Play Girl (1941)

Boring, long, and too preachy.

It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Play Girl, made in 1940 shortly before America entered World War II, is a film that looks back to Depression era films. An aging "gold-digger" Grace (Kay Francis), realizes that she's too old (over 30) to hoodwink vain older men. She takes on a destitute nineteen-year-old Ellen (Mildred Coles), and grooms her to be her successor. But Ellen turns out to be a good girl after all, and falls for a young cowboy named Tom, leading to a predictably happy ending. The economically precarious life of unmarried women lurks beneath the film's labored humor. I was struck by the vulnerability of the three women (Margaret Hamilton plays Josie, Grace's maid--a failed maternal figure to both the younger women). Fortunately for the women like the ones in this film, there would be plenty of war work available soon enough. They could earn an honest living and acquire decent job skills while the men fought overseas. In the regressive fifties, films like Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend would bring back the old gold-digger theme, but the women in the later film have a toughness and self-reliance (after all, Marilyn Monroe was discovered working at a munitions factory) that even the sleek Grace can't quite manage. Grace, in a plot twist, goes after Tom and gets a visit from Tom's mother. Like Grace, she's an elegantly dressed older woman who gently puts Grace's feet in the fire. This woman's film is so much about the predicament of aging and marginalized women. It's fitting that Kay Francis, whose studio was desperate to get rid of her, played Grace. She was always a class act.

Realizing that her days attracting wealthy suitors are numbered, sophisticated social climber Kay Francis decides to utilize the charms of a 19 year old innocent (Mildred Coles) in order to continue her wealthy lifestyle. She passes Coles off on elderly Nigel Bruce, a man obviously in his 60's who claims to be 39. Bruce showers Coles with furs and jewelry, but at Kay's urging, Coles pretends to make Bruce think she wants to marry him, something he is totally against. This leads to a settlement out of court to avoid a public scandal (something Ms. Francis's character was notorious for) and sends Coles onto Francis's next victim (G.P. Huntley). But Coles has fallen for James Ellison, whom she, Francis and the maid (a hysterical Margaret Hamilton) had earlier encountered while traveling. Ellison turns out to be wealthy himself, a breeder of horses, not the trainer the trio of women had thought he was. Coles suddenly gets a case of a guilt complex when Ellison brings up marriage and disappears. This puts Francis on the pounce to get Ellison for herself, but when Ellison's mama (Katherine Alexander) shows up and is revealed to be near Kay's age, Ms. Francis has an attack of conscience herself.Free from her mistreatment at Warner Brothers, Kay moved onto freelance during the last quarter of her film career. This is an rare enjoyable foray into comedy for the notorious clothes horse who looks "wavishing" (as her wisecracking descentors would say, imitating her charming speech impediment) and gets to utilize some fun wisecracks along the way. Nigel Bruce gets the best material for the men, while the others are overshadowed by the women. However, the best notice I must give goes to that "Wizard of Oz" witch Margaret Hamilton who gets to make a crack about "riding on air" that sounds like a pre-quel to "defying gravity". She has never been so free in films to let loose with her comedic talents, and comes closer to being like Mary Wickes here than her usually sour-pussed gossipy old maids. The scene towards the end between Francis and Alexander is nicely written and has a beautiful pay-off.My biggest gripe comes from the use of the social columns who apparently are on to the foils of the two gold diggers. It seems rather forced to believe that the newspapers would pick up the activities of two non-celebrities who are doin' what comes naturally for single women in pre-war America.

I've never been a huge KAY FRANCIS fan, but at least in PLAY GIRL she gets a better than average script (for a B-film), and an excellent supporting cast that is able to breathe some life into the material. And her character is sensible and mature, not to mention a bit too noble to be believable by the last reel.She's a fashionable gold digger who decides to train a protégé to lure men into the net when her own looks become too mature. This time the prize is JAMES ELLISON, a handsome young cattle rancher who happens to fall hard for her protégé, played winsomely by MILDRED COLE.KANE RICHMOND and NIGEL BRUCE lend valuable support in key roles and the whole story is done with flair and style that makes it pleasant entertainment. On the face of it, it's strictly minor stuff with many soap opera overtones.Only disappointing angle is the resolution of the love affair involving Ellison and Cole with no on screen reunion provided by the script. Instead, he rushes to join the young protégé in Florida while Francis turns her attention to another man. The plot soon becomes a twisted soap opera with Francis nobly giving up the young man in favor of telling him the truth about Cole's whereabouts.Nothing deep here, just a pleasant diversion that passes quickly and is soon forgotten. Good work by a capable cast makes it easy to watch.

Warner Brothers continued its campaign to get Kay Francis to break her contract not just by lowering the quality of her vehicles, not just by loading her dialogue with 'r's or putting her in horse operas, but now by lending her out to other studios. She was the highest-priced actress on the Warner's lot and they didn't want her any more. But she was not going to give up that contract.In this lend-out to RKO, Miss Francis, as usual, gives a wonderful performance. In fact, given the cast of minor players -- including a few long-time favorites of mine like Nigel Bruce and Kane Richmond -- and they give fine performances too, even if we are expected to believe Mr. Bruce hails from Chicago, in this minor comedy. It's about a professional adventuress who is getting a lot too old to play wealthy men for suckers. It's a little slow-starting, but by the half-way mark, it is moving along at a good clip. Definitely worth your while.