LADY FOR A DAY (1933) B/W 95m dir: Frank Capra

w/Warren William, May Robson, Guy Kibbee, Glenda Farrell, Ned Sparks, Walter Connolly

From Variety's contemporary review of the film: "Lady for a Day asks the spectator to believe in the improbable. It's Hans Christian Anderson stuff written by a hard-boiled journalist and transferred to the screen by trick-wise Hollywoodites. While not stinting a full measure of credit to director Frank Capra, it seems as if the spotlight of recognition ought to play rather strongly on scriptwriter Robert Riskin [adapting Damon Runyon's story 'Madame La Gimp'].

"On the performance end, May Robson dominates the first reel but is thereafter rather subordinated as the story gets into the comedy side-plots.

"Actually in a well balanced, smartly directed cast like this it's hard to split the posies. Even in a small role as a night-club hostess Glenda Farrell looks great. There are half a dozen bits, including a superbly ironic English Butler that ought really to get a shoulder pat. Warren William is the superstitious gambler for whom Apple Annie is a good luck omen. It is he who stage manages the gigantic make-believe whereby the shoddy peddler of apples becomes a 'lady for a day,' to preserve her finely reared daughter's illusions that her mother is a society somebody."

Capra remade the film as POCKETFUL OF MIRACLES with Bette Davis in 1961, but that film's not nearly as good as this earlier version of the story.

LADY FOR A DAY was Oscar-nominated for Best Picture, Director, Actress (Robson), and Adapted Screenplay (Riskin).