Women of Glamour

Many folks have complained that Hollywood relies way too much on remakes. Well, this phenomenon is not just a recent thing and in the 1930s and 40s, films were routinely remade. Sometimes it was because the story was originally a silent movie and a talking remake seemed reasonable...but often films were remade simply because it was a cheap and quick way to milk more out of story. Often, the remakes did little to improve on the original...and I wondered if "Women of Glamour" was better than its 1930 version, "Ladies of Leisure"...a film which was actually a remake of a silent 1926 version. Well, I have never seen the silent version but I loved the 1930 one...and just assumed I'd prefer it to the 1937 flick. Could I be wrong? I often am, as my wife and daughters will be only too happy to tell you!

The story is about a tempermental high society artist falling for his lower-class model. Unfortunately, his friends and family are not thrilled with this and make it tough on the newlyweds.

In some ways, this remake is good and in others it isn't. The original remake (1930) was directed by Frank Capra and starred Barbara Stanwyck...and the direction and starring lady clearly were better than the 1937 version. Virginia Bruce is okay...but it's hard to compare her to Stanwyck. However, Melvyn Douglas also stars in the 37 film...and he's nice though VERY restrained compared to his usual persona. The direction of the latter film isn't as good and the melodrama seems a bit overwrought towards the end of the film. Overall, the good in the 1930 version easily outweighs the good in this remake...so why not just watch the earlier one?

By the way, Bruce's comic sidekick, Pert Kelton, became famous later for playing the first Alice Kramden on "The Jackie Gleason Show". She was later dropped due to her leftist past...a victim of the Red Scare.