MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

Though Ginger Rogers' starring vehicles always turned a profit for RKO Radio, many filmgoers thought of Rogers only in terms of "Fred Astaire's partner." Others considered her a delightful comedienne, but no great shakes as a dramatic actress. Thus it was both a personal and professional triumph when Ms. Rogers walked home with an Oscar for her performance in Kitty Foyle. Based on Christopher Morley's Story of an American Girl, the film, told in flashback, relates the progress of working-girl Kitty Foyle (Ginger Rogers) as she pursues her Cinderella dreams. While employed at a department store, Kitty is wooed by Dennis Morgan, scion of a wealthy Philadelphia family. She flirts with the notion of marrying Morgan for his money, but decides that he's a bit too weak-willed for her tastes. Kitty enters into a romance with poor-but-dedicated doctor James Craig, then does an about-face by accepting Morgan's proposal. She quickly runs afoul of Morgan's snobbish family, who are so tightly bound by centuries-old tradition that Kitty is moved to exclaim "You mean to say you let all those dead people tell you what do?" She walks out on Morgan, then discovers that she's pregnant. Even after the trauma of delivering a stillborn child, Kitty is too proud to go back to Morgan. When true-blue Craig comes back into her life, Kitty, repeating her favorite phrase "By Judas Priest!", decides to forego money for love. Though successful to the tune of an $860,000 profit in 1940, Kitty Foyle seems stilted and over-rehearsed when seen today, save for the refreshing spontaneity of Ginger Rogers' performance. The film's best scene is the opening montage of the American Woman's "progress" once she enters the workplace (an uncredited Heather Angel is the central character in this delightful pantomimic vignette). Featured in the cast of Kitty Foyle is director Sam Wood's daughter Katherine Stevens, better known as K.T. Stevens. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

DVD FEATURES:

• Region: 1
• Number of Discs: 1
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 (Pre-1954 Standard)
• Audio: Dolby Digital Mono
• Screen: Black and White
• Subtitle: English, French, Spanish
• Features:
  • cc
  • 2 classic cartoons: Bad Luck Blackie; Tom and Jerry in Kitty Foiled
  • 2 radio productions with Ginger Rogers
  • Theatrical trailer
  • Subtitles: English, Francais & Espanol (Feature Film Only)

AWARDS

• Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

•     Won Best Actress - 1940 (Ginger Rogers)
•     Nominated Best Director - 1940 (Sam Wood)
•     Nominated Best Picture - 1940
•     Nominated Best Screenplay - 1940 (Dalton Trumbo)
•     Nominated Best Sound - 1940 (John Aalberg)

• Film Daily

•     Won 10 Best Films - 1940

• National Board of Review

•     Won Best Acting - 1941 (Ginger Rogers)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Director:

  Sam Wood

• Producer:

  David Hempstead

• Book Author:

  Christopher D. Morley

• Screenwriter:

  Donald Ogden Stewart, Dalton Trumbo

• Cinematographer:

  Robert de Grasse

• Composer (Music Score):

  Roy Webb

• Editor:

  Henry Berman, Harry Berman

• Art Director:

  Mark-Lee Kirk, Van Nest Polglase

• Executive Producer:

  Harry E. Edington

• Set Designer:

  Darrell Silvera

• Costume Designer:

  Renie

• Makeup:

  Mel Burns

• Special Effects:

  Vernon Walker

• First Assistant Director:

  Argyle Nelson

REVIEW:

• Kitty Foyle is a good example of Hollywood's portrayal of women characters in the 1940s, and it foreshadowed the types of scruffy, proletariat screenplays which would later bring Dalton Trumbo to the attention of the House Committee on Un-American Activities. The resilient, working-class lead character gave Ginger Rogers one of her best roles, and it remains a good example of her versatility. Among the supporting cast members, Eduardo Ciannelli is a standout, while James Craig and Dennis Morgan are both adequate as Rogers' love interests. The tech credits are quite good, particularly for an RKO feature; the studio often couldn't match the lavish standards of its bigger-studio cousins. The story is told in a straightforward style, and director Sam Wood allows the actress room to find the perfect tone for her character. Rogers would garner a Best Actress Oscar for her work. ~ Richard Gilliam, Rovi