son" are fake.
 * Getting Crap Past the Radar: This exchange:
 * Getting Crap Past the Radar: This exchange:

Judy: Well, she ain't exactly a flat, dearie, just a slow leak."

"Jean: I must say, he's a generous old guy, as far as grandfathers go.
 * There's also the scene where Terry first moves into Jean's room with all of her clothes, which she was able to afford due to her rich grandfather.

Terry: He always treated me fine.

Jean: I suppose if you had your choice, you'd have picked a much younger grandfather."

"Linda: If I have to have a stooge, you might at least get me someone interesting.
 * Heroic BSOD: Terry has one of these after finding out about, though she does recover in time for her performance opening night.
 * Hey It's That Guy: Who knew Lucy Ricardo and Connie Brooks were both struggling actresses before they hit it big?
 * Insistent Terminology:

Harcourt: I hate that word 'stooge'. I'm retained as an escort.

Linda: Stooge is good enough."

"Oh, Mrs. Orcott! Linda's doing a striptease!
 * Irony As She Is Cast: Katharine Hepburn had already won an Oscar when she was cast as the talent-free Terry Randall. She does get better, though.
 * Also, the little-known Andrea Leeds played Kaye Hamilton, considered by the others to be the best actress in the bunch.
 * Knew It All Along: Anthony Powell acts this way when it turns out Terry is a success; also when he meets.
 * Mood Whiplash: The movie swings between the comedy of the actresses bickering at each other and the heartbreak of Kaye's life, especially after
 * Only Sane Woman: Terry and Miss Luther both see themselves as this, though Terry eventually gets better.
 * Pass the Popcorn: Played with; there's no popcorn in evidence when Jean accuses Linda of stealing her stockings, but the way the other women act, there might as well be.

You can get a bigger crowd in the street."

"Jean: I thought I was in love with you. I only went out with you in the first place to spit Linda. (Terry buries her head) Yes, you should be ashamed, you double-dealing, double-crossing...
 * Rapid-Fire Comedy
 * "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Jean gives one to Anthony Powell and Terry when she (wrongly) suspects him cheating on her with Terry:

Terry: Darling, I didn't know what I was doing.

Jean: You and your grandfather...preaches ideals so she can chisel when my back is turned. Well, you can take your old red fox cape. I'll never borrow another thing from you as long as I live. And don't try to borrow anything from me either. I hope you two snakes will be very happy together."

"Jean: She is responsible. It was part, it was, but now it's too late.   who never harmed anyone. It's all because she (Terry) hasn't any heart, because she's made out of ice.
 * She gives another, more serious one to Terry before she goes on, and after :

Miss Luther: I can't listen anymore, you must leave!

Jean: Oh, I'll go. I'm gonna go sit out front because  asked me to be there. And every line that she reads, I'm gonna say, 'That should have been  And every move you make, I'm gonna say, 'That should have been   And I dare ya to go on tonight."

"Jean: By way of variety, let's complain about the food."
 * Running Gag: How bad the food is at the Footlights Club. Lampshaded by Jean at one point.


 * Sarcasm Mode: Jean's default mode, though Annie, Eve, Judy and some of the others in the Club are like that as well.
 * Snark to Snark Combat: Jean vs. Linda, Jean vs. Terry, Jean vs. Anthony Powell (at least until she briefly started going out with him).
 * Springtime for Hitler:
 * Wham Line:
 * Younger Than They Look: Ann Miller was all of 14 years old when she was cast.