Maisie Goes to Reno

This middling entry in MGM's answer to Warner's Torchy Blaine series has Maisie going to Reno, getting involved in a mystery surrounding a divorcing couple.

It is a rather dull entry, the result of an uninvolving script and bland characterizations. Harry Beaumont, one of MGM's longtime B directors, does his best with the visual story telling, but even Anne Southern, aided and abetted by some up-and-coming players like Ava Gardner and John Hodiak can't do much with the story but talk fast.

MGM, once Thalberg was dead, never quite knew what to do with unglamorous characters and a smattering of 40s jive talk dates the story and gives an infantile air to the entire operation. For completest of the talent involved, but if you miss this, you won't suffer.

For once, Maisie Ravier isn't losing a job on vaudeville, in a carnival or night club. "Maisie Goes to Reno" is the 8th of 10 films of the Maisie series by MGM. But now, our heroine has been working too hard at the war-time factory. So, the company doctor orders her to take a two-week vacation. Well, she runs into an old pal, Tommy Cutter, who happens to have a band and is heading for a gig at a hotel in Reno. He talks her into making her two-week vacation a return to singing with his band.

But, after being scammed by an old lady in the train depot and losing her money for a ticket, she gets her ticket from a G. I. He was on his way to try to stop his recent bride from divorcing him, but his leave has just been cancelled and he has to report back to base right away. In exchange for the ticket, Maisie agrees to take his letter and deliver it personally to the girl.

Well, Maisie winds up in another situation of skullduggery, but she is able to crack the case in the end so that the two lovebirds aren't divorced. In the meantime, of course, she has problems of her own over work and singing. How interesting this always is so that the audience never sees Ann Sothern sing or dance. Maisie falls for another guy, but has to put Flip off for moving too fast. Things get a little wacky in this one before it's over.

Here are some good lines from this film.

Flip Hennahan, "Take it easy! Take it Easy! What for? Do I have to buy you flowers and take you to the movies a whole year before I convince you?" Maisie Ravier, "Well, a girl does like to have flowers and a little romance before she's married. Heaven knows, few of them get it after."

Parsons, "You are an employee of this hotel. I'll see you in my office." Maisie, "Yes, sir. Shall I being the whip along or do you keep one handy?"

George, the blackjack dealer, "Aw, come now. Too much is plenty."

Maisie Ravier, "Flip, are you intimating again, that I'm a little nutsy?" Flip Hennahan, "Oh, no, honey, of course not. You've just been working too hard."

This eighth installment of the Maisie franchise is pretty strange and the plot very contrived. Yet, it still manages to entertain. It begins with Maisie being ordered to take a vacation from the defense plant, as she's exhausted and hasn't had a vacation in almost a year and a half. When she meets an old friend who is a band leader, he invites her to sing with his band in Reno. This way, her vacation will be paid for and all she'll need to do is get there. At the bus station, however, she meets a soldier (Tom Drake) who tells her a sob story in order to get her to give him her bus ticket. It seems his wife is now in Reno trying to get a divorce and he wants to stop her, as it's all just a bit misunderstanding. She gives him the ticket but then all leaves are canceled--and he's ordered back to camp. Maisie agrees to see the wife and deliver a letter to her.

When Maisie arrives at where the wife is staying, he gives her the letter and learns that the husband is a creep. Maisie is satisfied and decides to stay out of the situation. BUT, she then learns accidentally that the lady she spoke with is NOT the soldier's wife! What gives? Who is impersonating the wife and why? Perhaps it's because the real wife (Ava Gardner) is very rich and someone is trying to steal her fortune. The problem is no one believes Maisie and she has a devil of a time convincing any one! As I said, the plot is strange and contrived. But, it manages to be pretty entertaining as well--especially at the end. Not among the better Maisie films but all are awfully good, so it's worth your time.

Maisie Ravier (Ann Sothern) is cracking after working 16 straight months at the airplane factory. She is ordered to take a 2 week vacation with pay. Tommy Cutter offers her a singing job with him in Reno. At the bus station, she encounters Sergeant Bill Fullerton who wants her to deliver a letter to his wife Gloria. In Reno, she falls for blackjack dealer "Flip" Hennahan (John Hodiak) who drives her to Gloria. Unbeknownst to her, Gloria is being manipulated to divorce Bill.

I'm a little back and forth with Flip. He's not really necessary for a good movie. It could be a more fun caper without him. I'm not sure about the reason for the scheme either. I have my guesses. I like screwball caper part of the movie. I like bellboy Jerry. I still like Maisie and that's the main thing.

In "Maisie Goes to Reno," our usually effervescent Maisie is burnt out working in a wartime factory and is sent on a vacation by her doctor. She accepts an offer to sing with her old band in Reno and relax by day but finds that in order to get there, she has to buy the ticket of a woman who's decided not to go. A soldier sees the transaction and begs Maisie to help him. Initially, he wants her ticket but when an MP informs him that his unit has been called in, he asks Maisie to take a note to his soon to be ex-wife in order to stop the divorce.

In Reno, Maisie discovers that the man's wife (Ava Gardner) is being duped by two con artists into believing her husband just wants her money. Maisie herself becomes involved with an employee in the hotel casino (John Hodiak).

Sothern does a fun rendition of "Panhandle Pete," Gardner is ravishing, and John Hodiak was never handsomer. Most of the "Maisie" series was pleasant without being overwhelming, though perhaps some of the earlier films were better. This one is okay, worth it to see Gardner and Hodiak in early roles - and of course, the always wonderful Sothern.