The Shocking Miss Pilgrim

A whole crowd of directors on this one, due to various health issues, acc to the trivia here. Also a pretty large cast list, if you include all the credited, uncredited, and Scenes Deleted. Betty Grable is Miss Pilgrim, an early female pioneer to work her way into the office. I LOVE the symbolism of making her name miss PILGRIM. Grable made this about halfway between Moon over Miami and How to Marry a Millionaire. Dick Haymes is Pritchard, the boss, and he's shocked that a woman would even consider working for him. Ann Revere is his aunt Alice, who stands up for her, and demands she be given a chance. Gene Lockhart is in here as Saxon. probably the most interesting credit on here is the singer, Countess Elektra Rozanska. if you search around enough, you'll find her story.. apparently she worked with children to resolve their speech issues. and of course, the debate over whether she really was a countess or not. sounds like a made up title to me. As period pieces go, this one is actually pretty good! it's almost a documentary, with some humor thrown in to keep it from being boring. they mention the Parker House, an actual Boston landmark, with over 500 rooms. i personally could have done with less songs; the story, the characters, and the historical significance were quite enough to carry the film. good stuff. shows occasionally on Turner Classics.

"The Schocking Miss Pilgrim" a curiosity piece rarely seen these days. The film focus on the early women's right movement in the late 19th Century. Some of the ideas from that time still resonate these days, although there is no comparison. Director George Seaton delivers an entertainment movie that is enhanced by some unheard music by George and Ira Gershwin that is a delight to the ear.

Betty Grable, a charismatic actress, portrays Cynthia Pilgrim, who has just finished a sort of secretarial school in which the use of the typewriter by a female was a breakthrough. Ms. Pilgrim is assigned to Boston where she is the first woman employed by a solid old firm that only employs male personnel. Soon Cynthia changes the perception of the office about women in the work place, winning the heart of her boss John Pritchard.

The musical numbers are delightful without being flashy. Ms. Grable and Dick Haymes make some nice music together. Mr. Haymes with his melodic voice is one of the best things in the film. Also, Anne Revere and Gene Lockhart do excellent work in minor roles.

This film should be seen more often because of the charismatic Ms. Grable and her costar Dick Haymes.

This is a film intriguing for many reasons. It has an uneasy postwar relationship with women in the workplace. It stars Bety Grable in an uncharacteristic role, and reveals Dick Haymes to be possessed of such a rich voice that he really missed the career boat as a vocalist. There is also a fascinating uncredited early appearance by Marilyn Monroe, and a star-studded list of contributors, including choreographer Hermes Pan. But what makes this film especially notable is the Gershwin music. Kay Swift's work with Ira Gershwin, from notebooks and unfinished sketches for various projects left by George Gershwin at his death in 1937, produced a complete posthumous score, the first for a motion picture.

The highlight of this film is the undiscovered songs by George Gershwin, which brother Ira wrote new lyrics to and Kay Swift arranged to make a film score that is a delight. One genuine hit, "For You, For Me, For Evermore," plus a near-hit, "Aren't You Glad We Did," are supported by a host of other pleasing tunes, including the witty novelty, "But Not in Boston." Dick Haymes' rich baritone is another strong point in what is, from a storyline point of view, a rather silly film.

It's funny that this film was a disappointment for Betty Grable and the studio, as I actually think it's better than most of her films. While I am not saying it's a great film, it is enjoyable and fits Grable very nicely. According to IMDb they attributed this to Grable not showing off her famous legs or because she wasn't peroxide blonde in the film. And, if you think about it, the film is supposed to be about equality and anti-sexism--and that's exactly how the studio execs behaved in blaming the film's lack of success on Grable's lessened sex appeal in this cute picture!

When the film begin, it's the 1870s and women simply did not work outside the home. So, when Miss Pilgrim (Grable) completes secretarial school and goes looking for a job in Boston, it's quite shocking and she naturally runs into sexism. So, she makes it a crusade of sorts to gain acceptance....and by doing so she becomes an important spokesperson for the women's suffrage movement! She also finds many friends in one of the strangest boarding houses you'll ever see in a movie!

The film is naturally filled with songs but not as many as in Grable's other films and a few of them are rather funny. Overall, it's a lighthearted and fun film about an important subject. Well worth seeing.